If you have a desk at home, chances are that you’re using a lamp to light your space. You might be wondering which type of lighting is best for your needs: desk lamps or table lamps?
This blog post will help answer these questions and more!
For those who work from home, it may seem natural to have both a desk lamp and table lamp. However, there’s really no need for two types of light sources if one does the job just as well.
Desk lamps are great because they put light right where you need it without taking up any valuable workspace on your desk. Table lamps provide ambient lighting around the room (which can be helpful when reading), but they don’t offer direct illumination like desktop lights do.
So which one should you choose? Continue reading!
Table of Contents
What are desk lamps?
Desk lamps are typically used in conjunction with a desk or table top surface, but can be placed on almost any flat surface. These desk lamp fixtures usually have long necks which allow you to move the light head in different directions to better illuminate your work area.
Many desk lamps have flexible goosenecks to help make the task of finding the best position for your desk lamp much easier.
Some desk lamp styles also include adjustable height so you can position the desk lamp to the perfect height for your desk.
What are table lamps?
Table lamps serve as complementary desk lighting to desk lights. Table lamps often provide an ambient glow around the room rather than directly on your desk area.
These can be great desk lamp styles for those who want to cast light from all different directions around a room and do not need direct illumination like desk lights do.
Desk Lamp vs Table Lamp
Not all desk lamps or desk lighting fixtures have a long neck, but these types of desk lams do offer adjustable illumination angles and heights. If you’re looking for something that can point light where you want it, these desk lamps may be the answer.
Table lamps come in many shapes and sizes as well as styles, finishes, and colors.
Table lamp shades often provide an ambient glow around the room rather than directly on your desk area. These can be great complementary structure to your desk lamp because they cast light from all different directions around a room.
So which one should you choose?
If you’re looking for something that can point light where you want it, desk lamps may be the answer. If you’re looking for ambient lighting around the room, table lamps may be the answer.
It’s important to note that desk lamps can also provide ambient lighting around the room. Desk lamps are great because they put light right where you need it without taking up any valuable workspace on your desk. They often come with adjustable illumination angles and heights.
What are the Pros and Cons of Desk Lamp?
Desk lamps often come with adjustable illumination angles and heights.
Desk lamps are great because they put light right where you need it without taking up any valuable desk space!
These desk lamp styles can be positioned in almost any position and don’t require a desk to rest on like table lamps do.
What are the Pros and Cons of Table Lamp?
Table lamps provide ambient lighting around the room, but desk lights can be great complementary desk lamp styles because they cast light from all different directions around a room.
Many table lamps have adjustable height so you can position the desk lamp to the perfect height for your desk.
These desk lamp styles are not suitable for putting directly on work surfaces because they don’t offer any direct illumination like desk lights do.
Table lamps often come with adjustable illumination angles, but some desk lamp styles also have adjustable illumination angles.
Not all desk lamps or desk lighting fixtures have a long neck, but these types of desk lamps do offer flexible goosenecks to help make the task of finding the best position for your desk lamp much easier.
This is not the case with table lamps where you will typically need two hands to move them around.
Many desk lamps can be mounted to a ceiling which frees up desk space even more!
Tip on Choosing the Right Lamp for your desk
The main practical things to bear in mind when purchasing a desk lamp are:
The work area – the taller the lamp, the more desk space it will illuminate, so figure out how much area you’ll need to light and make sure there’s a stand with adequate height. If you have a big desk, you’ll need a tall lamp with a long extendable leg; or maybe one with a long adjustable arm that can span across the surface.
Depending on your work conditions, you may need a desk lamp that can be adjusted and angled. If you have several working places in different parts of your office or spend time performing various sorts of tasks (such as reading, drawing, etc) requiring varying degrees of light intensity or require the versatility to move around freely while working, then this is an important consideration when selecting a desk lamp.
Right amount of light – With so many people nowadays spending so much of their lives sitting at computers, eye strain is a serious issue, and you’ll want more light as you age. LED bulbs are typically ideal for task lighting, but you’ll need an LED with at least 5 watts for most desk work tasks.
Style and design
There are many alternatives if you just want something that appears nice but never do any actual labor.
Lining up your floor lamps, table lamps, overhead lights, and natural light is a great way to create an atmosphere in your living area. When combined with your floor lights, table lamps, overhead lighting, and natural light, a desk lamp becomes another weapon in your lighting design arsenal. To wire up a desk lamp together with other light sources to a central control panel for pre-set lighting “scenes” for various emotions and times of day
Accent – A lamp with a tall stand that can be angled is an ideal tool for spotlighting a feature, such as beautiful object or an ornamental corner of the room. Make sure you get a lamp that can be pointed and use a light that is around three times as bright as the overall ambient lighting in the space.
Desk lights are available in a range of styles, from modern to classic, industrial, retro,contemporary and even portable styles like clip on desk lamps. With so many different designs on the market today, you’ll have no trouble finding one that complements the rest of your décor while also becoming a design element in and of itself even if you don’t do any work at your desk or lap desk.
What desk lamp styles should you avoid?
If desk lamps don’t have adjustable illumination angles, they may not be the desk lamp style for you.
If desk lamps do not have a long neck, they may not provide enough flexibility for your particular desk setup.
Make sure desk lamps have a desk clamp or other desk stand to mount them on.
Don’t forget desk lamps come in almost any style you can imagine from sleek and modern desk lamps to vintage desk lamp styles!
In summary
If you’re looking for something that can point light where you want it, desk lamps may be the answer. If you’re looking for ambient lighting around a work area, table lamps may be more your style.
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