Everyone knows that nothing can change the overall look and vibe of your home the way the right style of lighting does. You can deck your home with the most expensive furniture and fixtures, but it is the light that gives it the look that you want – regal, urban chic and even a minimalistic look.

Many people are under the misconception that only fancy chandeliers and quirky floor to ceiling lamps can help them add that expensive taste to their home. The fact is that the most basic lamp – the table lamp – can help you achieve exactly what you are looking for. Selecting the right one also requires certain tips and tricks to be remembered so that this plain lamp can transform your home into a beautiful and unique one.

So get ready to understand how to choose the best table lamp that will make your house worth a million bucks and without burning a hole in your pocket.

Do The Math

The math we are referring to is analyzing where you want to place the lamp – your bedroom, living room or the den. Decide where you want to place it and how tall it should be. Also decide whether you need a luminous one or a softly lit one. Once you have these basics figured out, then choose your lamp accordingly. If you buy the lamp first and then try to figure out where to keep it, you are most likely wasting your hard earned money.

Height Matters

One of the basic rules when buying a lamp is that the height of the lamp is determined by the room in which it will be placed and the surrounding decor. Remember that the base of the shade must be at your eye-level when you are resting. This technique helps you choose the right amp no matter where you want to place it.

Be Willing To Experiment

It is true that the shade has an important role to play in how beautiful the lamp looks, but if the body of the lamp is well designed and sturdy that could take the overall look of your lamp and therefore that corner of the room up by quite a few notches. Placing a quirky lamp in the room can also make it the focal point of attraction in the room helping create a corner that is attractive yet unique. You have to be willing to experiment with your choices and be prepared to try out some eccentric lamps as well if you want to find the best fit for your favorite corner of the house.

Select The Right Shade

The lamp shade is also as important as the body of the lamp. The shade size has to be in the right proportion compared to the lamp’s body. Ideally, the diameter of the shade must be 2 inches less than the height of the body. Remember that the amount of light that the lamp gives will be directly proportional to the size of the shade. The broader the shade, the more will be the light and vice versa. Don’t let the pattern and style of the shade influence your buying decision alone.

Make Sure It Blends With The Decor

The right lamp will not only look good and enhance the look and feel of the room it is placed in, but will seamlessly blend in with the existing lighting plan in the room. This also includes lamps that have soft lighting to emphasize the architecture of the furniture or pattern of the wallpaper behind it. If you are feeling experimental try mixing two different lamps with similar color and shapes to create a fun and bold corner in the room.

The Right Bulb, Please!

It goes without saying that all the above mentioned tricks and ideas won’t give you the ultimate result unless you install the right bulb in your lamp. If the main purpose of the lamp is to help you read, then you obviously should have a 8 and 1/2 watt LED bulb which is similar to the brightness of a 60 watt incandescent one. If your purpose might change from time to time, use a flexible bulb that can be dimmed. If it’s for just minimal soft lighting, a bulb of a relatively lesser watt would do the trick.