A table lamp is a lamp that stands on a piece of furniture, such as a bedside table, a side table, a desk or a console, rather than on the floor or the ceiling. Its type decides how the light falls: a stained glass shade glows with colour, a bankers lamp throws light down onto a desk, a metal dome draws a pool of light on the table, and a fabric shade spreads light all around. This guide explains the main types of table lamps, gives the real heights and shade sizes of the table lamps in our range, and shows how to size one for a bedside, a desk or a living room.
The main types of table lamps
- Stained glass (Tiffany-style) lamps: a shade of hand-cut coloured glass joined by lead lines, which glows when lit. See the Blue Stained Glass Tiffany Lamp, the Baroque Stained Glass Table Lamp, the Tiffany Gypsophila Bedside Lamp and the square Tiffany Mission Style Table Lamp.
- Bankers lamps: a horizontal glass shade on a curved arm, made to light a desk, such as the Cobalt Glass Bankers Desk Lamp with its pull chain.
- Dome and mushroom lamps: a rounded cap that sends the light down, such as the Bauhaus Silver Dome Table Lamp or the Amanita Mushroom Table Lamp.
- Cordless lamps: a built-in battery and no cable, so the lamp moves from room to room, such as the Cordless Marble Table Lamp (8–12 hours per charge).
- Fabric shade lamps: the classic lamp with a textile shade that glows all around, such as the Botanical Glass Globe Table Lamp, the Half Moon Wood Table Lamp or the Retro Pagoda Table Lamp.
- Accent and novelty lamps: a small lamp chosen as much for its design as for its light, such as the Tiffany Cat Table Lamp.
Real sizes of our table lamps
All figures below are taken from our product pages. “Not stated” means the figure is not given on the product page.
| Table lamp | Type | Height | Shade | Base | Light and switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Stained Glass Tiffany Lamp | Stained glass | 36.5 cm (14.4 in) | Ø 20 cm (7.9 in) | Ø 11.5 cm (4.5 in) | In-line on/off switch |
| Baroque Stained Glass Table Lamp | Stained glass | 36.5 cm (14.4 in) | Ø 20 cm (7.9 in) | Ø 11.5 cm (4.5 in) | E27, in-line push-button |
| Tiffany Gypsophila Bedside Lamp | Stained glass | 38 cm (15 in) | 20 cm (8 in) | Not stated | Not dimmable |
| Tiffany Mission Style Table Lamp | Stained glass, square | 36.5 cm (14.4 in) | 28 cm (11 in) wide | 15.5 cm (6.1 in) | Not stated |
| Tiffany Cat Table Lamp | Accent, stained glass | 36.5 cm (14.4 in) | 20 cm (8 in) | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) | Button switch, bulb included |
| Cobalt Glass Bankers Desk Lamp | Bankers | 36 cm (14.2 in) | 26.5 cm (10.4 in) wide | 18 cm (7.1 in) | Pull chain |
| Bauhaus Silver Dome Table Lamp | Dome | 39 cm (15.4 in) | Ø 30 cm (11.8 in) | Ø 16 cm (6.3 in) | Button switch, about 5–10 m² |
| Amanita Mushroom Table Lamp | Mushroom | about 30 cm (11.8 in) | Cap 18 cm (7.1 in) | 12 cm (4.7 in) | E27 LED included, about 3–5 m² |
| Cordless Marble Table Lamp | Cordless | 23 cm (9.1 in) | Ø 17 cm (6.7 in) | Ø 7 cm (2.8 in) | Touch, 3 brightness levels |
| Botanical Glass Globe Table Lamp | Fabric shade | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Touch switch, about 3–5 m² |
| Half Moon Wood Table Lamp | Fabric shade | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | LED 6 W |
| Retro Pagoda Table Lamp | Fabric shade | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | LED 7 W, push-button |
How to size a table lamp
The table lamps in this guide measure 23 to 39 cm (9.1 to 15.4 in) high where the height is stated: compact sizes for a bedside table, a desk, a shelf or a console. Two simple checks help you choose.
- Leave room on the table. A common tip is to keep the shade narrower than the table, with space for a glass or a book. On a 45 cm (17.7 in) bedside table, a 20 cm stained glass shade leaves 25 cm free, the Mission (28 cm) 17 cm, the Bankers (26.5 cm) 18.5 cm, the Bauhaus dome (30 cm) 15 cm and the Cordless Marble (17 cm) 28 cm.
- Add up the light. Product pages give the floor area each lamp suits. A 12 m² bedroom lit only by lamps needs more than one: two Amanita lamps (3–5 m² each) and a Bauhaus dome (5–10 m²) add up to 11–20 m². In a 20 m² living room, table lamps work best as accent light next to a ceiling light or a floor lamp: see our types of floor lamps.
- Pairs on a console. Two 20 cm stained glass lamps on a 120 cm console leave 80 cm between and around them for books or a bowl.
For the right height beside a bed, see our guide to bedside lamp height and reading lights; for shade shapes, see types of lamp shades.
Which type of table lamp for which room
- Bedside: a 20 cm stained glass lamp or a cordless lamp you can carry. See glass table lamps and cordless and rechargeable table lamps.
- Desk: a bankers lamp or a square Mission lamp. See our desk lamps guide.
- Living room: a dome, a fabric shade or a stained glass lamp on a side table or console. See living room lighting ideas.
- Kids' room: a cat or mushroom lamp as a soft night light. See kids' room and nursery lighting.
Choosing for a nightstand or a console? Our guide to Tiffany table lamp sizes compares stained glass shades from 16 to 40 cm, and our guide to bedside lamps gives a quick sizing check for 35, 45 and 55 cm nightstands.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of table lamps?
Stained glass (Tiffany-style), bankers, dome and mushroom, cordless, fabric shade and accent lamps. Each sends the light in a different way: through coloured glass, down onto a desk, down onto the table or all around.
How tall are the table lamps in this guide?
Between 23 cm (Cordless Marble) and 39 cm (Bauhaus Silver Dome) where the height is stated. The stained glass lamps with a 20 cm (7.9 in) shade are 36.5 to 38 cm (14.4 to 15 in) high; larger stained glass models are listed in our stained glass collection.
Is a Tiffany-style lamp a real Tiffany lamp?
No. Our lamps are Tiffany-style: made in the stained glass tradition, not pieces from Tiffany Studios. Our guide on how to tell if a Tiffany lamp is real explains the difference.
See all models in our table lamps collection and our Tiffany and stained glass lamps collection.
