How tall should a bedside lamp be, and what makes a good reading light for bed? The answer depends less on the lamp alone than on three heights added together: your mattress, your bedside table and the lamp itself. A lamp that looks right on a shelf can sit far too low next to a tall bed, and then the light falls on the duvet instead of the page. This guide gives simple working rules, then checks them against the real sizes of the table lamps, wall lights and pendant lights we sell, so you can see how much each one needs to be raised, or whether a sconce or pendant would work better.
Three working rules for bedside lighting
These are common guides used by interior designers, not fixed standards:
- Table height: the top of the bedside table within about 5 cm of the top of the mattress, so the lamp starts at the right level and things are easy to reach.
- Light height: when you sit up against the headboard, the light should come from roughly shoulder to chin height, which for most adults is about 50 to 75 cm above the top of the mattress. This is the same range used in our bedside sconce height guide.
- Glare: from your pillow you should not look straight at the bulb. A shade that hides the bulb, or a light aimed at the page, keeps the light comfortable.
How much should your bedside lamp be raised?
Most of our table lamps are compact, between 23 and 39 cm tall. On a bedside table level with the mattress, that puts even the top of the lamp below the 50 cm mark. The table below shows how much extra height each lamp needs for its top to reach 50 cm above the mattress: a taller table, a stack of books or a small riser. Our product pages give the total height, not the height of the bottom of the shade, so treat these figures as a minimum.
| Lamp | Total height | Shade or top width | Base | Extra height needed to reach 50 cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cordless Marble Table Lamp | 23 cm | 17 cm | Ø 7 cm | 27 cm |
| Amanita Mushroom Table Lamp | About 30 cm | 18 cm | 12 cm | About 20 cm |
| Cobalt Glass Bankers Desk Lamp | 36 cm | 26.5 cm | 18 cm | 14 cm |
| Baroque Stained Glass Table Lamp | 36.5 cm | Ø 20 cm | Ø 11.5 cm | 13.5 cm |
| Blue Stained Glass Tiffany Lamp | 36.5 cm | Ø 20 cm | Ø 11.5 cm | 13.5 cm |
| Tiffany Cat Table Lamp | 36.5 cm | 20 cm | 11.5 cm | 13.5 cm |
| Tiffany Mission Style Table Lamp | 36.5 cm | 28 cm | 15.5 cm | 13.5 cm |
| Tiffany Gypsophila Bedside Lamp | 38 cm | 20 cm | Not stated | 12 cm |
| Bauhaus Silver Dome Table Lamp | 39 cm | Ø 30 cm | Ø 16 cm | 11 cm |
Worked example: your mattress top is 60 cm from the floor and your bedside table is 55 cm high, 5 cm lower. A Baroque Stained Glass Table Lamp (36.5 cm) then reaches 55 + 36.5 = 91.5 cm, which is 31.5 cm above the mattress. To reach 50 cm above it, you would need a table about 74 cm high, or a riser of about 18.5 cm on the existing table. If that feels too much, a small stained glass lamp works best as a soft mood light by the bed, with a wall light or pendant for reading. For our full range of small glass lamps, see Tiffany and stained glass lamps.
Reading lights for bed: wall lights
A wall light solves the height question once and for all: you fix it at the height you need, and the bedside table stays free. For reading, choose one that aims light down or that you can angle. All sizes come from our product pages.
| Wall light | Size | Light direction | Switch | Room size stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjustable Polished Metal Spotlight Sconce | Cone Ø 12.5 cm, H 28 cm | Focused beam, adjustable angle | Wall switch | 10–15 m² |
| Aluminium Cone Wall Sconce | H 13 × W 10 cm, 18 cm from the wall | Shade rotates up or down | Not stated | Not stated |
| Classic Fabric Wall Sconce | Shade Ø 17 cm, H 23 cm, 25 cm from the wall | Up and down | Not stated | 3–5 m² |
| Knitted Shade Wood Wall Sconce | H 38 cm, W 15 cm at base | Soft glow through the shade | Touch | 3–5 m² |
| Travertine Wood Cap Wall Sconce | Ø 11 × H 15 cm | Down, from the open bottom | Touch | 1–3 m² |
| Ribbed Tulip Glass Wall Sconce | Shade 12 cm wide, H 42 cm | Whole tulip glows | Not stated | Not stated |
For a book, the Adjustable Polished Metal Spotlight Sconce is the most precise: its product page describes angling the cone toward the pillow to light the page. The fabric, knitted and stone sconces give a softer light, better for winding down than for long reading sessions. Most of our wall lights are hardwired, so check the installation line on each product page.
Hanging bedside lights: pendants instead of a lamp
A small pendant on a long cord hangs beside the bed and frees the whole table. The calculation below keeps the bottom of the shade 50 to 75 cm above a mattress whose top is 55 cm from the floor, so between 105 and 130 cm from the floor. The drop is measured from the ceiling to the top of the shade.
| Pendant | Shade | Cord | Drop under a 250 cm ceiling | Drop under a 270 cm ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travertine Stone Pendant Light | Ø 15 × H 11 cm | Up to 180 cm | 109–134 cm | 129–154 cm |
| Small Colourful Glass Drum Pendant | Ø 15 cm, total H 16 cm | 190 cm | 104–129 cm | 124–149 cm |
| Round Silk Globe Pendant | Ø 25 × H 26 cm | 150 cm | 94–119 cm | 114–139 cm |
| Travertine Walnut Pendant Light | Ø 17 cm | 170 cm | Shade height not stated | Shade height not stated |
All three calculated pendants stay within their cord length under both ceilings. The Round Silk Globe needs 139 cm at most under a 270 cm ceiling, close to its 150 cm cord, so measure your ceiling before ordering. For more ideas, see our bedroom lighting ideas.
Height is only half of the choice. For the width, the switch and matching pairs, see our guide to bedside lamps; for stained glass lamps from 16 to 40 cm, see Tiffany table lamp sizes.
Frequently asked questions
How tall should a bedside lamp be?
Tall enough that, with the table, the light sits about 50 to 75 cm above the top of the mattress when you sit up. On a table level with the mattress, that means a lamp of 50 cm or more. With a compact lamp of 36.5 cm, raise it by at least 13.5 cm, or use it as a mood light and read with a wall light.
What is the best reading light for bed?
One you can aim. An adjustable wall spotlight, such as our Adjustable Polished Metal Spotlight Sconce, puts the light on the page without glare, and it takes no space on the table. Warm white light is easier on the eyes before sleep; see warm white vs cool white.
Can I use a cordless lamp by the bed?
Yes. The Cordless Marble Table Lamp runs 8 to 12 hours per charge, according to its product page, and has 3 brightness levels. At 23 cm it is low, so it works best as a night light or on a raised table. Read more in cordless and rechargeable table lamps.
Browse our table lamps, wall lights and cordless lamps, or read bedside sconce height and what is a sconce.
