The size of a nightstand lamp depends on the width of the table and on what you want from the light. A common rule of thumb: keep the lamp narrower than the top of the nightstand. For reading in bed, the shade sits near eye level; for mood light, a lower lamp works well.
What size lamp for a nightstand? Start with the width
The nightstand sets the limit. A common rule of thumb is that the lamp, shade included, should be narrower than the top of the nightstand, with room left for a book, a glass of water and a phone. A shade that hangs over the edge is easy to knock at night.
Measure the depth too. A lamp set toward the back leaves the front free. A wide shade on a shallow table pushes everything else to the edge.
- Narrow or crowded nightstand: a slim lamp. Colonne is 5.1 inches wide, Rubra 5.9 inches.
- Medium nightstand: a lamp about 7 to 9 inches wide, such as Auren (7.1 in), Macara (7.5 in) or Lysa (9.1 in).
- Wide nightstand or chest of drawers: a lamp with more presence, such as Iris (11.8 in wide) or Cline Vesper (12.6 in wide).
Every height and width is listed in our table lamp size guide, with the places each lamp suits.
Height: light for mood, or light for reading
The right height depends on what the lamp is for.
For reading in bed
A common rule of thumb for reading lamps: when you sit up against the headboard, the bottom of the shade should be close to your eye level. Set higher, the light source may show under the shade. Set lower, the light stays on the nightstand and misses the page. The usual guidance also places the top of the nightstand roughly level with the top of the mattress.
For mood light
Our bedside table lamps are ambient lamps. They set the mood of the bedroom; they are not reading lamps. For this use, a lower lamp works well, and the glow stays close to the bed. Our bedside lamps range from 8.3 inches (Rubra) to 15.4 inches (Cline Vesper). If you read every night, add a reading light beside them.
Proportion with the bed and the room
A lamp is seen with the bed, not alone. A few habits help the two agree.
- A tall headboard carries a taller lamp. Cline Vesper, at 15.4 inches, has a tall marble base and a shade set low.
- A low bed sits well with a low lamp. Iris is 9.8 inches tall and 11.8 inches wide; Lysa is low and wide too, at 11 inches tall.
- A pair gives symmetry on both sides of the bed. As its product page notes, two Cline Vesper lamps make a classic pair.
- A single small lamp can be grouped with books or a tray, so that lamp and objects read as one.
If you are deciding between one lamp and two, we look at the question in one bedside lamp or a pair.
From the collection
- Iris: a translucent dome on polished chrome, 9.8 inches tall and 11.8 inches wide.
- Colonne: fluted aluminum and a linen cylinder, 9.6 inches tall and 5.1 inches wide.
- Cline Vesper: beige marble with black veining under a dark bronze cone, 15.4 inches tall.
Questions
How tall should a bedside lamp be?
It depends on the use. A common rule of thumb for reading puts the bottom of the shade near eye level when you sit up in bed. For mood light, a lower lamp is enough, and the glow stays close to the bed. Our bedside lamps, which give ambient light, range from 8.3 to 15.4 inches tall.
How wide should a nightstand lamp be?
Narrower than the nightstand, as a common rule of thumb, with room left for a book and a glass. On a small or crowded nightstand, choose a slim lamp such as Colonne, 5.1 inches wide. On a wide one, Iris at 11.8 inches or Cline Vesper at 12.6 inches hold their place.
Can a small lamp work on a large nightstand?
Yes, if it has presence. Iris is only 9.8 inches tall but 11.8 inches wide, so it holds a wide surface. A small lamp can also be grouped with books, a tray or a small object. What matters is that the lamp and what surrounds it read together, as one composition.
Explore the bedside table lamps and compare their heights before you choose.