The best floor lamp depends on what it has to do. For reading, choose a lamp with an adjustable or flexible head that you can aim at the page. For general room light, choose a taller lamp with a diffuse shade and a warm 2700K to 3000K globe. For style, choose the base and shade to suit the room, and make sure the base is heavy enough to stand safely. This guide explains how to match a floor lamp to the job, and lists real options from our range.
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Start with the job the lamp has to do
Reading and task light. Choose a lamp whose head moves, so the light lands on the page and not on the floor beside you. The Modern Adjustable LED Floor Lamp has a built-in LED (6 W, 500 lumens, 3000K) on an adjustable arm and stands 1,520 mm tall on a small footprint. The Hertel has a flexible head with an amber glass shade, stands 1,620 mm tall and weighs 4.4 kg, which is what lets the head move without the lamp following it.
An arm that reaches over a chair or table. The Ingrid has a marble base and a gold arm that reaches 460 mm out from the base, so the shade sits over a chair, with the marble providing the weight that stops it tipping.
Quiet, ambient light. A simple lamp such as the Beat, 1,500 mm tall on a 250 mm base in black, chrome or white, adds light and a vertical line to a room without competing with other decor. The Marbell is a single glass-shade lamp, 1,600 mm tall on a 180 mm footprint, in amber or smoke glass, and it belongs to a family of pendants and table lamps in the same glass.
A feature shade. The Jaxon is a classic drum-shade lamp, 1,480 mm tall with a 360 mm fabric shade, in five colourways. The colour of a fabric shade tints the light passing through it, so ivory stays warm and neutral, while a blue or green shade casts a subtle colour on the wall behind.
What to check before you buy
Height. Most of the floor lamps above are 1,480 to 1,620 mm tall. For a reading chair, the bottom of the shade should sit around eye level or slightly below when you are seated, so the light falls on the page without glaring into your eyes.
The base. A tall lamp needs a stable base. A wide or weighted base, such as marble, keeps the lamp upright, and it matters most in a home with children or pets.
Built-in LED or a globe. A built-in LED means there is nothing to buy or replace, while a lamp that takes an E27 globe lets you choose the brightness and colour. Most lamps in this range take an E27 globe, which is not always included, so check the product page. Our guide to light globe fittings explains the bases.
Warm light. For living rooms and bedrooms, choose a globe of 2700K to 3000K. Read our guide to colour temperature to match it to the room.
Brightness. Check lumens, not watts, and use our guide to understanding lumens. For a reading lamp, aim for a globe that is clearly brighter than a bedside lamp, and consider a dimmable one so you can turn it down in the evening.
Where floor lamps work best
- Beside a sofa or armchair for reading and as a second light source, so the room does not rely on a single ceiling light.
- In a corner to push light up the walls and make the room feel larger. Our guide to living room lighting ideas shows how to layer light.
- Next to a desk or in a study for task light that does not take up desk space. See our desk lamp guide too.
- In a hallway or dark corner where there is no ceiling fitting.
Frequently asked questions
What height should a floor lamp be?
Most are between about 1.4 and 1.7 metres tall. For reading, choose one where the shade sits at about eye level or slightly below when you are seated.
What is the best floor lamp for reading?
One with an adjustable or flexible head, so the light can be aimed at the page, and a warm white, dimmable light source.
Which globe should I use in a floor lamp?
Check the base on the lamp. Most take an E27 globe. Choose a warm white of 2700K to 3000K for living spaces, and a dimmable globe if you want to adjust the brightness.
Are floor lamps safe with children and pets?
Yes, if the base is stable. A heavier base, such as marble, is harder to tip, and the cable should be kept tidy and out of the way.
Do floor lamps come with a globe?
Not always. A lamp with a built-in LED needs no globe, but many floor lamps take an E27 globe that you buy separately, so check the product page.
Find your floor lamp
Browse all floor lamps. Lights For You delivers Australia-wide, and our Ashfield showroom in Sydney is open if you would like to see the lamps and shades in person.
