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Bedside Lamp Preference?

16 years ago

Just curious as to whether you have bedside wall lamps or table lamps.

Do you have a preferance and if so what?

Anything that you'd do differently regarding what you currently have?

Comments (37)

  • 16 years ago

    Used to have wall lamps, now have table lamps, miss the wall lamps, lol.

  • 16 years ago

    We just went back to using 3-way switch swing-arm wall lamps. Yay! I wanted them when we first moved in, but dh & I were too busy with family matters to do even the simplest DIY jobs. Then they were pushed to the back burner by urgent repairs. I am so happy to have freed up space on top of our nightstands, but even more to have the flexibility of the swing-arm lamps. My aging eyes appreciate the improved lighting for reading in bed.

  • 16 years ago

    I have a swing arm wall lamp too. I think the height is better for reading.

  • 16 years ago

    I have & love the bedside wall lamps. But, a lot of it depends on the size of your nightstands, too. In other words, there are nightstands that are large enough to accomodate a surface lamp and still have plenty of room for other things.

  • 16 years ago

    I WANT wall lamps! Our tables are big enough for lamps, but I am sure that the swing arm would provide much better light for our old eyes! Since we are snowed in, I think I will look online tonight and just do it! Thanks for bringing this up.

    Oh, and if anyone has any source they paticularly love, please share. Thanks.

  • 16 years ago

    Swing-arm lamps here too! Always my preference for reading etc.

    Jan at Rosemary Cottage

  • 16 years ago

    We have table lamps, I also have an adjustable goose neck clip on lamp on my headboard for reading.

  • 16 years ago

    We used to have table lamps, switched them out for swing-arm wall lamps... DH hates them. He says they're hard to turn on/off but I think that's because the switch is like a little round ball that's hard to grasp, not because they're wall lamps per se. I like them, but I love the *look* of table lamps -- there are so many more to choose from.

  • 16 years ago

    After so many years of griping about lamps, we finally got what we wanted: wall mounted, completely adjustable and dimmable lamps with a bedside table control. I can't tell you how happy DH and I are (but they cost more than I like to admit).

  • 16 years ago

    I have a nice pair of table lamps I bought from WS Home. They have pull chains, which is good for those of us with limited wingspan. My old bedside tables were gargantuan and the headboard was squeezed between two windows, so lamps made sense. I made sure that where we were sitting in bed reading, the shades would block the bulbs from view.

    Now, we have a smaller bedroom and two mismatched, different-height nightstands and the lamps are making me crazy. The shades are the wrong color for the headboard I just bought, too. Deliver me...

    What I really want are the Boston Functional lamps from Visual Comfort but I am choking at the price. I could try to sell the WS Home lamps, but I really love them, even though I don't have a place for them at the moment.

    Here's a question about adjustable lamps... I have been told that once you find your "happy place" with an adjustable lamp, you never move/adjust it again. For those of you who have them, do you find that to be true?

  • 16 years ago

    "I have been told that once you find your "happy place" with an adjustable lamp, you never move/adjust it again. For those of you who have them, do you find that to be true?"
    Not for DH and me. For example if, DH is sleeping and I am reading, I swing the lamp far off to my side, lower the lamp close to my book, and dim it. Also, sometimes I read in a quasi-sitting up position, other times in an almost ready to sleep position. I would say our lamps are repositioned several times a week.

  • 16 years ago

    We have 3-way table lamps, the size that would go in a living room.

    When I'm chilling and watching TV I keep the low light on, when I read, I turn the light on high.

    I love it. It makes the room seem cozy. I have mine sitting on a cedar chest next to the bed so I have plenty of room.

  • 16 years ago

    Swing arm wall lamps! Love them! Might add a glass table lamp too just for ambience and sparkle but really like the wall lamps for functionality.

  • 16 years ago

    Right now, I have neither -- and miss it!

    Between the two, I prefer the look and flexibility of table lamps but the functionality of wall-mount.

    For my forever bedroom set in my forever home, I'll probably go back to swing-arm.

  • 16 years ago

    Swing arm wall lamps! Those are best for reading. For a cute look, then a table lamp. But really.... a chandalier over the end table is the latest look IF your chasing styles?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chandalier over end tables in bedroom....

  • 16 years ago

    Does anybody have a picture? I think I'd prefer wall lamps, but would like to have a feel for where you've positioned them. There are enough holes in my walls already from the trial and error method of picture hanging.

  • 16 years ago

    More swing-arm wall lamp here. We have it for the first time and not a night goes by that I don't think "I love that we got these!" I don't have to worry about space on the nightstand, I can't hit them with my arm (or more correctly, DH can't :)) by mistake, etc. SO great.

  • 16 years ago

    We are still working on our bedroom, but our three new lamps are just perfect for us. We got two to mount on the wall and a third (with a base) for by the chair. After these pics were taken, we got switches for the tables that dim the lamps (without squeeling)and we hid the wires.


  • 16 years ago

    Mmmmm....yummy Tizios! I am very confused....switches for the tables? No squeeling? Please 'splain.

  • 16 years ago

    Lone ranger here, but I prefer lamps on the nightstands. We're not big readers in bed. We don't have actual nightstands (a chest on one side and a chest/secretary on the other) and I use different lamps on each.

    tina

  • 16 years ago

    Amy--Lutron makes some excellent dimmers that plug into lamps (right where the lamp plugs into the outlet). The dimmer then has a short cord that runs to your bedside table. The dimmer switch has a tiny tiny light, so you can see it at night. (We never turn out lights on and off the regular way. We simply use the dimmer switch on the bedside table.) People who don't want to see the dimmer switch can easily mount it to a bed post, or wall or other place.

  • 16 years ago

    We have three position, swing-arm wall lamps which I love because I'm a bed-time reader. While I just love the "look" of a pretty table lamp, this arrangement works best for us, since DH reads in bed, too, and we both like the lighting this way.

  • 16 years ago

    I'm with the lone ranger, aka tina. Table lamps can be redressed and changed easily, and I just like them. Also, the whole room can be rearranged and re-wiring isn't necessary.

  • 16 years ago

    Sas, the wall swing arm lamps that I've seen plug into an outlet. Yes you have to "hang" the lamp but they don't have to be hard wired. I don't have them now but I really would like them for the great reading light that they offer. But I have a tall headboard and I'm not sure they will work okay if I hang them flanking the headboard. Here's what I'm working with.

  • 16 years ago

    Another happy vote for a swing arm wall lamp. Mine is a RH library style, and it isn't hard wired in. The cord doesn't look obtrusive though and for reading it is absolutely perfect. I'm picky about my reading light strength; like it VERY bright. I definitely prefer the wall mounting and it does keep the table clear as a bonus.

    Ann

  • 16 years ago

    Table lamps here. Actually mine is the most gorgeous lamp I have ever seen- when I was 12! White porcelain with blue bows. Mom got it with Green Stamps and I thought I was in heaven. Can't bear to part with it.

  • 16 years ago

    We have swing arm wall lamps in our master bedroom and one of our guest rooms. My husband and I both big readers and I really like the ability to adjust everything (position, level of light, etc) with swing arm lamps. Since we also tend to prop ourselves up with a bunch of pillows while we're reading, a table lamp just isn't high enough to throw the light where we'd want it. The swing arm lamps mounted a bit higher than table lamps would be provide excellent light for reading!

    Here's the guest bedroom.
    {{!gwi}}

  • 16 years ago

    judydel that bed is truly wonderful.

  • 16 years ago

    Thanks for your feedback! I hadn't even thought about reading and DH is a big reader in bed. Our bedside space is limited and I have 3 way lamps there now but in the spirit of getting 'The Rooom' that I want I've been looking at wall mounts to free up space. We have stacks and piles of books and magazines precariously stacked all over the bedside tables on DH's side (the floor on my side) and I'd like some additional room on my side for pictures.

  • 16 years ago

    Do you read sitting up or laying down? I do like wall mounted lamps to save space on the nightstand, but if you read laying down you will have the bulb glare in your eyes. (by the time I go to bed the house is cold...so I need the covers over my shoulders!) I had to use a table lamp. It took trying many shades before finding one with the right angle to block the glare.

  • 16 years ago

    linnea56 -- Your point about thinking about how you read is a good. One note, though -- a really adjustable wall mount will let you focus the blub's light directly on the book, regardless of whether you are sitting up or curled into a fetal position. When I am trying not to disturb DH, for example, I lower my wall light to within about 6 inches of the book. I never have problem with blub glare.

  • 16 years ago

    Neither - but we don't read in bed. We used to have ginger jar lamps on the night tables but realized we NEVER turned them on, and they took up valuable space. We haven't missed them. We have ceiling can lights on a dimmer. If I *did* have lights I'd opt for swing-arm. We had one next to our den couch and I got rid of it when we painted, a decision I really regret.

  • 16 years ago

    I'm looking for new bedside reading lamps, too. But I don't like the idea of putting anything on the walls and having cords hanging down. So I've been looking at the swing arm table lamps. I think this is the way I want to go.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Swing Arm Table Lamps

  • 16 years ago

    I read in bed every night and have a tall table lamp. It works fine.

  • 16 years ago

    Have bedside table lamps- although they are small, they still take up night table space. Love the look of the wall lamps posted here.

  • 16 years ago

    Thanks Cooper : )

    Deltabreeze I love the fact that your lights adjust in all directions. I wonder if your lights would be too modern for my bed? Do you mind me asking where you bought them? Now that I see Whitrobe's beautiful guest room bed with wall lamps, I can envision having wall lamps better with my bed. I'm excited. I hate reading in bed if I have to prop myself up on my side to get to the light, my arm ends up falling asleep.

  • 16 years ago

    We were planning to get classic white ceramic table lamps when I found these TOLOMEO lamps (made by Artemide). They were love at second sight. Now we are enthralled. To my mind, they are classic modern and slip into many designs, but of course their look won't work for everyone.

    Here is a link that shows the many sizes, colors, and shapes of tolemeos. We got them at LUMENs (great sale), but you can buy them many places and over the internet. I really like paring them with a LUTRON hand held dimmer.

    Here is a link that might be useful: tolomeo