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Lighting Trends: 10 Tripod Lamps to Love
Classic Shape Gives Floor Lamps a Light New Silhouette
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
If you have a bit of extra floor space, a tripod lamp is an choice that can add ambiance, reading light, and conversation-worthy style to any room in your home. Lamp designers are grabbing inspiration from a range of influences, adding a slew of interesting tripod lamp choices. What follows are 10 different styles to consider for occupying an otherwise dead corner, for providing good reading light next to your sofa or lounge chair, or for letting you pretend you are Mario Testino.
Also, be warned that I made a few of these style names up, especially toward the end of the ideabook. You'll know them when you see them.
Also, be warned that I made a few of these style names up, especially toward the end of the ideabook. You'll know them when you see them.
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| 1. The Surveyor's Style Lamp: These floor lamps are inspired by the stands surveyors use, hence the name. Here a pair of polished surveyor style lamps frame the inside of a spectacular window and add to the symmetry of the space. They are also the only elements that add a bit of black to that wall.
Added bonus: When your surveyor's lamp inspires a conversation, you can casually drop the words "Plumb Bob" into conversation, and it's always fun to say "Plumb Bob." Try it. |
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This rustic version of the surveyor style lamp is a good choice for rustic-chic cabins, boys' rooms and places with a treehouse feel.
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2. The Photographer's Lamp: Surveying not for you? Maybe your fantasy had more to do with being a fashion photographer in a fabulous loft, and directing people to use their best Le Tigre, Blue Steel- or lemur poses. This is the ultimate photographer's style lamp, designed by Mariano Fortuny in 1907. Fortuny was also a stage set designer, so he knew how to bring the drama.
The Fortuny photographer's lamp is about as dramatic as it gets. It works well in this open room, and has a nice relationship to the urban view, particularly to the glowing skyscraper. It is also part of a nice ensemble that includes a Barcelona Daybed and an Eileen Gray Side Table.
The Fortuny photographer's lamp is about as dramatic as it gets. It works well in this open room, and has a nice relationship to the urban view, particularly to the glowing skyscraper. It is also part of a nice ensemble that includes a Barcelona Daybed and an Eileen Gray Side Table.
by Imagine Living
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These oversize photographer lights fit the scale of this vast loft. In a room with ceilings this high, you need to incorporate other objects that draw the eye up, and the variety of tall heights on these lamps do the job.
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by Amoroso Design
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| If you're like most people and do not have a giant living room or warehouse you need to furnish, you may need to scale it down a bit. There is a photographer's style lamp for you; many retailers have picked up on the photographer's lamp trend and offer smaller models. Here a smaller scale photographer's lamp nestles right into the living room and provides good reading light. |
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| 3. The Tripode Lamp: This lamp stands out from the pack of other tripod lamps because its base is delicate and resembles a trio of Pick-Up Sticks. The slender legs of this style take up less room but draw the eye with their clever, well-balanced arrangement.
This is another great example of tripod lamps adding some much-needed height to the furnishings. These ceilings are so high that the rest of the furniture would seem squat without the added height from the floor lamps. Also, their bases play off the slender spindles of the stair railing. |
by Bjorg Magnea
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4. The Half Tripod: This is half tripod, half single rod. It has a bit of a retro Mad Men vibe, almost as if the top of the tripod base may have been an ashtray back in the days when people thought smoking was good for their lungs and smoked in the office all day.
Imagine this corner without the lamp — dead and tricky space. The half tripod is a perfect solution, lighting up the corner and giving us something beautiful to look at.
Imagine this corner without the lamp — dead and tricky space. The half tripod is a perfect solution, lighting up the corner and giving us something beautiful to look at.
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| 5. The Drop Dead Legs Tripod: These tripods have legs up to their necks, literally, and taper down into spiky points at the floor. This adds a sharp, crisp element to the room, whether you choose black, a natural wood tone or a metal finish. Here a spiky tripod is a great addition to the window bay. The long straight legs and implied triangles provide needed contrast to the curvaceous furniture and accessories. |
| 6. Noguchi Akari Lanterns: Isamu Noguchi never met a tripod base he didn't like, and he usually affixed a fantastic paper lantern to every one he came across. The official lanterns are known as Akari lanterns, and a genuine Akari model will have a stamped red sun and half moon with Japan written under the symbol on the shade. Next to the symbol will be the signature "I. Noguchi".
A part of the Museum of Modern Art's archives, these lamps now reside next door to MoMA. |
by CWB Architects
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7. Triple-Jointed Woody: I forced my mother to buy this Sandy Chapman lamp for our family house in Maine and everyone is glad I did. The wood and the arrangement of the legs is striking, and it has a subtle bit of nautical style. The lamp gives off great ambient light as well as ample reading light.
This lamp is a choice that requires a good amount of floor space; make sure you won't be trying to crush it between tightly arranged furniture. Think of it as requiring the same amount of space as a large pedestal side table.
This lamp is a choice that requires a good amount of floor space; make sure you won't be trying to crush it between tightly arranged furniture. Think of it as requiring the same amount of space as a large pedestal side table.
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| 8. Wide Legged Jeanne: This room has a few dominant textures such as the tapestry, the fur throw, the sculpture and the plant. The other furnishings need to take a bit of a backseat. This tripod is an excellent choice because of its white shade and chrome base, which do not compete with the textures. Meanwhile, the large scale of the base and shade can stand up to the large proportions of this room. |
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9. The Barely There Tripod Lamp: While most models take up a fair amount of floor space, this slim version is only about 22" in diameter (note that the base at the floor is no wider than the lampshade).
If your space is limited and the main items in the room are small scale, like this fireplace, a barely-there tripod lamp is a good solution.
If your space is limited and the main items in the room are small scale, like this fireplace, a barely-there tripod lamp is a good solution.
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This model has a more substantial base, but is taking up a very small amount of floor space. It tucks behind the armchair without looking cramped or cluttered.
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10. The Curvy Tripod: It sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, but this style has taken the three-legged form and transformed it into something very sculptural.Here a curvy tripod holds its own next to the Togo sofas, bright accent colors, large expanse of marble and the attention-grabbing fabric ceiling light. How does it hold its own? Via the sculptural base, green color and unique shape of the shade.
Also, note the careful placement against a white wall in between the curtains; without the glow and shape provided by the lamp, this would be dead space.
Also, note the careful placement against a white wall in between the curtains; without the glow and shape provided by the lamp, this would be dead space.
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After reading this, are you chomping at the bit to buy a tripod lamp? Here is a round up of a few of my favorites, some of which you've seen featured in the inspiration photos above, and some that you may not have seen before.
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These lights are very MGM Studios and are a great idea for that big open loft, especially the large one.
by Jonathan Adler
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by Lamps Plus
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Ideabook published on May 16, 2011.
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