Banish the “Big Light” Completely With Some Snazzy Lamps

Welcome to Someone Buy This!, a monthly shopping column featuring the fun, the frivolous, and the practical from a very discerning shopper.

Lighting has become an obsession over the last few months as I searched for cute and functional lighting solutions for my weird apartment, a loft space with a shockingly small number of outlets. The recessed lighting in my space is so bright it could double as an operating room. Since moving in earlier this year, I’ve been on a mission to never turn on the "Big Lights." And now, after months of searching, I can say with a fair amount of confidence that I have seen every lamp on the internet.

Here are some of the options that I’ve found that I love.

Let there be light where there is no outlet

Outlets don’t have to dictate where a lamp can live. There are a lot of rechargeable lamps out there that can bring light into otherwise dark spaces. Cordless lamps were my main targets this year, especially after buying a dining table whose ideal resting place was nowhere near an outlet. Fatboy’s transparent rechargeable lamp is my favorite one I’ve encountered so far. The brand also makes a lamp bowl that is exactly what it sounds like: a bowl that is also a lamp. This could be an interesting solution for an entryway or outdoor table where you need a lamp more so for the "vibe" than for the light.

Another cordless option to consider is… a lamp you already have! A rechargeable puck light can help you bring a table lamp or a sconce to any dark corner. Simply charge and stick the puck light in the lamp of your choice. They’re not the brightest light source, but puck lights are inexpensive enough that they’re worth a try. If they’re not bright enough for your lamps you can easily stick them in your closet.

Does tomato season make you light up?

I can’t actually write out the sound I made when I saw this tomato lamp. I sprang out of my desk chair and ran to the kitchen with the measuring tape to see if it would fit on the counter. It does and it’s my cart, and it could also be in yours!

Lamps that hold on for dear life

Clamp lamps are most often seen in workspaces but they can be useful in non-office areas too. Smaller clip-on lamps, like these vintage ones, look great on bookshelves. Try searching "mushroom clamp lamps" on Etsy if you want to go the vintage route. This more modern option is super sleek, comes in a ton of colors and its head rotates 360 degrees. Both of these picks are a departure from the typical "task lighting" you’d expect from a clamp lamp. This super simple one from Ikea offers just that; it could work as a bedside reading lamp, desk lamp or task lighting for whatever your favorite "task" is.

Fringe lamps are hot

There’s something super sexy about a fringe lampshade, especially in a warm color. I love the way the light peeks through the layers of fringe, casting a beautiful shadow on surrounding walls and furniture. Personally, I like smaller fringe lamps in "nooks" like a bedside table or a bookshelf. One of the best things about a fringe lamp is that the base doesn’t really matter. We’re all looking at the shade! And you can get a custom, multi-layered shade (it MUST have several layers!) on Etsy in multiple sizes and colors. I’d go for pink but you’re free to live your own life.

(If you’d rather the whole lamp be fringe, this option from Burke Decor has an appealing Muppet vibe.)

Non-traditional floor lamps

Every home has a sad, dark corner that could use a nice, vibey glow and the perfect candidate for that glow is this oversized globe lamp. Put a color-changing bulb in this bad boy and you can pretend your room is being lit by the moon, or Mars or whatever planet you identify with. This tube light can provide a similar effect but take up less space. Philips Hue makes a similar but more expensive product, and the upside is its color-changing capabilities.

My absolute favorite kinds of floor lamps are tension rod lamps, which I firmly believe you should only buy vintage. Etsy and 1stDibs are good places to start your tension lamp exploration, but you may get lucky on Facebook Marketplace or your local vintage furniture store.

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