For a narrow nightstand, choose a small bedside lamp with a slim base and a shade no wider than the space you can spare. In our collection, Colonne is 5.1 inches wide and Rubra 5.9 inches. Measure the tabletop first, then leave room for a book, a phone and a glass.
How wide should a lamp be on a narrow nightstand?
Start with the tabletop, not the lamp. Measure its width and depth, then set aside what has to stay there every night: a phone, a book, a glass of water. What is left is the space for the lamp.
A common rule of thumb is to let the lamp take no more than about a third of the surface. On a small table, the shade matters more than the base. It is usually the widest part, and it is the part that meets the wall or the headboard.
Height counts too, in a different way. A tall lamp on a small table can look unsteady. A low, slim lamp keeps the proportions calm. For the dimensions of every lamp, see our table lamp size guide.
Our small bedside lamps, measured
Five of our bedside lamps are 9.1 inches wide or less. Here they are, from the narrowest.
| Lamp | Height | Width | Materials | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonne | 9.6 in (24.5 cm) | 5.1 in (13 cm) | Fluted aluminum, linen shade | Plug-in |
| Rubra | 8.3 in (21 cm) | 5.9 in (15 cm) | Lacquered polymer composite | Plug-in |
| Auren | 9.4 in (24 cm) | 7.1 in (18 cm) | Natural stone, fabric shade | Cordless, rechargeable |
| Macara | 11.2 in (28.5 cm) | 7.5 in (19 cm) | Statuario marble, pleated fabric shade | Plug-in |
| Lysa | 11.0 in (28 cm) | 9.1 in (23 cm) | Brown marble, frosted glass shade | Plug-in |
Iris is also a bedside lamp, but it is wider than it is tall: 11.8 inches across. It suits a nightstand with room to spare, not a narrow one. Cline Vesper, with a 12.6-inch shade, asks for a full-size table.
All of these belong to our bedside table lamps, where each lamp is shown in a real room, to scale.
Slim, low or cordless: three ways to save space
Slim
Colonne is two cylinders, one on the other: a fluted base of dark brown aluminum and a tall linen shade resting directly on it. No neck shows between them. The lamp is as narrow at the top as at the foot, so it fits a bedside table shared with books.
Low
Rubra is the smallest lamp in the collection, about the height of four or five stacked books. It sits below eye level and leaves the wall above the nightstand free. Its deep burgundy finish brings one note of color to a small surface.
Cordless
On a narrow table, the cord can take as much room as the lamp. Auren has none while in use. It charges through a magnetic connector under the base, gives about 12 hours of light per charge and switches on with a touch on top. With Silex, it is one of our two rechargeable lamps.
Macara sits between these options: 7.5 inches wide, a base of cream Statuario marble and an off-white pleated fabric shade. It is corded, so choose its place once, near an outlet.
From the collection
- Colonne: fluted aluminum under a column of light beige linen, 9.6 inches tall and 5.1 inches wide.
- Rubra: a glossy burgundy dome on a slim cone, 8.3 inches tall and 5.9 inches wide.
- Auren: a fabric drum on a block of pale stone, 7.1 inches wide, cordless and rechargeable.
Questions
What is a good size for a small bedside lamp?
It depends on the table more than on the lamp. Measure the top, keep room for a book, a phone and a glass, and let the lamp take what is left. A common rule of thumb is about a third of the surface. Our smallest bedside lamps are between 5.1 and 7.5 inches wide.
Does a small lamp give enough light by the bed?
It gives a soft, ambient light, which is what all our lamps give, whatever their size. That light suits the end of the day and the mood of the room. For reading in bed, add a directed light, such as a wall arm, and keep the small lamp for the atmosphere around it.
Is a cordless lamp practical on a nightstand?
Yes, when the outlet is far from the bed or hidden behind it. Auren gives about 12 hours of light per charge and recharges in about 6 hours through a magnetic connector under the base. You charge it from time to time instead of running a cord across the table every night.
To compare widths side by side, explore our bedside table lamps with your tape measure at hand.