DIY Network

Hello-

I am going shopping tomorrow and I have a couple of lamps picked out. My problem is WHAT SIZE should the lamp be??....GENERALLY SPEAKING.

I have a lamp on my bedside table and it measures 22.5 inches. Is this TOO TALL? The lamps that I ma interested in are 11.5 inches in height. If the lamp that I have is fine, then I plan on changing the shade....

Any input on this would be GREAT!!!!

Thanks so much!
Kimba

There's no real rule. However, since you'll be reading by this lamp you don't want the light bulb shining in your eyes from a lamp that is too tall...nor do you want to be deprived of light from a lamp that is too short!

One of the key things to consider is the amount of light you need. A short lamp will often max out at 40 watts...and is that enough for what you need?

The last thing to consider is scale. If you have a small bed and a high nightstand then the small lamp would be fine. If, however, you have a standard set up with a queen or king bed I would suggest staying with the lamp you have. It's still not considered a tall lamp, just slightly shorter than those in my bedroom, which look great with our king bed and generous nightstands.

And remember, this is for you. Find what you love and don't worry about what other people think. That's what I do and we get lots of compliments so I can tell you that it works.

Thanks so much.

I will take a pic so that you can see.