Best table lamps: 9 lovely lights to brighten your rooms

These best table lamps are the quickest and easiest way to add light and personality to your space

best table lamp: lifestyle image

Looking for the best table lamp to complement your hallway, lounge or bedroom? There’s nary a space that doesn’t benefit from a little thoughtful lighting, and our go-to every time for a quick interior pick-me-up is a gorgeous table lamp. Below, we’ve rounded up our pick of the best table lamps in the shops at the moment, be they subtle or statement-making, glamorous or pared back. But first, a little advice.

Looking for more home lighting? Have a browse through our buying guides for lots of trusty recommendations.

What is the best table lamp?

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We think the best table lamp you can buy is the Village At Home Jasper Table Lamp. It's made from concrete so will be sure to last, it's very modern, but we think it would fit traditional room schemes, too. Best of all, it's good looking but it's affordable. Find out more below and see all the rest of our picks.

How to buy the best table lamp

What's your table lamp for? 

While it goes without saying that we’re all in favour of the aesthetic here at Real Homes, when it comes to lighting, it’s not just about looks: the type of lamp you should look for depends heavily on where you’ll be placing it, and what function you’ll expect it to perform.

Task lighting is a practical solution normally used to accompany activities like reading, sewing or drawing, but that functionality needn’t mean unexciting design. Simply look for a table lamp or desk lamp that offers a more focused beam of light, and as a bonus, an adjustable head for angling just where you need it. 

Ambient lighting gives the opposite effect, especially useful for large rooms whose darker corners need a little lift, or creating a mood in cosy bedrooms or sitting rooms. Look for something that gives off a soft, diffused light, like a bulb encased in an obscure glass shade, or even a retro lava lamp. 

Or, if you’re really hot at this interior design thing, consider employing accent lighting to make a special feature of your statement pieces.

Bulbs

Finally, the boring but necessary bit: most lamps don’t come with bulbs included, so be sure to check out the kind your favourite lamp takes and stock up before it arrives for instant enjoyment on opening the box.

Find out how to plan living room lighting for tons more tips.

The best table lamps

Best table lamp you can buy: Village At Home Jasper Table Lamp

1. Village At Home Jasper Table Lamp

Best table lamp you can buy: an elegant neutral-toned lamp for maximum versatility, with nods to all the important trends

Specifications

Best for: A modern option
Colour: Grey/gold/ivory
Material: Concrete, cotton
Bulb included: No

Reasons to buy

+
Incredibly versatile
+
Trendy concrete base

Reasons to avoid

-
Would be nice to have a silver hardware option

Strange as it might sound, this Jasper lamp from Village at Home takes our top spot for best table lamp not for statement-making style, but for its ability to pair beautifully with almost any room scheme you put it into. Its neutral colour palette guarantees it won’t stick out like a sore thumb no matter the colour of your other furnishings, but the variety of textures keeps things interesting, bringing together soft slubby cotton, brushed gold and cool matte concrete to make a lamp that remarkably bridges the gap between timelessness and trendiness without compromise.

Shop more Village at Home products at Amazon

Best table lamp for a bit of glam: Wilko Mosaic Table Lamp Black

(Image credit: Wilko)

2. Wilko Mosaic Table Lamp Black

Best table lamp for a bit of glam: unabashedly glamorous, this mosaic lamp is one simple step towards living room wow-factor

Specifications

Best for: Glam
Colour: Black
Material: Glass
Bulb included: No

Reasons to buy

+
Easy glamour
+
Reflects loads of light

Reasons to avoid

-
May be a bit OTT for some

When furnishing a glamorous living room or bedroom, a statement lamp is just the thing to kick it up a notch, and they don’t come much more statement than this shimmering mosaic lamp from Wilko. While it is on the larger side, it doesn’t look cumbersome thanks to its gorgeous design, and it brings a hit of texture to neutral rooms. Its black finish shade fits in with almost any colour scheme, too.

Browse more table lamps at Wilko

3. John Lewis Albus Twisted Table Lamp

Best contemporary table lamp: this trendy table lamp is understated yet unique, just the thing for modern spaces

Specifications

Best for: Modern rooms
Colour: Black/copper
Material: Metal
Bulb included: No

Reasons to buy

+
Interesting stand
+
Sleek and modern

Reasons to avoid

-
Only one choice of shade colour

If you’re a bit of a modern maven when it comes to interiors, with your hairpin leg furniture and copper accents already nailed, take this table lamp for a whirl. Its trendy base is the best of both worlds: angular enough to give a modern look but with curves in all the right places so as not to look too industrial. The shade is a striking opaque black that offsets the copper beautifully, but lets just enough light through when illuminated to give a warm glow. Plus, it looks far more expensive than its small price tag suggests, so picking up one for each side of the bed gives a superbly stylish effect without breaking the bank.

Shop more table lamps at John Lewis & Partners

Best table lamp for boho homes: ALDANA Cut Out Poplar Lamp with White Shade

(Image credit: Maisons du Monde)

4. MITHI Rattan Lamp with Grey Green Shade

Best table lamp for boho homes: keep your home radiant all season long with this boho table lamp

Specifications

Best for: Boho-vibes
Colour: Grey green shade
Material: Rattan
Bulb included: No

Reasons to buy

+
Quirky lighting option
+
A++ for energy

Reasons to avoid

-
Comes with a French plug, adapter required

The perfect addition to any home, no matter the style, this Maisons Du Monde table lamp will be sure to (literally) brighten any room. It's rather large, so will make a statement, and it gives off a warm light, creating a cosy ambience. Boho, Scandi or even minimalist, whatever your interior style, this light will blend in.

Shop more Maisons Du Monde table lamps

Best table lamp for understated elegance: Wilko Textured Table Lamp

(Image credit: Wilko)

5. Wilko Textured Table Lamp

Best table lamp for understated elegance: this all-white light is anything but plain

Specifications

Best for: Understated elegance
Colour: White
Material: Ceramic, Metal, Faux Linen
Bulb included: No

Reasons to buy

+
Adds texture to neutral schemes
+
Contemporary

Reasons to avoid

-
Not ideal for those who want to make a statement

If you prefer neutral colour schemes, you’ll no doubt know all about the importance of texture in interiors, especially in plush spaces like the living room or bedroom. If you’re looking for the finishing touch to a fresh, clean all white space, but your tastes run more contemporary than Scandi-chic, give this handsome lamp a try – we’re sure you won’t regret it.
 

Best retro table lamp: John Lewis Penelope Task Lamp

6. John Lewis Penelope Task Lamp

Best retro table lamp: this lovingly designed mid-century table lamp is all about the details

Specifications

Best for: Retro style
Colour: Slate, quince, cream, green
Material: Steel
Bulb included: No

Reasons to buy

+
Lovely, retro design
+
Excellent value

Reasons to avoid

-
Reports of head being a bit wobbly

John Lewis have hit the nail on the head, trend-wise, with this ultra-cool lamp. In a choice of shades du jour – chartreuse, teal and slate, as well as the subtler cream – and with an unusual curved stem, it takes mid-century modern cool and gives it a contemporary twist. Reviewers say the warm, soft light it gives off is perfect for reading and that the angle-adjustable head makes it ideal for crafting and other close-up work, and loved the unique little details like the old-fashioned switch and flex cable.

Best eye-catching table lamp: Pedestal Table Lamp

(Image credit: West Elm)

7. west elm Pedestal Table Lamp

Best eye-catching table lamp: an offbeat and beautifully made statement lamp for modern rooms

Specifications

Best for: Eye-catching design
Colour: Brass/nickel
Material: Metal
Bulb included: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning, unusual design

Reasons to avoid

-
Exposed bulb isn't ideal for those with children

This on-trend light would sit very nicely on any bedside, perched on an occasional table or lighting up a hallway. It comes in both brass and nickel, and will be sure to make a statement. Unlike other table lamps, it has the bulb included, which is from Tala bulbs who are eco-conscious, claiming that for every 200 bulbs they sell, they plant 10 trees! Win win?

Shop more table lamps at West Elm

9. Lava Lamp Table Lamp

Best lava lamp: this retro lamp pairs a nod to the ‘70s with hot-right-now rose gold

Specifications

Best for: Teens’ rooms
Colour: Rose gold/pink
Material: Aluminium, plastic, fluid, glass
Bulb included: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
A cool, new take on the original
+
Trendy colour scheme

Reasons to avoid

-
Not bright enough to read by

In a flawless meeting of retro and modern, the classic lava lamp is brought bang up to date with an ultra-trendy rose gold colourway, making it perfect, we think, for a discerning teenager’s room. It’s not strictly a lava lamp, replacing the iconic wax with particles of heart-shaped confetti, which adds an extra touch of girliness to the glam brushed metal base. But, like the original, it’s great ambient lighting – not bright enough to read by, but perfect for chilling out to in the evening.

Browse more lava lamps at John Lewis

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Annie Collyer
Head Ecommerce Editor

Hi! I'm Annie, and I'm the Head Ecommerce Editor at Real Homes. I've been part of the Real Homes team since 2018, when I joined as Deals Editor. Along with covering major sales events — from Black Friday to Amazon Prime Day — I review home must-haves so that you can buy with peace of mind. Mostly focusing on home fragrance and sleep, as well as a few vacuum cleaners, I've tested pretty much every item you can think of that you need in your home. I live on the outskirts of the city in a two-bed apartment with my husband and my pug, Doug. So I am always searching for compact alternatives and ways to save floor space. What about when I am not typing away? Well, you'll find me enjoying an iced coffee (no matter the season) and trying out the latest brunch spots the city has to offer, or booking my next holiday. Where else can you find my words? Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, Ideal Home, Gardeningetc, and Woman & Home.

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