Choose a glass table lamp by the light you want to see. Opal glass is white through its body: the whole shade glows evenly and hides what is inside. Frosted glass softens the light through a matte surface. Clear glass shows its form and lets light through almost unchanged, so it needs a reflector to give a soft light.
What is the difference between opal, frosted and clear glass?
Opal glass
Opal glass is made milky white through its thickness, not only on its surface. Light entering it is scattered before it leaves, so the shade glows as one even volume. Switched off, it reads as a plain white form. Switched on, it turns into the light itself.
Frosted glass
Frosted glass is clear glass whose surface has been roughened, usually by sandblasting or acid etching. The rough surface scatters the light as it passes. The glow is soft, and in daylight the glass keeps a fine, matte texture.
Clear glass
Clear glass lets light through almost unchanged. Its interest is the form: a clear shade keeps the silhouette of a lamp light, even when the lamp is large. Because it does not diffuse, a clear shade needs another element to soften the light, such as a reflector.
Three glass lamps, three kinds of light
Our glass table lamps use one glass each. The table sets them side by side, with the light as it is described on each product page.
| New Works | Lysa | Zenith | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass | Opal white | Frosted | Clear |
| Shade | Bowl with a flat, closed top | Wide, flattened disc with a brass cap | Angled bowl with a white reflector disc |
| Light | Diffused evenly, warm, no glare | Peach-white, soft and milky | Reflected by the disc, then spread into the room |
| Base | Dark reddish-brown marble, white veining | Polished brown marble, white veining | Black fluted metal column, polished chrome rings |
| Height × width | 13.8 × 9.8 in | 11.0 × 9.1 in | 19.7 × 14.6 in |
| Power | Plug-in | Plug-in | Plug-in |
| Suits | Side table, nightstand, narrow console | Nightstand, console, dresser | Sideboard, deep console, large side table |
Strengths and limits of each glass
Opal: an even glow
On New Works, the opal bowl has a flat, closed top, so the light passes through the glass itself and nothing inside is visible. The glow is even and warm. The limit is the daytime view: switched off, an opal shade is a plain white form. Here the red marble below carries the interest.
Frosted: a softer surface
On Lysa, a wide disc of frosted glass spreads the light evenly, in a warm peach-white tone. A flat brass cap closes the top. Like opal, frosted glass diffuses rather than directs. It sets a mood; it does not light a page.
Clear: form first
Zenith sets a clear glass bowl at an angle, with a white reflector disc. The light meets the disc, then spreads softly into the room. The clear bowl keeps the lamp light to the eye at 19.7 inches, the largest in the collection. The limit is space: it needs a surface with real depth.
Which glass for which room?
- Bedroom. Opal or frosted, on a low lamp. Lysa, 11.0 inches tall, sits on a nightstand as a bedside lamp. New Works fits a nightstand too.
- Living room. Any of the three, chosen by surface. A side table takes New Works; a dresser or console takes Lysa.
- Dining room or entry. Clear glass, where the lamp is seen from across the room. Zenith needs a sideboard or a console table at least 16 inches deep.
If the room is small, size matters as much as glass. We cover it in glass table lamps for small rooms.
Caring for a glass shade
Clean the glass with a soft cloth once the lamp has cooled. Dust a marble base with a soft, dry cloth and avoid acidic cleaners on the stone. Wipe metal with a dry cloth. That is all three lamps need.
From the collection
- New Works: opal white glass bowl on dark reddish-brown marble, 13.8 inches tall.
- Lysa: frosted glass disc with a brass cap, on polished brown marble, 11.0 inches tall.
- Zenith: angled clear glass bowl on a black fluted column, 19.7 inches tall.
Questions
Does an opal glass shade hide the light inside?
Yes. Opal glass is white through its thickness, so the shade glows as one surface. On New Works, the top of the bowl is a flat, closed disc: the light passes through the glass itself, and nothing inside is visible. The result is an even, warm light, without glare.
Is a clear glass lamp too bright?
Not Zenith. Its clear bowl works with a white reflector disc: the light meets the disc first, then spreads softly into the room. Like every Bellerives lamp, it gives ambient light. It sets the mood of a room; it is not meant to light a desk or a kitchen.
Are glass table lamps fragile in delivery?
Each lamp is packed by hand, with stone, glass and metal protected separately. If a lamp arrives damaged, report it within 7 days with photos, and we replace or refund it. Standard delivery in the United States is free, and returns are accepted within 30 days.
See the three lit and unlit, in real rooms. Explore the glass table lamps.