We all adore a mid century aesthetic in our homes. You may not want to fully embrace the design, but one versatile mid century floor lamp could add an unexpected result. These lamps are available in a range of styles, allowing you to use them as room jewelry, to highlight specific areas of interest, to cast light on specific spots where you need to perform various tasks or to illuminate the entire room.
Both vintage and mid century modern floor lamps have such a wide range of style and material options that you may be unsure which to choose. Fret not because this is a guide to help you select the ideal floor lamp for your home.
Mid Century Floor Lamp Types
Tripod
The most prevalent mid century and mid century modern floor lamps are tripod floor lamps. Most tripod floor lamp shades are simplistic and the tripod legs are what add an artistic flair to the room. These aren’t supposed to be tucked away between chairs; instead, they should be displayed where their beauty can be savored.
Mid Century Arc Floor Lamp
Arched floor lamps are a must-have if you want to add a variety of forms and shapes to your room. The towering height and dramatic curve make a striking statement of beauty. The best use for arc floor lights is as task illumination. Decorate your reading nook or the side of your couch with them.
Mid Century Pole Lamp
Floor lamps with a single pole from which the bulb(s) hang offer very clean lines and a simple but enviable sophisticated look. The minimalistic form makes them good for highlighting other accessories like pictures. You may also use them to brighten up lonely corners, alcoves, and cabinets.
Mid Century Modern Column Floor Lamps
Column floor lamps are those with a rectangular or cylindrical shape from top to bottom, giving them a modern appearance. The column mid century modern floor lamps come in a variety of styles and can even be divided into sections to create a shelf unit with surfaces for displaying plants and other decor. Column floor lamps from the mid century modern era are quite ornamental and work well in corners and entryways.
Tree Floor Lamp
Multiple fixtures branch out from the pole along the length of the lamp. Mid century tree floor lamps have excellent decorative qualities, so if that’s what you’re looking for, go for it.
Mid Century Table Floor Lamps
With a table floor lamp, you may not even need a side table. The light is a two-in-one that looks best near sitting.
How to Choose a Mid Century Floor Lamp
Choosing mid century or mid century modern floor lights should follow much the same rules as choosing most floor lamps.
Consider the Use of Your Floor Lamp.
Is the floor lamp intended to provide task, ornamental, ambient, or accent lighting? The level of intricacy and ornamentation on the lamp, as well as the height and intensity of illumination produced by the bulb, will be determined by the intended purpose.
Design
Whether primarily or secondarily, all floor lamps serve a decorative purpose. The majority of mid century modern floor lamps have simple, unobtrusive forms. These form perfect task lighting in a reading nook or accent lighting to highlight areas of interest. You may also opt for an adjustable floor lamp in case you would like to shift positions as you work or read.
You’ll need to find a striking piece for decorative lighting that will stand out on its own.
Electrical Power of the Bulb
The use of the floor lamp also affects the wattage of the bulb and whether you need cold or warm lighting. 40-80 watts is recommended for task lighting with a cold light. Accent lights are required to be thrice as powerful as ambient lighting. The light can either be warm or cold depending on your preference. For decorative lighting, the focus should mainly be on the body so it does not have to produce very bright light.
Height of the Floor Lamp
When selecting a mid century modern floor lamp, the bottom of the lampshade should be higher than a person’s eye level in a sitting position. However, keep in mind that the height of the floor lamp should be determined by the purpose for which it will be used.
Choose a Lamp that Will Fit into the General Aesthetic of the Room
Floor lamps are decorative items that bring a room’s décor together and make it appear well-curated. An improper mid century floor lamp might ruin your entire interior design concept. You’d rather not have a floor lamp at all than choose the wrong one.
Material
Mid century floor lamps are classic and easy to incorporate into any room’s decor. However, you can’t just stroll into Wayfair and pick any.
Assess which materials and colors might work best in your design. Metallic floor lamps, for example, should be used with caution because you don’t want to mix too many metals in one room.
Size of the Lamp Shade
When choosing these floor lamps, the size of the lampshade is also vital to consider. When it comes to creating a coherent space, scale and proportion are crucial. Examine the area where the floor lamp will be displayed to ensure that it is not too large to obstruct movement or overshadow other items in the room. It also shouldn’t be so small that it goes ignored, because the purpose of a floor lamp is to enhance the aesthetics.
How to Decorate with Mid Century Floor Lamp
It Can Illuminate Dark Corners
Dark and empty corners make your home appear under-decorated or under-furnished. Bring light back into a dark corner with a tree, pole, or arc floor lamp.
Highlight Beautiful Wall Art
Simple mid century modern floor lamps make excellent accent lighting for highlighting artwork or photographs on a wall, particularly in corridors or focal points.
Bracketing
Two mid century lamps can be used on each side of a sofa or television. To avoid confusing the eye, they must be identical. When placing floor lamps on either side of the television, make sure their brightness does not conflict with the tv’s.
Make a Statement with a Decorative Lamp
An antique mid century lamp can bring that “wow” factor to your room. To accentuate the impression, choose one with a dramatic and unusual base, as well as a detailed lampshade or bulb.
Fill Idle Space Between Two Chairs with this Lamp
It can be difficult to decorate the space between two chairs, especially if it is small, which is where floor lamps come in. The sleek design of mid century modern floor lights makes them an ideal space filler that is also beautiful.
Shade Light on a Reading Chair
A well-lit reading nook calms the mind while reading your favorite novels. Instead of relying just on ambient lighting, add an arc or tripod stand floor lamp to provide enough light to comfortably read your book.
Use Multiple Lamps for Ambient Lighting
Use matching numerous floor lamps strategically in a small area or a room where you want to use floor lamps as the major source of lighting. Make sure the designs aren’t too dissimilar and that they’re nearly the same height.
