Mushroom Lamps

What makes a mushroom lamp

A mushroom lamp, sometimes called a mushroom light, takes its look from nature: a domed or rounded shade resting on a short stem, like a cap on its stalk. Every lamp on this page is a table lamp named for that shape, so your choice comes down to material, size, colour and how it is lit rather than the outline. The rounded profile softens a room even when the lamp is off.

Each lamp here suits a living room, and almost all suit a bedroom too. Some also suit a dining room, where a low glow on the sideboard sets a relaxed mood for dinner.

Glass, alabaster or metal mushroom lamps

The shade material decides the kind of light you get. We stock many mushroom lamps in alabaster, a soft stone that lets light through, so an alabaster shade glows from within. A glass mushroom lamp glows in much the same way. Coloured glass tints that glow, which is lovely for mood lighting but less useful for reading.

Metal works the other way. A metal shade is opaque, so it sends the light down in a pool onto the table and keeps the bulb out of your eyeline, which suits reading in bed. We stock mushroom lamps in iron and other metals, and in marble too. Some use stoneware, which lets no light through.

Sizing a mushroom lamp for a bedside table

A good mushroom bedside lamp lights your book without crowding the table. Before you order, check the height and the shade width on each product page against your bedside table. As a guide, choose a shade a little narrower than the table top, so your phone and a glass of water still fit. For reading, a taller lamp casts light further across the page, while a low, compact lamp gives a gentle glow for winding down.

Elsewhere, a broad mushroom lamp balances a wide console or chest of drawers, and a smaller lamp tucks onto a narrow shelf. A few of our designs come in a choice of sizes, so you can group a larger and a smaller version on a sideboard.

Bulbs and integrated LED in a mushroom lamp

Check the fitting on the product page before you buy a bulb, because it varies from lamp to lamp. We stock lamps that take a G9, a small capsule bulb that suits a compact dome, and others that take an E14, the small screw cap. A few take an E27, the standard screw cap, which gives you the widest choice of bulbs. Stay within the lamp's maximum bulb rating, and if it takes multiple bulbs, use a matching set.

Some have integrated LED instead, which settles the bulb question: the light is built in, so there is nothing to buy, though you cannot swap in a different bulb later. Several of the lamps here give a warm white light. With a fitting, your bulb sets the colour, and a warm white such as 3000K suits a bedroom.

Dimming a mushroom table lamp

Dimming depends on more than the lamp itself. A lamp dims only where its own product page says so, and even then it needs a dimmable bulb and a compatible dimmer. Check the lamp, the bulb and the dimmer before you buy. With integrated LED you cannot fit a dimmable bulb, so the product page is your only guide.

If you simply want a softer light, there are other ways to get it. An alabaster or glass shade spreads the glow, a lower-output bulb turns the brightness down in a lamp with a fitting, and a warm white bulb makes the light feel gentler at bedtime.

Running a mushroom lamp from the mains

Every lamp here runs from the mains on a cable, and none is rechargeable, so plan where it will sit before you buy. Check the cable length on the product page against the distance to your nearest socket, and run the cable down the back of the table rather than across a walkway. It is also worth checking where the switch sits, as a switch on the cable is easy to reach from bed.

Most of the mushroom lamps here carry an IP20 rating, which tells you where they belong: in a dry room such as a bedroom or living room, away from steam and splashes.

Mushroom lamp colours, finishes and styles

We stock mushroom lamps in white, black and brass finishes. White is easy to place in any room, black looks crisp against pale walls, and brass brings warmth to darker woods. A few come in brighter colours for a more playful look. Many have a matt finish, which keeps reflections low. Some have a polished finish that catches the light.

Many are modern in style and sit well in a pared-back room. Some have a mid-century modern look that pairs well with teak and walnut. A few suit a Scandinavian scheme of pale tones and soft textiles. Matching lamps either side of the bed keep the look calm and balanced.