Airplane Lamp

Vanessa Weber Interior Design Expert

Vanessa is a New York-based designer specializing in architectural lighting. Whether you are planning an event, want to illuminate your backyard retreat or simply need advice on what lamp to purchase for your bedroom, Vanessa will be more than happy to share her knowledge and expertise.

Updated 25/04/2021

Kids love airplanes especially boys. And if you want to give your future pilots something to think about when they switch off their lamp at night, then you'll definitely want to take a look at our airplane lamps. They are well made and capable of fitting almost any bulb.

Buying Guide

If you are a big fan of airplanes or you work in the airline industry, then having an airplane lamp is an excellent addition to any of your desks. Plus, it will always be a stylish decor that will draw the attention of your guests.

Since an airplane lamp is not your usual kind, there are several factors that you need to consider to find the right one for you. This article is going to help you with that as it will feature a buying guide for airplane lamps. Let's start!

What's your primary purpose of your airplane lamp?

The first thing that you need to consider is the purpose of your airplane lamp.

If you are looking for an airplane lamp that can add general illumination to the room, then what you are looking for is an ambient lighting type. For ambient purposes, look for a lamp that projects light to the sides and upwards.

If you are looking for a kind of lamp that helps you with your nighttime reading or any other task, then you are looking for task lighting. For this purpose, you'd want the lamp to project light downwards, and not upwards and sideward.

If you are looking for an airplane lamp purely for decorative purposes, then you don't have to worry about where the light is projected.

How to determine the right height for an airplane lamp?

The next thing to consider is the height of the airplane lamp. Keep in mind that if you are buying for decorative purposes, then you don't have to worry about the rule of thumb that will be suggested below. For decorative lamps, you just need a lamp that will fit nicely to the theme/style of the table and the rest of the room. But mostly, you just need to "feel" it if it's a good fit.

If you are buying for ambient and task lighting, then it's best that you follow the eye-level rule. To observe this rule, you first need to sit down to the nearest chair or seating accommodation in relation to where you want to place the lamp.

The bottom part of the lampshade should be lower than your measured eye-level. This rule is to ensure that you won't have a direct line of sight to the bulb, which can be a source of irritation caused by the bulb's glare or brightness.

What shape lampshade should you choose?

Not all airplane lamps come with a lampshade, especially if you are buying for decorative purposes. However, if you are buying one with a lampshade, below are the basic guidelines for the shape.

If you want a lamp for task lighting purposes, then you'd want to look for the coolie, empire or bell shape. These types of lampshades are designed to direct light downwards to aid you with whatever task you are doing.

If you need something for general illumination, then a drum or an upside down coolie would be the better option. Either shape is designed to project light upwards and/or sideways to help light up the room.