Lily Pad Table 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 03/05/2021

Lamps are quite useful, don’t you think? Now they can also have an interesting and nice look – just have a look at the photos that are presented in this collection. It can be recommended by numerous customers who have already ordered their own table lamps. Choose the right style and shape for yourself.

Buying Guide

A lily pad table lamp is often an excellent addition to a desk. The lily pad design has a calming or soothing effect on most people. Plus, it provides you with lighting, which is something that most people lack in most rooms.

Keep in mind that a lily pad table lamp comes in many different designs and styles. Oftentimes, the choices are so plentiful that they can confuse the average buyer. As a way to help clear some of the fog, this article will feature a buying guide for lily pad table lamps.

What are the major types of lily pad table lamps?

When it comes to lily pad table lamp, there are two major categories in relation to the primary purpose. The first one is for decorative purposes, while the other one is for functionality purposes.

Hence, the first question you should ask when purchasing a lily pad table lamp is "do I need lighting or more decor?”

It's critical that you answer that question as there are different guidelines to follow when buying for lighting versus decorative purposes.

Why do you want to have a lily pad table lamp?

If you want to buy a lily pad table lamp because your desk seems a bit bare, then don't worry too much about the different lighting categories. If this is your primary purpose, then your main focus should be on the design and style of the lamp. In interior design, there are a lot of different themes. It's best that you know the theme of the room or the desk. Once you have that, then you'd want to buy a lily pad table lamp with a design that is aligned with the room's theme.

If you are buying a lily pad table lamp because you need a lighting source, then the first thing to be knowledgeable about is the difference between ambient and task lighting. These two are the major categories that encapsulate most lamp types. A lamp that is used for providing illumination to the entire room is categorized as ambient lighting. On the other hand, task lighting is a lamp that is designed to provide you with lighting to do a specific task like writing, drawing or doing paperwork.

Do you need ambient or task lighting?

Ambient Lighting - To find a lily pad table lamp that is good for ambient lighting, it should project most of the light sideways and upwards. Typically, this is accomplished with the lampshade shade. Shapes such as the drum and inverted coolie are some of the best ones for ambient lighting purposes.
Task Lighting - If you are looking for a lamp that's excellent for task lighting, then you should look for the one that will direct most of the light downwards. Some of the best ones will even completely block the light from escaping to the sides and up. For the lampshade shape, the bell, coolie, and empire are some of your best choices.

Keep in mind that there are lamps that can do both task and ambient lighting. However, in most cases, such lamps become a "jack of all trades, master of none." Also, they are typically more expensive.