How should I use bedside table lamps?

Bedside table lamps are a staple of most bedrooms, and it seems obvious – you put them on your bedside table. Smart table lamps, however, have a lot of other features that can help you make the most of your bedroom lighting. To start, choose a lamp that’s easy to operate and provides the right light for morning and night. 

Ideally, a bedroom table lamp should blend into its surroundings and add to the decor. Have a more modern look? Select a lamp with angular lines – you might even choose one without a lampshade at all for a truly minimal look. Going for a natural look? A wicker or rattan shade with a neutral base should do the trick.

Our pick: the Signe table lamp is a tall, slender lamp whose colourful light shines against the wall. It’s a dramatic effect – so use this when you want to use your bedside lamps to be a core part of your bedroom decor.

If you buy a table lamp that requires a separate bulb, you have more options to choose just the right kind of lighting you want. Want a bright reading lamp? Get a bulb that provides at least 450 lumens. Just want to set the mood? A bulb with around 400 lumens is enough to produce a relaxing glow.

With a Philips Hue table lamp or a smart bulb placed into a traditional table lamp, you can dim and brighten (and change the colour temperature, depending on the bulb or light!) to suit the task at hand. You can even set an automation in the Philips Hue app that slowly brightens your lights to wake you up.

Use the bed as the central point for your bedside table lamps. If you have a bedside table on either side of the bed itself, place a lamp on both tables. Hang a painting above the centre of your headboard for the finishing touch.

Multiple light sources make your space versatile. Turn on all the lights for cleaning or folding laundry, turn off the ceiling light for some before-bed relaxation, or turn on only one table lamp so that you can stay up with your latest book.