Reading is a favorite pastime of many, but great lighting is necessary for it to be easy on the eyes. In this article, we will discuss how to choose the best floor lamp for reading, how tall to make the lamp, where to place it, and what light bulb is best. Let's get started!
How to Choose a Floor Lamp for Reading
Brightness
The lamp should be bright enough to illuminate your reading area without so much brightness that it illuminates back at you. It is excellent having lamps that feature adjustable brightness settings such that you can control the illumination level according to your desire. A lamp with a minimum of 800 lumens can be the best fit for reading purposes.
Focusing on the story line or the content of the book as well as the font may be reduced if sufficient bright light is present. However if the light is inadequate it can result in discomfort. Insufficient light can also squint your eyes while reading. On the other hand if there is too much bright light in the reading area its can make concentration on the book very difficult because of the glare that is produced. Reading floor lamps offer balanced brightness of light because they come with features that allow you to adjust the brightness according to your preference. Therefore, you can increase or decrease the intensity of light and enjoy the book.
Adjustability
An adjustable lamp is most useful. Check for lamps with flexible arms or adjustable heads to better direct light exactly where you want it. This will be helpful in case you share the reading space or even use the space for various activities.
Colour Temperature
Think about what colour you want the light to be when you're deciding how comfortable it is to read. Go for a warm-feeling colour, around 2700K-3000K, to wrap your space in cozy relaxation, or opt for cooler colours, 4000K-5000K, which replicate natural daylight and will help you focus more. Pick a colour that will suit your reading space.
It is the warmth of the light emitted by a source such as a lamp. When you are trying to select a floor lamp for reading, consider an option that allows you to adjust color temperature. If you enjoy reading in a cozy environment you will require a soft glow of bulb. For this purpose color temperatures are around 2700k to 3000 k. If you like to read in a focused and alert environment such as natural day light you can select the lamp with cool temperature such as 4000k to 5000k.
Focus light
When your target is reading a book you need a light source that can focus light on the book and not in the surrounding. Therefore you need a lamp that offers you focused lighting instead of ambient or accent lighting. Once you have selected a lamp for reading that offers focused lighting you don't want to forget to look for features in it such as a light shield to decrease the glare produced by exposure of light to your eyes. Moreover select a lamp that allows you to adjust its shades so that you can position it over your book only. This feature ensures that the light only illuminates the reading area and does not disturb your eyes or light up the surrounding area.
Size and Style
The lamp needs to be commensurate with your room's décor and fit well into the room. Therefore, the height, base size, and design need to be checked to ensure that they match your furniture and layout.
Energy Efficiency
Lamps with energy saving which are those with LED bulbs, consume little electricity and last long. Therefore, it costs much cheaper to run and better for the surroundings also.
Glare Control
Lamps with shades or diffusers help to control glare and diffuse light evenly. This is important if you will be reading for extended periods; it eliminates the discomfort and strains on the eyes.
Right bulb
Last but not the least, don't forget to select a bulb type for your lamp that can be helpful for you. Most people select LED bulbs because of their longevity, energy efficiency and budget friendliness. They are a perfect option for reading lamps due to low heat emission and dimmable options.
How Tall Should the Floor Lamp Be for Reading?
The height of your floor lamp is crucial for lighting. Here is how you can get the right height:
Reading on a Sofa
The bottom of the lampshade should be at or slightly above an average eye level when you are seated on the sofa reading a book. This usually is between about 58 to 64 inches from the floor to the top of the lamp. Such a height shines light down so that light does not get into your eyes and cause glare while reading a book.
Reading in Bed
The reading lamp should be tall enough to give directed light over your shoulder without interfering with the view. Between 48-54 inches from the floor to the lamp's top is perfect; this way, the light will shine directly on your book or tablet as you are sitting up in bed.
Reading in a Chair
If you have a special reading chair, the lamp is supposed to be as tall as your eye level while seated. A lamp height of about 52" to 58" works well, giving you ample light without shadows.
These heights are rough estimates. You should also take into account the height of your particular furniture and your line of sight so that the lamp shines on the reading material.
Where Should You Place a Floor Lamp for Reading?
Where you place your floor lamp is going to make a big difference. Following are some good places to put it in:
Behind the Couch
The most comfortable and common place for reading a book is on the couch where you can sit comfortably and change positions as you like while reading. You can efficiently place an arc floor lamp or a standard floor lamp that illuminates the area above your head as you read the book. If your couch is facing away from the wall you can place a lamp between the wall and the sofa providing you with enough light to enjoy reading. This setting provides task lighting that is not uncomfortable for eyes because you are facing away from the lamp as it illuminates in the space above your head from the back.
Next to a Chair
Place the lamp beside your reading chair to give you focused light. Make sure the light is pointed at your book and creates no shadows or glare.
Beside the Bed
Place the lamp on one side, where you lie to read in bed. This way, it's easy to get to the controls of the lamp, and the light will be in the proper spot.
In a Corner
If you have designed a reading nook for yourself in the corner of the room you need to place a floor lamp in the corner to create an enjoyable space. Reading in the corner has its own benefits because you have a very peaceful and calm corner for a very concentration seeking activity. Moreover the corner has two walls that can bounce the light of the lamp to provide you with ample light for reading. According to your preference you can select a floor lamp and place it in the corner behind or beside the chair or couch. Make sure that you select an ideal height of the lamp when you are placing it in the corner to avoid strain in the eye.
Near a Desk
If you like to read on a chair and desk you can place a floor lamp next to the desk. Reading at the desk is also a very comfortable position and proper lighting can make the experience more immersive. Consider the height of your chair and desk while selecting the height of the floor lamp for reading. If the floor lamp has a movable arm it will be even better for reading.
What Kind of Bulb to Use for a Reading Floor Lamp?
The kind of bulb you use can really make a difference in setting up an inviting reading environment. Here is what you need to know about the most popular bulbs:
LED bulb
- Benefits: Energy-saving bulbs, longer-lasting, variable color temperatures depending upon the bulb.
- Best For: Being bright lights for reading, LED bulbs are unbeatable because they consume very little power, and this can make them last very long. You can also find day-light-similar LED bulbs that are easy on your eyes.
Incandescent Bulbs
- Benefits: Puts out warm light, and has superior color quality.
- Best For: They are adapted to produce warm light for reading, though they are relatively more-consuming and short-lived than LEDs.
CFL Bulbs
- Benefits: Energy-saving, longer lasting than incandescent bulbs.
- Uses: These bulbs are bright and also come in different color temperatures, although sometimes they take a couple of seconds before achieving full brightening.
Halogen Bulbs
- Benefits: Bright, clear light, good color quality
- Uses: The light they emit is bright and highly concentrated, so it's great for reading. It's on using more energy compared to LEDs—also, this one tends to heat up.
Best Option for Reading
The favorite choice for illuminating objects is LED bulbs. Brightness and efficiency are high in LED bulbs, and they come in several color temperatures, making LED bulbs the best option for reading. The LED bulbs present to you clear steady light, helping to reduce eye strain and can last many years, making it be a good investment.
- Generally when people look for a light bulb they measure the watts of the bulb and not the lumens. This approach is not right. The watts of the bulb only give you the measure of how much energy is consumed by the bulb whereas lumens tell you the level of brightness emitted by the bulb. So you have to consider the lumens of the bulb when buying one. If you select a 75 watt bulb that is a standard, it has lumens of 1100 whereas a 40 watt bulb has a lumen of 470.
- For task activities such as reading that require attention and focus you can select a 470 lumen bulb that will only illuminate the reading area without making the light uncomfortable.
- If you are not an avid reader and only like to read before going to bed for a little while you don't want a 470 lumen bulb in your room. In this case 250 lumen bulbs will be a perfect choice to illuminate a lower lamb to side your bed for a reading session at night.