Mastering the Language of Lamps

Every field has its own jargon, and the world of lamps is no exception. Go from novice to pro in no time with this quick guide to the world of lamps!

Let's go from the bottom up!

Lamp Base

This one is easy! A lamp base serves both a decorative and practical function. It stabilizes the lamp and adds balance and accent to the lamp. In certain circumstances (such as a glass bottle), a base will actually take away from the lamp.

You can find a variety of base types: Wood, Nickel or Chrome, Brass, Bronze, Acrylic or even iron. For a cool industrial look, you can have a heavy piece of iron welded to the bottom. The weight will stabilize it, adding a minimalistic touch. On the other end of the spectrum, an ornate wooden base can do wonders for a more traditional piece. 

Lamp Body

The body covers up the "guts" of the lamp (the pipe or wire). And obviously it defines the lamp's shade, style and vibe.  

 

 Vase Cap

 

 Vase caps are critical for seamlessly joining the body to the "neck". It is especially important in ceramic lamps.

Neck

 

 The neck is between the vase cap and the saddle. This functions to protect the wire and to hold the lamp together.  Normally it is proper to cover it with your shade, but in this case it looks good with a little of it exposed.

Saddle & Harp

We aren't talking about horseback riding, we're still on lamps! The harp (bottom) and the saddle (top) function to hold the lamp shade in place. The saddle is placed under the neck, and the harp clicks into place. The top screw it where the finial screws into place. The great thing about harps is that they can be easily switched out to various sizes to raise or lower the shade on the lamp, giving it the perfect height to cover up the hardware. Risers can also be added to the top screw to raise or lower the shade and finial.

Finial

"Your finials are served, sir..." A wild assortment of finials at our sister store, Illumé, in New York City

Finials are the icing on the cake. It serves the basic function of keep the shade in place. But it can serve to accent the lamp, or even stand on its own in the piece! Some lamps are better served by a minimalistic finial that blends into the hardware. Other lamps, such as this one, deserves a custom and whimsical finial that was designed by our store manager, Wes!

Wes proudly standing by his creation!

   

Lamp Shade

Shades are our specialty here. We carry thousands in stock of any conceivable type and color. But the interior decorators that shop here will often order custom shades. Getting the shade right is critical for making a lamp shine, and fitting it perfectly in the room. A shade puts a lamp into context. Decorators sometimes try to match the color to their color scheme, even ordering shades with custom fabric from the throw pillow on the couch. Others make it clash, adding interesting elements to an otherwise homogenous room.

A shade can accentuate a lamp, but not take away from it...or sometimes, our customers choose to accentuate a shade with a lamp.

Lamps have been around for a long time, but very few people really take a chance to examine them closely. Little has changed in the basic makeup of a lamp, precisely because the set up works so well. The next time that you enter the room, take the time to examine the simplistic beauty of a lamp.