Buying Guide for the perfect lamp for home décor and tasks
|Buying anything new for your home can fill your heart with excitement. But the real fulfillment comes from getting the right thing. For example, you can decide to purchase a desk lamp. While knowing there is no shortage of varieties can give you some relief, you may wonder what style would do justice to your décor and also purpose. You can struggle to choose one. After all, every design can be uniquely functional and also attractive. Hence, picking the most suitable one without adequate knowledge may not possible. So here is a small buying guide on lamps for a home to solve your every concern.
Lamp shopping for a home
Desk lamps or task lights or task lamps have so far enjoyed a unique status of being purpose-oriented. That’s why it is natural to focus on their practical features more than anything else. But they can achieve a lot more for you. When you put them in any corner of your house on a desk, the lamps define and also highlight that space’s aesthetic appeal. They can have a positive influence on your mood and also eyes too. Therefore, it would be better to keep a few factors in mind when shopping to secure the best deal in them.
The lamp size
Whether you need a lamp or something else to adorn a desk, you have to make sure the choice is not odd for its surroundings. And also in this, the overall size of the item to other components matters a lot.
Suppose there is a small desk in your room. If you have to get something for it, your first thought has to be about finding a lamp with a smaller base. Since preserving space is crucial for avoiding clutter and also ease of use, you can explore clip-on lamps or home lamps that don’t devour too many inches. Clamp or clip-on lamps can sit at the edge of any desk, end table, and nightstand to be a useful member of the entire setup. Here is a quick glimpse of this type of model.
If you look at the image, you would realize how effective a clip-on desk lamp can prove for practical needs without cluttering the aesthetic arrangement.
Similarly, you can add a lamp with extended reaches, such as a swing arm or architect model, to larger desks. The home lamp would be able to shine on the task at hand, allowing you to carry out your work hassle-free.
No matter what style you select, the lighting fixture should be higher than your head and also not interfere with your eyes. The light should not directly reflect on your eyes. Also, make sure the lamp is not too low as it may not cover the work area in a desirable manner. Excessively high or low positions can diffuse the lighting.
The placement of the lamp
While the lamp’s proportion with the desk is one crucial visual consideration, you also have to make sure that the light does not cast a shadow on your desk when you are working. Although this aspect has more to do with functionality, it is undeniable that any inconvenience with the newly added feature can ruin the whole fun.
Usually, you can address this issue by placing it at the right corner of the desk. For example, if you are a righty, you would keep it on the desk’s left side. Nowadays, you get plenty of options for adjustable lamps. Select one with long and also flexible arms so that you get sufficient light at the right spot. In essence, its fixing mechanism should allow you to use it the way you desire.
Adjustable lamps for computer and also laptop desks are easy to discover. Make sure the design you select illuminates the whole desk and also keyboard without shining intensely on the screen.
The lighting quality
The quality of light may depend on the type of lighting system you select for your home. In stores, you get four main choices, such as:
- LEDs
- Halogen light bulbs
- Fluorescent light bulbs (CFL)
- Incandescent light bulbs
Go with LED lamps that offer dimming and also color temperature controls. These lamps can sync with the time of the day and also resonate well with your circadian rhythm.
Halogens are also excellent in terms of producing bright and also clear light. But they get hot very soon.
CFLs can imitate natural daylight, but they may not offer dimmer functionality. Besides, you have to be careful with their disposal as they contain mercury vapor, which may not be safe for your health.
If you need a uniform lighting system, incandescent light bulbs can be the best bet. These are also well recognized for better color definition. Still, you may not enjoy them for as long as you desire as these can light up your work desk for up to 1000 hours just. Besides, they can be the best for creating ambient light. You cannot use them for tasks.
Some believe customers should focus on LED’s CRI ratings: the higher, the better. CRI or Color Rendering Index indicates the lamp’s ability to show colors in its original shade. Similarly, color temperature in the range of 2700K to 4500K can be quite versatile.
Anything in the range of 2200K– 2700K would create warm white; however, if your lamp’s color temperature falls between 4000K–5500K, you can expect it to shine cool white. Why should you bother about this?
Warm colors feel soothing, and also cooler colors can be excellent for the brain and also productivity. Choosing your lamp with this awareness can increase your workplace’s efficiency.
Generally speaking, people who need task lighting prefer to select a higher Kelvin (K) lamp, something about 4000K and also more. It helps in better illumination and also tends to be less stressful for the eyes. Make sure the light doesn’t flicker too.
1. The light and brightness factor
Usually, people get confused between the wattage rating and also the lighting capacity of the bulbs. Like others, you may also believe that a 10W bulb will be more illuminating than a bulb with lower watts. However, it depends on the lumens: more lumens, more light.
Brightness = Lumens | 250+ | 450+ | 800+ | 1100+ | 1600+ |
Standard | 25W | 20W | 60W | 75W | 100W |
Halogen | 18W | 29W | 43W | 53W | 72W |
CFL | 6W | 10W | 13W | 18W | 23W |
LED | 4W | 5W | 10W | 15W | 20W |
Lumens represent the light’s power, while foot candles (FC) measure the brightness of the light shining upon the object in focus.
The other critical considerations
A few characteristics can make a massive difference to your choice of lamp for the desks. Some people confuse desk lighting with table lighting. But it would be best if you had absolute clarity that the design of a desk lamp is suitable for a smaller area or a specific task. You can use them to focus on your activities, such as crafts, drawing, computer, reading, etc.
While these tend to be mainly task-oriented, their modern shapes and also functions help them be ideal companions for your beautiful home. Wherever you place them, these lamps can add to space’s beauty by being simply present there. Their advanced functions can only make them more befitting for your daily needs. In stores, you would come across multiple options. It would pay to browse through the vast collection before deciding on a specific design.
More precisely, you have to make sure that you get a taller lamp for a larger desk so that it covers the required area easily. Look for adjustable designs for flexibility.
Adjustable Designs For Flexibility
When you have to share a lamp with your partner or friend, you would like to have something to adjust to your needs providing the right lighting intensity suitable for a task. For such scenarios, you need lamps that are easy to manipulate.
Or, if you require one for studies or work purposes, go with something that can increase your productivity without being burdensome on your eyes.
Essentially, the adjustable-height of the lamp can be a vital feature. It can produce powerful light but without harming your eyes.
According to lighting experts, LEDs can be the perfect solution for task lighting. And also anything with 5 to 10 watts can make an ideal combination for your work desk.
Summary
At the time of shopping, you must be sure about the role you want your desk lamp to perform. If you have to repair items, you would be more comfortable with a magnifying lamp.
To handle long hours of office work, you would need a lamp with adjustable arms. Kids can go about their homework with a gooseneck-style; you don’t need a too bright lamp for them.
There is a lamp for every need. You only have to figure out your needs and also what lighting system can be suitable for them. Every lighting system can have a different pricing value. However, don’t compromise with a choice if it demands stretching your budget a little.
Having the correct lighting in the house should be your primary focus. Lights not only serve functional but aesthetic purposes also. If your home lacks proper light, you can face difficulty with performing your tasks and also health too. You can end up straining your eyes, neck, and also whole body, which can be extremely discomforting.