Glass Table Lamps

Glass table lamps for living rooms and bedrooms

Almost all of our glass table lamps suit a living room, and most suit a bedroom, so the real choice is the look you want. Most have a modern feel, while many follow a traditional line. We also stock art deco, Scandinavian, vintage and industrial styles, and many sit happily in a dining room.

Glass also changes how much space a lamp seems to take up. Clear glass lets the eye pass through, so a lamp looks lighter on a busy side table. Once the lamp is on, the glass decides how the light leaves it, which is why it pays to choose the glass before the finish.

Clear, frosted and opal glass table lamps

We stock clear glass, which lets the light out at full strength and, in a shade, shows the bulb. Frosted glass softens the bulb into a gentle haze, and opal glass, a milky white, spreads an even glow with very little glare. Near eye level, frosted or opal glass is the more comfortable choice.

A few are ribbed, and their fine lines blur the outline of the bulb. For a darker, quieter glow, a few are smoked. A few come in amber, which casts a warm tint. Recycled glass features on a few. A few add crystal, which scatters small points of light.

Metal finishes and shades on glass table lamps

Most of our glass table lamps also use metal, and its finish is a quick way to tie a lamp to the room. We stock brass, gold and bronze for warmth, chrome, nickel and silver for a cooler look, and black, white and grey finishes for a plainer line. Many have an antique finish and many are polished, while satin and matt finishes give a softer sheen.

Many have a fabric shade, and we stock linen shades too. A glass base under a fabric shade lets the glass catch the light while the shade hides the bulb, so you enjoy the glass by day and soft light by night.

Choosing a glass bedside lamp

A glass bedside lamp should light a book without lighting the whole room. Check the height on the lamp's page against your bed: when you sit up, the bottom of the shade should be near your chin, keeping the bulb out of your eyes. Then check the diameter against your bedside table, so there is still space for a glass of water and a phone.

A fabric shade, or frosted or opal glass, keeps glare low when you read late. Look at the switch line too, since a switch on the flex is easy to reach from the pillow. A few are rechargeable, which helps where there is no socket nearby.

Bulbs for a glass table lamp

The cap decides which bulb you buy. Most of our glass table lamps take an E27, the larger screw cap, while many take the smaller E14 and many take a G9 capsule. A few take a B22 bayonet cap. A few use other caps, so read the bulb fitting line first. Many have integrated LED, so there is no separate bulb to buy.

The glass then decides what kind of bulb looks right. A clear glass shade shows the bulb, so a decorative globe or filament bulb suits it, while a plain bulb works well behind frosted or opal glass. Check the bulb included line to see whether a bulb comes in the box, and keep within the maximum wattage shown, which sets the strongest bulb you can safely fit.

Warm or cool white from a glass table lamp

Colour temperature changes how the glass looks once the lamp is on. Many of our glass table lamps give warm white light, which suits glass in the evening. A few give cool white, which is crisper for a desk or close work. A few let you adjust the colour temperature. Where you choose the bulb, a 2700K bulb gives a soft warm white for a living room or bedside.

Many are dimmable and many are not, so the dimmable line is worth reading before you buy. If a dimmable lamp takes a bulb, fit a dimmable bulb, and if the page says a dimmer is needed, add a dimmer that suits the lamp.

Cleaning a glass table lamp

Switch the lamp off, unplug it and let the bulb and glass cool completely. Dust with a soft, dry cloth. For fingerprints or marks, dampen a soft cloth with a little warm soapy water and wipe the glass only, keeping the cloth away from the lampholder and the flex. Dry the glass fully before you switch back on, and never spray cleaner straight at the lamp, as liquid can run into the fittings.

If a glass shade lifts off, clean it on a folded towel. A soft brush reaches into grooves or patterns in the glass. A dry cloth is kinder to metal finishes than anything wet, and a lint roller keeps a fabric shade fresh.