Where to Put Lamps
The quickest way to make your home feel warmer (and less “overhead light panic”) is to move one lamp not buy ten more. If you’ve ever stood in the middle of a room at 4:30pm holding a mug, wondering why everything feels slightly bleak, you’re not alone. Most homes aren’t under-lamped, they’re mis-lamped. The lamp exists, technically, but it’s in the wrong place, at the wrong height, doing the job of a ceiling light with none of the authority. This is why where to put lamps is the real question, not which lamps to buy. The good news? You can fix 80% of your lighting in under five minutes, with a layout, not necessarily a shopping cart.
Where to put lamps: the 5-minute lighting layout
Here’s the simplest layout that makes a room feel instantly calmer:
- Put one lamp next to where you sit (so the light lands on what you’re doing).
- Put a second lamp on the opposite side of the room (so the room has depth, not a spotlight).
- Make sure they’re different heights (table lamp + floor lamp, or table lamp + portable lamp on a shelf).
Turn them on first, then decide if you even need the overhead. That’s it. Two pools of light = the room feels warmer, softer, and more intentional.
If you want the longer, more detailed theory behind this, our pillar piece is here: https://www.glassette.com/discover/the-edited-space/the-glassette-winter-lighting-guide
The biggest mistake: one lamp in the corner doing emotional labour. The classic set-up is a single table lamp shoved in a far corner, tasked with lighting an entire living room like it’s a lighthouse. It can’t. And because it can’t, you end up reaching for the ceiling light which rarely flatters the space or your mood. A good lamp layout doesn’t try to light everything evenly. It creates zones: a sitting zone (so the sofa feels inviting) and a background zone (so the room has depth). If your room currently looks “fine” but not cosy, it’s usually because you’re missing that second zone.
Where to put lamps: the height rules
Lamp placement is half the job. The other half is height.
Table lamp height rule - when you’re sitting down, the bottom of the shade should roughly sit around eye level or slightly below. If the bulb is visible, the lamp will feel harsh.
Floor lamp placement rule - floor lamps work best: behind or beside seating angled so light bounces off walls not dead-centre in a room like a tall stranger at a party
Shade rule - a shade should soften, not spotlight. If your lamp feels sharp, swap the shade before you give up on it.
If you only do one thing… (the five-minute fix). Move one lamp next to the sofa. Move another lamp across the room (floor lamp, shelf lamp, or console lamp). Turn them on at 4pm and leave the overhead off.
That’s the five-minute lighting layout - and it solves the “why does my home feel cold?” problem faster than almost anything else.
Best for… (quick picks)
- Best for renters: portable lamps + plug-in friendly lighting
- Best for small spaces: one floor lamp + one shelf/console lamp
- Best for instant softness: a shade upgrade (it changes everything)
- Best for living rooms: table lamp near the sofa + a second light across the room
A warm closing
There’s something quietly satisfying about fixing a room without buying anything new. A lamp moved two feet to the left. A second light switched on across the room. Suddenly your home feels calmer - like it’s been designed for evenings, not just for visibility.
If winter has been making your space feel colder than it should, don’t start with a grand plan. Start with placement. You’ll be amazed how quickly “fine” turns into “cosy.”
