# Lamps

Decide the job first: reading, room glow, bedside or mood. Then: standard bulb, or LED built in? Bulb lamps let you pick brightness and colour and outlive their electronics; built-in LED lamps dim better but die with their driver. Keep the shade bottom at seated eye level, and dim everything.

## How it works

A lamp is a light source, a shade and a stand. Three numbers describe the light: lumens (how much), kelvin (how warm or white), and CRI (how true colours look). The shade decides where the lumens go: a translucent fabric shade glows sideways and lights the room, an opaque shade throws a pool of light up and down, and a torchiere bowl sends nearly all of it at the ceiling. The stand sets the height, and height sets glare: with the shade bottom at seated eye level the bulb stays hidden. The source is LED, in two forms. A replaceable bulb in a standard socket (E26 or E27, E12 or E14, B22) lets you choose brightness and colour later. A built-in LED array runs off a driver that converts mains power; the driver dims the light, can make it flicker, and is the part that fails first. [1] [43] [45] [6] [33] [13] [47] [31]

| Family | What it is | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Socket lamp (replaceable bulb) | A stand, socket and shade; the bulb you fit sets brightness, colour and dimming. Zamana files these under furnishings / decor. | Most table, bedside and shaded floor lamps; anyone who wants the lamp to outlast its electronics. |
| Built-in LED lamp | An LED array and driver sealed into the lamp; slim shapes, stepless dimming, often tunable colour, not repairable. Zamana files these under machines / electronics. | Desk and task lamps, torchieres, slim modern floor lamps. |
| Rechargeable cordless lamp | A built-in LED on a battery, 2 to 4 W, a few hundred lumens, often IP rated for outdoors. | Dining tables, patios, shelves with no socket, mood light. |
| Smart lamp or smart-bulb lamp | App or voice control, built in or via a smart bulb in a socket lamp; needs constant power, so the lamp's own switch must stay on. | Automation, colour scenes, bedside lamps controlled from a phone. |

## How an expert narrows the choice

```mermaid
timeline
  section 1 · Job
    reading or desk work : ask Brightness, Arm and reach, Flicker, Colour rendering (CRI), Colour temperature
    room glow : ask Where the light goes, Height, Shade material : skip Arm and reach
    bedside : ask Switch, Height, Cord length, Colour temperature : skip Arm and reach
    mood or accent : ask Power, Colour temperature : skip Colour rendering (CRI), Arm and reach
  section 2 · Light source
    standard bulb socket : ask Bulb base, Max wattage, Bulb included : skip Rated life
    LED built in : ask Brightness, Colour temperature, Colour rendering (CRI), Rated life, Warranty : skip Bulb base, Max wattage, Bulb included
  section 3 · Dims
    yes : ask Switch, Flicker, Colour temperature
  section 4 · Power
    rechargeable cordless : ask Battery runtime, Water resistance (IP), Brightness : skip Cord length, Bulb base, Max wattage, Bulb included
    plug-in / USB powered : skip Battery runtime
```

1. **Job.** Reading or desk work, room glow, bedside, or just mood?
   Task, ambient and accent are the trade's three layers. The answer sets the brightness floor, the light distribution and the height rule, and routes desk lamps, shaded table and floor lamps, torchieres and small accent lamps into separate sets.
   If reading or desk work: ask Brightness, Arm and reach, Flicker, Colour rendering (CRI), Colour temperature.
   If room glow: ask Where the light goes, Height, Shade material; skip Arm and reach.
   If bedside: ask Switch, Height, Cord length, Colour temperature; skip Arm and reach.
   If mood or accent: ask Power, Colour temperature; skip Colour rendering (CRI), Arm and reach.
   Skip if already known: an earlier answer naming the room or the activity, a query that already says desk, bedside, reading or torchiere.

2. **Light source.** Standard bulb you can replace, or LED built in?
   Built-in LED lamps die with their driver and cannot take a new bulb; socket lamps outlive their electronics. The answer also decides whether brightness and colour are chosen now (built in) or later (the bulb). Zamana's taxonomy already splits here.
   If standard bulb socket: ask Bulb base, Max wattage, Bulb included; skip Rated life.
   If LED built in: ask Brightness, Colour temperature, Colour rendering (CRI), Rated life, Warranty; skip Bulb base, Max wattage, Bulb included.
   Skip if already known: a query naming a bulb base or 'integrated LED', a stated preference for repairable products.

3. **Dims.** Dim for evenings, or on and off is enough?
   Dimming is on most listings, reviewers require it for bedside lamps, and it halves the set. On socket lamps it also forces a dimmable bulb; on built-in lamps it is where flicker and dim-to-warm live.
   If yes: ask Switch, Flicker, Colour temperature.
   Skip if already known: an earlier answer about dimming or mood lighting, a smart-home setup already in memory.

4. **Power.** Stays plugged in, or carried to table and patio?
   Cordless lamps are their own segment: a few hundred lumens from a 2 to 4 W LED, 9 to 24 hours a charge, often IP rated. Plug-in removes little, so ask this last unless the job is mood or dining.
   If rechargeable cordless: ask Battery runtime, Water resistance (IP), Brightness; skip Cord length, Bulb base, Max wattage, Bulb included.
   If plug-in or USB powered: skip Battery runtime.
   Skip if already known: a query saying cordless, rechargeable, portable or outdoor, an earlier answer placing the lamp next to a socket.

## What to surface

### Job

What the lamp has to do: light a page or desk, fill a room, sit by a bed, or add a glow. It decides everything downstream. Reading needs roughly 300 to 500 lux on the page, so a directed source close to the task; room glow needs a shade that spreads or bounces light; a bedside lamp needs a switch reachable from the pillow, a cord of 5 ft or more and a height of 24 to 30 in; a mood lamp can be dim, warm and cordless. [5] [58] [23] [51] [38]

Values: reading or desk work, room glow, bedside, mood or accent.
Question to ask: Reading or desk work, room glow, bedside, or just mood?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: derived from listing fields, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Not a field. Derive from the listing's type (desk, floor, torchiere, bedside, accent) and title words like reading, task, ambient.
Map listing type and title words; default shaded table and floor lamps to room glow, desk and swing-arm lamps to reading or desk work.

### Light source

Whether the lamp takes a replaceable bulb in a standard socket or has an LED array built in that cannot be swapped. Built-in lamps are slimmer, dim smoothly and often tune colour, but the LED and its driver are permanent: in one luminaire family's field data 74 percent of failures were the driver and 7 percent the LEDs, and a dead driver means a new lamp. ENERGY STAR demands a 5-year warranty where the driver is not replaceable against 3 years where it is. A socket lamp lets you set brightness and colour with the bulb and outlives any bulb. [13] [5] [17] [18] [12] [11]

Values: standard bulb socket, LED built in.
Question to ask: Standard bulb you can replace, or LED built in?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: Titles say 'integrated LED' or 'LED built in'; socket lamps list a bulb base (E26, E27, E12, B22) and 'bulb not included'. IKEA: 'Light bulb sold separately'. EU listings show an A to G energy class only for built-in lamps.
If neither appears, a stated bulb base or max wattage means socket.

### Dims

Whether the lamp's own control can lower the light, by a knob, a touch pad, a 3-way socket or an app. Reviewers make it a bedside requirement and ENERGY STAR expects dimmable luminaires to run smoothly from 100 to 20 percent without audible noise over 24 dBA. On a socket lamp the lamp's dimmer only works with a bulb labelled dimmable, and a wall dimmer needs an LED-rated, ideally trailing-edge, model or the bulb buzzes and flickers. On a built-in lamp, cheap dimming is where low-frequency PWM flicker lives. [51] [5] [50] [28] [19]

Question to ask: Dim for evenings, or on and off is enough?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: 'Dimmable' feature flag; Lamps Plus writes 'dimmer switch on neck'; IKEA adds 'Can only be used with dimmable light bulbs'.
Switch type usually settles it: a knob, slider, touch pad or 3-way socket dims; a rotary on/off or pull chain does not.

### Power

Whether the lamp runs from a wall plug, a USB port, or a built-in rechargeable battery with no cord. Cordless lamps trade brightness for freedom: the Zafferano Poldina Pro gives 256 lm for 9 hours and the Flos Bellhop runs up to 24 hours from a 3 W LED, so they light a table setting, not a book. Runtime, charge time and an IP rating for outdoor use replace cord length and switch type as the things to check. [56] [55] [57]

Values: plug-in, USB powered, rechargeable cordless.
Question to ask: Stays plugged in, or carried to table and patio?

Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: 'Rechargeable', 'cordless', 'portable', 'battery' in the title; USB-C in specs; otherwise plug-in.

### Colour temperature

How warm or white the light looks, in kelvin: 2700 K is candle-warm, 4000 K neutral, 5000 K and up daylight-white. Retail guides put 2700 to 3000 K in bedrooms and living rooms and 3000 to 5000 K at desks, and the FTC label draws it as a warm-to-cool scale from 2,600 to 6,600 K. Fotios's 2017 review found colour temperature barely moves how pleasant a room feels and that illuminance under 300 lux is what people dislike, so treat warm as taste, not rule. Dim-to-warm lamps slide from 2700 or 3000 K to about 1800 K as they dim. [24] [25] [3] [23] [26] [27]

Values: 1800 to 2200 K candle, 2700 K warm, 3000 K soft white, 3500 to 4000 K neutral, 5000 K and up daylight, tunable white, dim-to-warm.
Question to ask: Warm and golden, or whiter for working?

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Built-in lamps state kelvin or 'warm white'; socket lamps only via the recommended or included bulb (IKEA names the bulb).
For socket lamps record the included bulb's kelvin or mark 'set by bulb'; never infer from photos.
Chart: Kelvin light-appearance scale.

### Height

Overall height from the base to the top of the shade or finial, in inches on US listings or centimetres elsewhere. Height is the glare control. With the shade bottom at seated eye level the bulb stays hidden, which for a sofa end table means table plus lamp of about 58 to 64 in and a lamp of 24 to 34 in; bedside lamps run 24 to 30 in with the shade bottom at chin to eye level when sitting up; floor lamps 58 to 64 in; desk lamps 15 to 27 in. [38] [39] [40] [41] [33] [42]

Range: 6 to 80 in. Table lamps 24 to 34 in, bedside 24 to 30 in (one guide says 26 to 30), floor lamps 58 to 64 in.
Question to ask: How tall is the table it will sit on?

Used as: filter, sortable, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: Always present: 'Height 10"' (IKEA), '29" high' (Lamps Plus), or the dimensions block.
Chart: Seated eye-level height diagram.

### Arm and reach

How the head moves: fixed, swing arm, gooseneck or multi-joint, and how far it reaches over the desk. Task lamps put light where the work is, so reviewers meter the lit area (one across 12 points of a 140 cm desk) and BenQ claims a 35.4 in wide lit field. A fixed decorative lamp cannot be aimed, which is fine for room glow and useless at a desk. Wide, asymmetric heads light the desk without washing out the screen. [52] [53]

Values: fixed, swing arm, gooseneck, multi-joint or articulated, monitor-mounted bar.
Question to ask: Fixed, or an arm you can aim?

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: 'swing arm', 'gooseneck', 'adjustable', 'monitor light bar' in the title; reach rarely quantified.
Title and photos settle it; reach in centimetres only from brand spec sheets, top desk lamps only.

### Shade material

What the shade is made of and whether light passes through it: translucent fabric or paper, opal or clear glass, or opaque metal and dark fabric. Translucent linen, paper and opal glass glow and spread light sideways for ambient use; velvet, metal and dark linings block the sides and send light up and down in a pool, which reads as task light. Clear glass and exposed bulbs let the most light through and need the eye-level rule most. [45] [46] [50]

Values: translucent fabric, paper or parchment, opal or frosted glass, clear or smoked glass, opaque fabric or metal, no shade (exposed bulb).
Question to ask: Soft fabric glow, glass, or a metal shade?

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: Materials list (IKEA 'Shade: Glass'; Lamps Plus 'light gray cotton drum shade'); the Zamana decor standard already has a materials enum.

### Water resistance (IP)

The ingress protection code: IP20 is indoor only, IP44 shrugs off splashes, IP65 takes rain. Cordless lamps get carried outside and into bathrooms, where the rating decides whether that is fine: the Bellhop is IP20, the HAY PC Portable IP44 and the Poldina Pro IP65. Plug-in lamps are almost all indoor only; the Zamana LED add-on already has a damp, wet or outdoor location enum. [55] [57] [56]

Values: IP20 indoor, IP44 splash, IP54, IP65 rain.
Question to ask: Indoors only, or out on the patio too?

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: 'IP rating: 20' (Flos), 'IP65 rating' in bullets; absent means indoor.

### Where the light goes

The share of the lamp's light sent down versus up, in the CIE bands from direct (90 to 100 percent down) to indirect (90 to 100 percent up). A pharmacy or opaque-shade lamp is direct: a pool on the page and little else. A translucent fabric drum is general diffuse, roughly even up and down with a glow through the sides, which is what fills a living room. A torchiere is indirect by definition, sending nearly all light at the ceiling for soft, shadowless fill and no reading light. Shade material and shape set the band, so it is derivable. [43] [44] [45] [46] [6]

Values: direct, semi-direct, general diffuse, semi-indirect, indirect.
Question to ask: Pool on the page, glow all round, or bounced off the ceiling?

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: derived from listing fields, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Not a field. Derive: torchiere means indirect; opaque metal or dark shade means direct or semi-direct; translucent fabric, paper or opal glass means general diffuse; open uplighter bowl means semi-indirect.
Rule-based from type and shade material; photos settle the rest.
Chart: CIE up/down flux bar.

### Brightness

Light output in lumens: for a built-in lamp the lamp's figure, for a socket lamp the bulb's. Lumens, not watts, say how bright a lamp is: 800 lm matches a 60 W bulb, 1,600 lm a 100 W one. Reading wants 300 to 500 lux on the page, which BenQ's e-Reading desk lamp claims at 500 to 1,000 lux; ENERGY STAR requires at least 200 lm from a portable desk light. Cordless lamps run 2 to 4 W LEDs, a few hundred lumens. Socket lamps get their lumens from whatever bulb you fit. [1] [2] [4] [53] [54] [5] [56]

Range: 100 to 2000 lm. Cordless lamps a few hundred lumens; desk lamps 500 to 900; a socket lamp with an 800 lm (60 W-equivalent) bulb is the common case.

Used as: filter, sortable, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Built-in lamps: 'lumens' or '800 lm' in specs. Socket lamps: only when a bulb is included; otherwise derive the ceiling from max wattage.
Built-in lamps missing lumens need the brand spec sheet; for socket lamps show the included bulb's lumens or the LED headroom metric instead of guessing.
Chart: Lumens ladder.

### Switch

Where and how you turn the lamp on and dim it: a rotary or push on the socket, a pull chain, a rocker on the cord, a foot pedal, a touch pad, a dimmer knob on the base, or an app. For a bedside lamp the switch must be reachable from the pillow, which is why reviewers ask for an in-line, pull-chain or touch control; a socket switch under a shade is not. A 3-way socket (North America) gives low, medium, high with a 3-way bulb and one level with an ordinary bulb. Touch and app controls need the lamp powered all the time: switch a smart bulb off at the lamp and it stops being smart. [51] [29] [30] [31] [32]

Values: rotary or push on socket, pull chain, in-line cord switch, foot switch, touch, dimmer knob or slider on lamp, 3-way socket, app or smart bulb only.
Question to ask: Switch on the cord, on the socket, or touch?

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: 'dimmer switch on neck', 'in-line switch', 'touch control', 'pull chain' in bullets; often only visible in photos.
Photos settle it when text does not: a dial on the socket is rotary, a box on the cord is in-line.

### Bulb base

The socket the bulb screws or clips into, named by its width in millimetres: E26 or E27 medium, E12 or E14 candelabra, B22 bayonet, GU10, G9. It decides which bulbs fit and so what brightness and colour you can have. E26 is North America's standard and E27 everything else's, and the two interchange within tolerance, though a 230 V bulb runs dim on 120 V. E12 and E14 do not interchange. Candelabra sockets cap the bulb choice: IKEA's TÄRNABY E12 lamp is rated 6 W of LED. B22 is the UK, Australian and Indian bayonet. [47] [48] [50]

Values: E26 medium (North America), E27 medium (Europe, Asia, Australia), E12 candelabra (North America), E14 small Edison (Europe), B22 bayonet (UK, Australia, India), GU10, G9, other.

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: 'Bulb base', 'socket', 'standard-medium base', 'E26'; IKEA names the bulb ('LED bulb E12'); the Zamana lighting_fixture_lamp add-on has bulb_base_required.
Infer from region and the bulb photo when missing: a screw base in a US listing is E26 unless small (E12).

### Warranty

Years the maker will repair or replace the lamp, which for a built-in LED is the only promise that covers the driver. A mechanic reads the warranty, not the rated life, because the driver is what fails. ENERGY STAR requires 3 years on luminaires with a replaceable driver and 5 years where the driver cannot be replaced, with no limit on hours per day. A built-in lamp with a 1-year warranty and a 25,000-hour claim is telling you which number the maker believes. [5] [13]

Range: 0 to 5 years. 1 to 2 years for most; 3 to 5 for ENERGY STAR built-in lamps.

Used as: sortable, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Sometimes a bullet ('2-year warranty'); more often only on the brand site.
Fill for built-in LED lamps first, top 200 by rank; socket lamps rarely need it.

### Battery runtime

Hours a cordless lamp runs on a charge, at full brightness and at its lowest setting. Makers quote the best case: Flos says 'up to 24 hours' for the Bellhop, and Zafferano's Poldina Pro spec says 9 hours where its blurb says 12. Full-brightness runtime is the number for a dinner table, so record both when the spec gives them, with the charge time (3 hours for the Bellhop, 6 to 7 for the Poldina). [55] [56] [57]

Range: 4 to 40 h. About 9 to 12 hours is the common full-brightness claim; 'up to' figures are the lowest setting.

Used as: filter, sortable, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: 'Battery life: 10 hours', 'up to 24 hours' in specs; rarely says at which brightness.
Spec sheets usually give it; mark which brightness level when known.
Chart: two-ended range bar, full-brightness hours to lowest-setting hours.

### Safety listing

Whether an independent lab certified the lamp to a safety standard: UL or ETL to UL 153 in North America, CE or UKCA marking elsewhere. UL 153 tests what a buyer cannot: the lamp must not overturn on a 15 degree incline and must carry lamp replacement markings. The 1997 recall of 40 million halogen torchieres after 189 fires shows what the heat limits are for. Marketplace lamps without a listing are the ones to check for a wobbly base. [6] [7] [5]

Values: UL or ETL listed (UL 153), CE or UKCA marked, none stated.

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: 'UL Listed', 'ETL Listed', 'cETLus' in bullets or a badge image; CE in EU listings.
Brand pages state it; marketplace listings often omit it. Leave 'none stated' rather than assume.

### Colour rendering (CRI)

A 0 to 100 score of how true colours look under the light, averaged over eight pastel samples; R9 scores saturated red separately. At 80 CRI reds, skin and wood look flat; at 90 most things look normal; at 95 nearly like daylight. R9, the red score, runs from roughly 0 to 25 at 80 CRI to about 50 at 90 and 90 at 95, and ENERGY STAR only asks for Ra 80 with R9 above zero. Higher CRI costs efficiency and money, so pay for it at a desk, vanity or dining table, not inside a fabric shade. [20] [21] [5]

Range: 70 to 99 Ra. Built-in lamps 80 to 90; premium desk lamps 95 and up; socket lamps follow the bulb.

Used as: shown on the card, sortable. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: 'CRI', 'Ra 95' or 'CRI ≥ 90' in desk and task lamp specs; rare on decorative lamps.
Backfill built-in lamps from brand spec sheets, top-ranked only; for socket lamps show the included bulb's CRI or nothing.
Chart: single horizontal scale from 70 to 100 with marks at 80, 90 and 95, R9 as a second tick when known.

### Bulb included

Whether a socket lamp ships with a bulb, which then fixes its brightness, colour and CRI until you change it. Many socket lamps ship without one, so the listing's light quality is whatever you buy next; IKEA says 'Light bulb sold separately' and names a recommended bulb. When a bulb is included, read its lumens, kelvin and whether it is dimmable, because the lamp's dimmer will not work with a non-dimmable bulb. [50]


Used as: shown on the card, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost none. Look for it as: 'Bulb included: Yes/No', 'Light bulb sold separately'.

### Flicker

Rapid pulsing of the light, usually from the driver or a dimmer, measured as the percent swing in output at a given frequency. IEEE 1789 puts low risk below 8 percent modulation at 100 Hz (modulation under 0.08 times frequency) and no observable effect under 0.0333 times frequency; PWM dimmers pulse at 100 percent. ICNIRP calls flicker the only clear acute health effect of LEDs. Almost no listing states a figure; the useful flags are a named standard (IEEE 1789, TÜV flicker-free) and ENERGY STAR's reported Pst and SVM. A phone's slow-motion camera shows gross flicker. [8] [19] [10] [5] [53] [54]

Values: certified to a named standard, measured low by a reviewer, unknown, known PWM flicker.

Used as: shown on the card, filter. Data: needs research, backfill cost high. Look for it as: 'Flicker-free' claims appear in desk lamp bullets; a standard name (IEEE 1789, TÜV) is rarer; percent flicker almost never.
Research the top 50 desk and task lamps only: spec sheets, reviewer slow-motion tests. Leave decorative lamps unknown; on socket lamps flicker belongs to the bulb and dimmer.
Chart: IEEE 1789 flicker map.

### Cord length

Length of the power cord from the base to the plug, in metres or feet. Reviewers set a 5 ft minimum for bedside lamps; IKEA lists cord length (5 ft 11 in on TÄRNABY). Check it against the distance to the nearest socket before buying a floor lamp for a corner, because a cord that falls short means an extension lead under the rug. [51] [50]

Range: 1 to 3 m. 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 to 6 ft).

Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: 'Cord length' in measurements (IKEA); often missing on marketplace listings.
Brand spec pages usually have it; skip for cordless lamps.

### Shade size and fitter

The shade's bottom diameter, height and how it attaches: a spider on a harp, an uno ring on the socket, or a clip on the bulb. Designers size the shade to the lamp: bottom diameter 1.5 to 2 times the base width and shade height about a third of the lamp (one designer says 60 to 70 percent of the body, so the rules disagree). The fitter decides whether a replacement shade will go on at all, and the harp height whether the socket shows under the rim. [36] [37] [34] [35] [39]


Used as: shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Shade width and height usually given (IKEA 'Shade width 4"'); fitter rarely stated outside specialist retailers; the Zamana lamp_shade_base add-on has fitter_type and the four shade dimensions.
Fitter only matters for socket lamps with fabric shades; fill for those from brand pages, else leave blank.

### Max wattage

The highest actual power, in watts, the socket and shade are rated for; a heat limit, not a brightness limit. The rating is about heat from the watts a bulb actually draws, so a 100 W-equivalent LED drawing 12 to 14 W is fine in a 60 W socket. Treat it as the ceiling on LED brightness: one 100 W-equivalent (1,600 lm) LED per 15 W of rating. Read the number carefully: IKEA rates its sockets for LED bulbs ('Max 6.0 W'), which is not a licence for a 40 W incandescent. [49] [1] [50] [6]

Range: 4 to 150 W. US socket lamps 60 to 150 W; IKEA and other LED-only brands 4 to 10 W.

Used as: shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: 'uses one maximum 100 watt ... A19 bulb' (Lamps Plus), 'Max. 6.0 W' (IKEA); UL 153 requires a lamp replacement marking on the lamp itself.
The marking on the socket is definitive; brand pages carry it when the listing does not.

### Rated life

The hours until a built-in LED's output is projected to fade to 70 percent (L70), extrapolated from a 6,000-hour test. It is a real number that measures the wrong thing. LM-80 tests the LED chip for at least 6,000 hours and TM-21 projects at most six times that, so '36,000 hours' is maths, not a measurement; the DOE warns such claims 'do not account for other components or failure modes'. In one luminaire family's field data 74 percent of failures were the driver, 7 percent the LEDs. Read the warranty instead. [14] [15] [16] [12] [13] [5]

Range: 10000 to 50000 h. 25,000 hours is the common claim; ENERGY STAR's floor is 25,000 hours for indoor luminaires and 50,000 where the LED cannot be replaced.

Used as: shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: '25,000 hours', 'up to 17 years, 8 hours per day' (BenQ), 'L70'; absent on socket lamps, where it belongs to the bulb.
Do not backfill; show the warranty where it is missing.

## Numbers worth computing

| Metric | Formula | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Table plus lamp height (in) | `table_height_in + lamp_height_in` | The seated eye-level rule as one number: beside a sofa the sum should land at about 58 to 64 in, with the shade bottom at eye level. Ask the table height once and rank lamps by distance from the band. [38] [39] [33] |
| Shade width to base width (ratio) | `shade_bottom_diameter / base_width` | Designers want 1.5 to 2; under that the lamp looks top-light and the bulb may show. Needs the shade bottom diameter and the base width from the listing. [36] [37] [39] |
| LED brightness headroom (lm) | `(max_wattage_w / 15) * 1600` | What a socket lamp can be made to deliver: a 100 W-equivalent LED gives about 1,600 lm for 12 to 20 W, so a 60 W socket takes it with room to spare, while an IKEA 6 W rating caps near one 60 W-equivalent bulb. [1] [49] [50] |
| Yearly energy cost (USD) | `watts * 3 * 365 / 1000 * 0.11` | The FTC label's own arithmetic, 3 hours a day at 11 cents per kWh: a 10 W LED lamp costs about $1.20 a year and a 60 W halogen desk lamp $7.23. Needs the lamp's or the included bulb's watts. [1] [3] |
| Lumens per watt (lm/W) | `brightness_lm / watts` | Separates a bright lamp from a hot one. ENERGY STAR asks 50 lm/W from a portable desk light and 70 lm/W from other built-in luminaires; well under that means an old-style or badly driven LED. Needs the lamp's stated watts, which built-in listings carry and socket lamps do not. [5] |

## What you give up

- Built-in LED buys a slim shape, smooth dimming and often tunable colour. It costs you the right to replace the part that fails: in one field dataset 74 percent of failures were the driver and 7 percent the LEDs, and a dead driver means a new lamp. [13] [17] [5] Board branch: "See more lamps that take a standard bulb".
- More lumens through a translucent shade at eye level is glare, not better light. Push brightness in a task lamp that aims it, and keep room-glow lamps modest with the shade bottom at seated eye level. [33] [45] [23] Board branch: "See more softer, shaded lamps".
- 2700 K is what every guide puts beside a sofa or bed; 3500 to 5000 K is what they put on a desk. One lamp cannot be both unless it is tunable or dim-to-warm, which costs more and usually means built-in LED. [24] [25] [26] Board branch: "See more tunable and dim-to-warm lamps".
- A 95 CRI lamp shows skin, wood and food the way daylight does, but higher CRI is almost always associated with lower efficiency and a higher purchase cost. Pay for it where you look closely, not inside a fabric shade. [20] [21] Board branch: "See more high-CRI lamps".
- Cordless means a 2 to 4 W LED, a few hundred lumens and a charger to remember: 9 hours for the Poldina Pro at full brightness, 'up to 24' for the Bellhop. Lovely on a table, useless for reading. [56] [55] [57] Board branch: "See more plug-in lamps".
- A smart bulb must always have power flowing to it, so the lamp's switch has to stay on and the lamp is controlled from a phone or a separate remote. Flip the socket switch and it is just a bulb until power returns, when Hue comes back at full warm white. [31] [32] Board branch: "See more lamps with a physical dimmer".
- A torchiere sends all or nearly all of its light at the ceiling: soft, shadowless fill for a whole room and nothing you can read by. Pair it with a task lamp rather than buying a brighter torchiere. [5] [6] [43] Board branch: "See more torchieres and uplighters".
- Low-cost dimming is pulse-width modulation, which is 100 percent modulation by definition and only harmless when the frequency is high. Makers that solve it say so with a standard name; the ones that do not usually have not. [8] [19] [53] Board branch: "See more flicker-tested lamps".

## How to draw it

**Kelvin light-appearance scale** (scale, shows Colour temperature). One bar from warm (2,600 K) to cool (6,600 K) with a marker, so a buyer sees candle, bulb, office or daylight without reading a number; tunable lamps show as a band. Used today by The FTC Lighting Facts label on every US bulb box (16 CFR 305.23); bulb makers reuse it.. [3] [1]

**Lumens ladder** (scale, shows Brightness). A lumen scale with the old bulb equivalents marked at 450, 800, 1,100 and 1,600 lm, so '800 lm' reads as 'the usual 60 W bulb' at a glance. Used today by FTC 'How bright a light?' chart; ENERGY STAR repeats the same ladder.. [1] [4]

**CIE up/down flux bar** (bar, shows Where the light goes, Shade material). A stacked bar of light sent up versus down, in the five CIE bands, shows whether a lamp pools light on a page, glows all round, or washes the ceiling. Used today by CIE luminaire classification, printed in IES photometric reports and lighting design texts.. [43] [44]

**Seated eye-level height diagram** (other, shows Height, Shade size and fitter). The lamp drawn to scale on the buyer's table beside a seated figure, with the 58 to 64 in combined band and the shade bottom marked, so 'too tall' is visible before it arrives. Used today by Retailer and designer sizing guides (Lamps Plus, Wayfair, Golden Lighting) all draw a version of it.. [33] [38] [39] [22]

**IEEE 1789 flicker map** (two axis map, shows Flicker). Frequency across, modulation percent up, with the low-risk line (0.08 times frequency) and the no-effect line (0.0333 times frequency) drawn; a measured lamp is a dot above or below them. Used today by IEEE Std 1789-2015, Figure 18; used by flicker-meter makers and some premium lamp brands.. [8] [19]

**Kruithof curve** (two axis map, shows Colour temperature, Brightness). The famous comfort zone of illuminance against kelvin. Fotios's 2017 review of the credible studies found no support for it, only that rooms under about 300 lux feel unpleasant, so draw the lux line and drop the kelvin curve. Used today by Lighting textbooks since 1941; still the most reproduced graph in lighting, which is why a UI designer will reach for it.. [23]

## Words you will meet

- **Lumen (lm)**. The amount of light a lamp or bulb gives out; 800 lm is what the old 60 W bulb gave.
- **Lux**. Light landing on a surface, lumens per square metre; reading wants about 300 to 500 lux on the page.
- **Kelvin (K) / colour temperature**. How warm or white the light looks: 2700 K is golden like an old bulb, 5000 K is like daylight.
- **CRI (Ra)**. A 0 to 100 score of how true colours look under the light, averaged over eight pastel test colours.
- **R9**. The separate score for saturated red, which CRI leaves out and which decides how skin and wood look.
- **Integrated or built-in LED**. An LED array fixed inside the lamp with no bulb to replace.
- **Driver**. The electronics that turn mains power into the current an LED needs, and the part that usually fails first.
- **L70 / rated life**. The projected hours until an LED's output fades to 70 percent of new; it ignores the driver.
- **LM-80 and TM-21**. The test that runs an LED chip for at least 6,000 hours and the maths that projects it to at most six times that.
- **E26 / E27**. The standard medium screw socket, 26 mm in North America and 27 mm elsewhere; the bulbs interchange.
- **E12 / E14**. The small candelabra screw sockets, 12 mm in North America and 14 mm in Europe; they do not interchange.
- **B22**. The push-and-twist bayonet socket standard in the UK, Australia and India.
- **Max wattage**. The heat limit of the socket and shade in actual watts; an LED's 'equivalent' wattage does not count against it.
- **Harp and spider fitter**. The U-shaped wire round the bulb and the shade ring that rests on it, held by a finial on top.
- **Uno fitter**. A shade ring that screws onto the socket itself, with no harp.
- **Torchiere**. A floor lamp with an upward bowl that sends nearly all its light at the ceiling.
- **Direct, diffuse, indirect**. The CIE bands for how much light goes down versus up, from 90 percent down to 90 percent up.
- **Dim-to-warm**. A built-in LED that shifts from about 2700 K to 1800 K as it dims, the way a halogen did.
- **Tunable white**. A lamp that lets you set the colour temperature anywhere between a warm and a cool limit, separately from brightness.
- **Flicker and PWM**. Rapid pulsing of the light; pulse-width modulation is the cheap way to dim an LED and pulses it fully on and off.
- **3-way socket and bulb**. A North American socket with an extra contact that gives low, medium and high from a matching bulb.
- **In-line switch**. A rocker or dial on the cord itself, reachable from a bed or sofa without finding the socket.
- **Task, ambient, accent**. The trade's three jobs for light: on the work, filling the room, or picking out an object.
- **IP rating**. A two-digit code for dust and water resistance; IP20 is indoor only, IP44 takes splashes, IP65 takes rain.
- **UL 153**. The North American safety standard for portable lamps, including a tip test on a 15 degree slope and the wattage marking.
- **ENERGY STAR luminaire**. A US label for fixtures that meet efficiency, colour, life and warranty floors, including 5 years where the driver cannot be replaced.

## Where we made a call

- Rated life is a projection of lumen fade; the driver fails first, so read the warranty instead. (confidence high). The DOE sheet, the NGLIA guide and its field chart agree; the only dissent is marketing copy such as 'lasts 17 years'. The 74 percent figure is one outdoor family and is labelled as such. [12] [13] [16] [53]
- The 2700 to 3000 K rule for living rooms and bedrooms is convention, not evidence. (confidence medium). Sources disagree. Retail guides prescribe it; Fotios's 2017 review found colour temperature negligible for pleasantness and low illuminance the real problem. We keep warm as the default answer and say why. [24] [25] [23]
- CRI 90 earns its price at desks, vanities and dining tables, not inside a fabric shade. (confidence medium). Sources disagree. Waveform calls 80 CRI reds unnatural anywhere; Golden Lighting says use 90 plus where people spend time up close; ENERGY STAR accepts Ra 80. We side with the designers on where and Waveform on what you see. [20] [21] [5]
- Treat 'flicker-free' as unverified unless a standard is named or a reviewer measured it. (confidence medium). IEEE 1789 gives thresholds and ENERGY STAR makes makers report Pst and SVM, but listings carry neither, and LightingEurope notes that standards set no mandatory limits. [8] [5] [9] [19]
- Shade proportion rules disagree, so show a band: width 1.5 to 2 times the base, height one third to two thirds. (confidence low). Sources disagree. Fenchel and Lamps Plus say a third of the lamp; Kevin Francis says 60 to 70 percent of the body and a third only for floor lamps. Width is 2x (Fenchel, Tablelights) or 1.5 to 2x (Kevin Francis). [36] [34] [37] [39]
- Max wattage is a heat limit on actual watts; a 100 W-equivalent LED is fine in a 60 W socket. (confidence high). SlashGear and the FTC lumen chart agree. The trap runs the other way: IKEA's 'Max 6.0 W' is an LED-only rating, so do not read it as room for an incandescent. [49] [1] [50]
- Cordless lamps are table and mood lights, not reading lights. (confidence medium). Sources disagree. Fetched specs: Poldina Pro 2.2 W and 256 lm; Bellhop 3 W; PC Portable 3.5 W. Heal's lists the PC Portable at 1,000 to 1,500 lm, which a 3.5 W LED cannot do; we treat that as a listing error. [56] [55] [57]
- File lamps under furnishing, with built-in LED lamps routed to the machines LED add-on. (confidence medium). Our call. Zamana's taxonomy already draws the line at the socket; the register keeps one facet set and lets the light-source split route each product. [59]
- 'Eye-care' and 'no blue light' claims are marketing; general-lighting LEDs sit in RG0 or RG1 like other lamps. (confidence high). LightingEurope and ICNIRP agree, and ICNIRP names flicker as the only clear acute effect, so a lamp that wants to claim eye care should show a flicker standard instead. [9] [10]
- Do not draw the Kruithof curve; use only the illuminance axis. (confidence high). Fotios reviewed 29 studies, found nine credible and none supporting the curve; the credible ones point to avoiding less than about 300 lux and to 500 lux being enough. [23]
- A socket lamp's lumens, kelvin and CRI belong to the bulb; show them only when a bulb is included. (confidence high). A data rule, not a finding: IKEA's 'Light bulb sold separately' pattern is the norm, and copying a recommended bulb's figures onto the lamp would mislead. [50]
- Reading needs about 300 to 500 lux on the page, which sets the task-lamp floor. (confidence medium). Archtoolbox's IESNA table gives 300 to 500 lux for library reading; Fotios, on room pleasantness rather than reading, finds under 300 lux unpleasant and 500 sufficient. BenQ's 500 and 1,000 lux modes sit on the same band. [58] [23] [53]

## References

1. [FTC consumer leaflet: What to look for when you shop for light bulbs (Lighting Facts)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-FT-PURL-gpo25713/pdf/GOVPUB-FT-PURL-gpo25713.pdf) (regulator). Supports: 40, 60, 75, 100 and 150 W give 450, 800, 1,100, 1,600 and 2,600 lm; Label shows lumens, yearly cost, life, light appearance, watts; Yearly cost assumes 3 hours a day at 11 cents per kWh; Light appearance drawn as a warm-to-cool scale.
2. [FTC, Shopping for Light Bulbs](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/shopping-light-bulbs) (regulator). Supports: A 60 W incandescent produces about 800 lumens; Lighting Facts label contents.
3. [16 CFR 305.23 Labeling for lighting products](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/305.23) (regulator). Supports: Energy cost based on 3 hours per day and 11 cents per kWh; Light appearance scale runs from 2,600 K to 6,600 K.
4. [ENERGY STAR, Learn about brightness](https://www.energystar.gov/products/lighting_fans/light_bulbs/learn_about_brightness) (regulator). Supports: 450, 800, 1,100 and 1,600 lumens replace 40, 60, 75 and 100 W.
5. [ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Luminaires, Eligibility Criteria V2.2](https://www.energystar.gov/sites/default/files/Luminaires%20V2.2%20Final%20Specification.pdf) (standards body). Supports: Defines table lamp, floor lamp, torchiere and portable desk task light; Indoor luminaires must reach Ra 80 with R9 above 0; L70 at least 25,000 hours indoor, 50,000 where the LED cannot be replaced; Dimmable luminaires run 100 to 20 percent under 24 dBA; Flicker metrics Pst and SVM must be reported; Warranty 3 years with replaceable driver, 5 years without; Portable desk lights deliver 200 lm at 50 lm/W; other built-in 70 lm/W.
6. [UL 153 Standard for Portable Electric Luminaires (2025 preview)](https://ulnormdoc.com/wp-content/preview/UL%20153%202025.pdf) (standards body). Supports: Scope: plug-connected portable luminaires on 120 V circuits; Lamp must not overturn on a 15 degree inclined plane; Torchiere defined as an upward bowl giving indirect light; User-replaceable sources need lamp replacement markings.
7. [CPSC, Corrective action on halogen torchiere floor lamps (1997)](https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/1997/CPSC-and-Industry-Announce-Corrective-Action-to-Improve-Safety-of-Halogen-Torchiere-Floor-Lamps) (regulator). Supports: 40 million torchieres, at least 189 fires and 11 deaths; Bulbs limited to 300 W.
8. [IEEE Std 1789-2015, Recommended Practices for Modulating Current in High-Brightness LEDs](https://www.lisungroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IEEE-2015-STANDARDS-1789-Standard-Free-Download.pdf) (standards body). Supports: Low risk: modulation below 0.08 times frequency between 90 and 1,250 Hz; No observable effect: below 0.0333 times frequency up to 3,000 Hz; PWM dimming is 100 percent flicker; Percent flicker defined from max and min luminance.
9. [LightingEurope, FAQ on alleged LED related health issues (2016)](https://www.lightingeurope.org/images/publications/general/FAQ_on_alleged_LED_related_health_issues_-_December_2016.pdf) (standards body). Supports: RG0 and RG1 light sources need no warning; General illumination products do not produce intense blue light; Standards set no maximum flicker levels.
10. [ICNIRP Statement on Light-Emitting Diodes (2020)](https://www.icnirp.org/cms/upload/publications/ICNIRPled2020.pdf) (academic). Supports: Acute retinal damage from typical LED exposure not demonstrated; Flicker is the only clear acute adverse effect of LEDs.
11. [LEDVANCE, FAQ on EU regulations 2019/2020 and 2019/2015](https://www.ledvance.com/00_Free_To_Use/asset-13016798_slr-elr_faq_en.pdf) (spec sheet). Supports: Luminaires need no EU energy label since 25 December 2019; Light sources carry the A to G label from 1 September 2021.
12. [US DOE, LED Measurement Series: LED Luminaire Reliability](https://cool.culturalheritage.org/byorg/us-doe/luminaire_reliability.pdf) (regulator). Supports: Life claims do not account for other components or failure modes; LM-80 covers only lumen depreciation of the LED.
13. [NGLIA / LSRC, LED Luminaire Lifetime: Recommendations for Testing and Reporting (2014)](https://www.nglia.org/pdfs/led_luminaire_lifetime_guide_sept2014.pdf) (standards body). Supports: Field chart: driver power supply 73 percent plus controls 1; LED packages 7 percent; 212 million field hours, one outdoor family, not generalisable; Members most often observe power and driver failures.
14. [Wikipedia, Lumen maintenance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_maintenance) (primer). Supports: L70 is hours until output falls to 70 percent; LM-80 minimum test period is 6,000 hours.
15. [Hyperlite, LM-80 vs TM-21](https://hi-hyperlite.com/blogs/comprehensive-guides/lm80-tm21-testing-lifetime-projection-led) (primer). Supports: TM-21 projection cannot exceed six times the test duration.
16. [OlamLED, LED lifetime standards LM-79, LM-80, TM-21](https://www.olamled.com/in-depth-analysis-of-led-lifetime-standards-lm79-lm80-tm21-and-l-value-definitions/) (primer). Supports: Six times projection with 20 or more samples; LM-80 tells you nothing about the driver.
17. [Moonlight Design, Everything you need to know about integrated LED lights](https://www.moonlightdesign.co.uk/blogs/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-integrated-led-lights) (retail listing). Supports: Integrated LEDs usually cannot be replaced; The whole fixture is replaced at end of life.
18. [Upgraded Home, Can an integrated LED light bulb be replaced?](https://upgradedhome.com/can-an-integrated-led-light-bulb-be-replaced/) (primer). Supports: Integrated LEDs cannot be replaced; the fixture is replaced.
19. [Waveform Lighting, Diagnosing and resolving LED flicker issues](https://www.waveformlighting.com/human-centric/diagnosing-and-resolving-led-flicker-issues) (primer). Supports: At 100 to 120 Hz, 8 percent is low risk and 3 percent no effect; Many PWM dimmers run too low a frequency and do not state it; A phone slow-motion camera reveals flicker.
20. [Waveform Lighting, Does color rendering matter? 80 vs 90 vs 95 CRI](https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/does-color-rendering-matter-80-cri-vs-90-cri-vs-95-cri) (primer). Supports: 80 CRI makes deep reds, skin and wood look unnatural; R9 roughly 0 to 25, 50 and 90 at 80, 90 and 95 CRI; Higher CRI means lower efficiency and higher cost.
21. [Golden Lighting, What is CRI in lighting? 80 vs 90+](https://goldenlighting.com/blogs/the-golden-edit/what-is-color-rendering-index-in-lighting-2) (enthusiast community). Supports: CRI 80 to 89 lacks depth; 90 to 94 gives truer skin and wood; Use 90 plus where people spend time up close.
22. [Golden Lighting, How tall should your lamp be?](https://goldenlighting.com/blogs/the-golden-edit/how-tall-should-your-lamp-be-sizing-it-to-the-furniture) (enthusiast community). Supports: Height rules are design conventions, not verified standards; Floor lamp shade bottom at the seated shoulder line.
23. [Fotios, A Revised Kruithof Graph Based on Empirical Data, LEUKOS 2017](https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/98531/17/Fotios_2017_a_new_Kruithof_graph.pdf) (academic). Supports: Credible studies do not support the Kruithof curve; Colour temperature has negligible effect on pleasantness; Under about 300 lux is unpleasant; 500 lux is sufficient.
24. [Feit Electric, Light color temperature guide](https://www.feit.com/blogs/inspire/how-to-choose-the-right-color-light-temperature-for-your-bulb-or-fixture) (spec sheet). Supports: 2700 K for bedrooms and living rooms; 3500 to 5000 K for work.
25. [Pro Lighting, Choosing the right color temperature for your home](https://www.prolighting.com/blog/2020/06/16/choosing-the-right-color-temperature-for-your-home/) (retail listing). Supports: Bedroom and living room 2700 to 3000 K; home office 3000 to 5000 K.
26. [US DOE SSL, Understanding LED color-tunable products](https://www.energy.gov/eere/ssl/understanding-led-color-tunable-products) (regulator). Supports: Dim-to-warm runs 2700 to 3000 K at full output down to about 1800 K; Tunable white mixes warm and cool LED sets.
27. [Bees Lighting, Dim to warm vs tunable white](https://www.beeslighting.com/blogs/ideas-advice-blog/dim-to-warm-vs-tunable-white-led) (retail listing). Supports: Dim-to-warm shifts 3000 K down to 1800 K; Needs an LED-rated ELV or TRIAC dimmer.
28. [Jolt Electric, Your guide to LED bulb dimmer compatibility](https://www.joltelectric.biz/post/your-guide-to-led-bulb-dimmer-compatibility) (primer). Supports: Leading-edge dimmers make LED drivers flicker and buzz; A 600 W dimmer handles about 60 W of LEDs; Check the maker's compatibility list.
29. [Wikipedia, 3-way lamp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-way_lamp) (primer). Supports: A 3-way lamp gives low, medium and high from a 3-way bulb; 50/100/150 W is the common bulb; a US invention of 1933.
30. [Cary Lighting, 3-way light bulb base guide](https://www.carylighting.com/info/3-way-light-bulb-base-guide-103552602.html) (retail listing). Supports: A 3-way bulb runs at one brightness in an ordinary socket; 3-way LED bulbs exist and list three lumen outputs.
31. [Gearbrain, How to use a smart light bulb: the switch must be left on](https://www.gearbrain.com/how-smart-light-bulb-works-1801637028.html) (primer). Supports: A smart bulb must always have power to stay smart.
32. [Hue Home Lighting, Can you still use existing light switches with Hue?](https://huehomelighting.com/can-still-use-existing-light-switches-hue/) (enthusiast community). Supports: Hue bulbs must stay switched on at the mains; After power returns the bulb defaults to bright warm white.
33. [Lamps Plus, How to buy a table lamp](https://www.lampsplus.com/ideas-and-advice/how-to-buy-a-table-lamp/) (retail listing). Supports: Shade bottom at seated eye level so the bulb does not shine in your eyes; Bedside shade bottom around chin level.
34. [Lamps Plus, How to size a lamp shade](https://www.lampsplus.com/ideas-and-advice/how-to-size-a-lamp-shade/) (retail listing). Supports: Shade about one third of the lamp body, up to one half; Shade wider than the widest part of the body.
35. [Lamps Plus, How to measure a lamp shade and select the right fitting](https://www.lampsplus.com/ideas-and-advice/how-to-measure-a-lamp-shade/) (retail listing). Supports: Spider fittings sit on a harp; uno fittings screw onto the socket; clip-ons grip the bulb.
36. [Fenchel Shades, Can you put a lamp shade on any lamp?](https://www.fenchelshades.com/blog/post/can-you-put-a-lamp-shade-on-any-lamp-a-complete-guide) (retail listing). Supports: Shade width twice the base width; Shade height about one third of the total lamp.
37. [Kevin Francis Design, Measure first, avoid returns: lamp shade sizes](https://kevinfrancisdesign.com/blogs/design-ideas/lamp-shade-sizes) (enthusiast community). Supports: Shade bottom diameter 1.5 to 2 times the base width; Shade height 60 to 70 percent of the body; a third for floor lamps; Measure the harp, not just the socket.
38. [Masdio, Bedside table lamp height](https://masdio.com/blogs/news/bedside-table-lamp-height) (retail listing). Supports: Bedside lamps 24 to 30 in tall; Table plus lamp lands at 58 to 64 in from the floor.
39. [Tablelights, How to choose the right lamp size for every space](https://tablelights.com/blogs/post/lamp-size-style-guide) (retail listing). Supports: Living room table lamps 24 to 34 in; bedside 26 to 30 in; A 6 in base wants a shade at least 12 in wide; Aim for 58 to 64 in combined; 28 to 32 in lamps suit readers.
40. [Eyely, What height should your new floor lamp be?](https://www.eyely.com/blogs/lighting/whats-the-right-height-for-a-floor-lamp) (retail listing). Supports: Floor lamps 58 to 64 in tall; Shade bottom not lower than seated eye level.
41. [Govee, How tall should a floor lamp be?](https://us.govee.com/blogs/smart-lamps/how-tall-should-a-floor-lamp-be) (spec sheet). Supports: Most floor lamps are 58 to 64 in (147 to 163 cm); Reading floor lamps at seated shoulder height.
42. [The Everything Depot, Table lamp size guide](https://theeverythingdepot.com/table-lamp-size-guide/) (primer). Supports: Standard table lamps 24 to 32 in; desk lamps 15 to 27 in; Seated eyes about 18 in above the tabletop; Rules of thumb, not fixed standards.
43. [AGi32 Photometric Toolbox docs, IES Indoor Report Summary (CIE classification)](https://docs.agi32.com/PhotometricToolbox/Content/Indoor_Report_Tool/IES_Indoor_Report_Summary.htm) (standards body). Supports: Direct 0 to 10 percent up through indirect 90 to 100 percent up, five bands.
44. [Manufacturer.lighting, Types of light distribution for indoor luminaires](https://www.manufacturer.lighting/club/15/) (primer). Supports: Direct, semi-direct, general diffuse, semi-indirect and indirect percentages.
45. [Color Cord Company, Shades 101: shade materials and types](https://www.colorcord.com/blogs/lighting-design-blog/shades-101-understanding-shade-materials-types-of-light-shades) (retail listing). Supports: Translucent glass or fabric gives light from every angle; Dense dark materials project light from top and bottom only.
46. [Pooky, A guide to lampshade fabrics](https://www.pooky.com/blogs/inspiration/a-guide-to-lampshade-fabrics) (retail listing). Supports: Opaque velvet sends light up and down in a pool; Linen diffuses ambient light.
47. [Bright Ideas Lighting, Bulb base guide: E26 vs E27, E12 vs E14, GU10, G9](https://brightideaslighting.store/blogs/news/bulb-base-compatibility-guide) (retail listing). Supports: E26 and E27 interchange; E12 and E14 do not; B22 is standard in the UK, Australia and India; A 230 V bulb runs dim on 120 V.
48. [Glowryte, Light bulb base guide](https://glowryte.com/blogs/lighting-guides/light-bulb-base-guide) (retail listing). Supports: E26 is the US medium base used in table and floor lamps; E12 is the 12 mm candelabra base.
49. [SlashGear, Can you use a 100W LED bulb in a 60W socket?](https://www.slashgear.com/1819588/60w-socket-100w-led-bulb-compatibility-explained/) (primer). Supports: A 100 W-equivalent LED draws 12 to 14 W, some near 20 W; Compare actual watts, not equivalent watts, with the fixture limit.
50. [IKEA US, TÄRNABY table lamp product page](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/taernaby-table-lamp-dimmable-beige-10508079/) (retail listing). Supports: Listing fields: max 6.0 W, shade width, height, base diameter, cord 5 ft 11 in; Bulb sold separately; recommends a dimmable E12 LED; Can only be used with dimmable light bulbs.
51. [Wirecutter, Our favorite bedside lamps (read via a mirror crediting The New York Times)](https://ideal.house/community/news/our-8-favorite-bedside-lamps-of-2026-reviews-by-wirecutter) (specialist review). Supports: Bedside criteria: reachable switch, diffusing shade, stable base; Minimum 5-foot cord and dimmable; Compatibility with common bulbs.
52. [DeskForged, Best desk lamps](https://deskforged.com/rankings/best-desk-lamps/) (specialist review). Supports: Lux metered at 12 points across a 140 cm desk; Flicker checked with a 240 fps phone camera; CRI from Ra 85 to Ra 95 plus across picks.
53. [BenQ, e-Reading desk lamp product page](https://www.benq.com/en-us/lighting/e-reading-desk-lamp/e-reading.html) (spec sheet). Supports: Ra 95; 500 lux e-reading mode, 1,000 lux paper mode; 35.4 in wide coverage; 2700 to 5700 K; 18 W; Claims IEEE 1789 compliance; 'up to 17 years'.
54. [The Lightie, Dyson Lightcycle Morph review](https://thelightie.com/reviews/dyson-lightcycle-morph) (specialist review). Supports: Dyson publishes 850 lm, CRI 90, under 1 percent flicker, 2700 to 6500 K; Reviewer did not independently measure.
55. [Flos, Bellhop Table product page](https://flos.com/en/us/bellhop-table/M-bellhop.html) (spec sheet). Supports: 3 W, 2700 K, IP20, 3 hour charge; Battery autonomy up to 24 hours.
56. [Lightology, Zafferano Poldina Pro listing](https://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=prod_detail&prod_id=983136) (retail listing). Supports: 2.2 W LED, 256 lm at 3000 K, CRI 80; 9 hour battery in the spec (12 in the blurb), 6 hour charge, IP65.
57. [Heal's, HAY PC Portable listing](https://www.heals.com/pc-portable-outdoor-table-lamp.html) (retail listing). Supports: 3.5 W, 10 hour battery, IP44; Lists 1,000 to 1,500 lm, which the register treats as an error.
58. [Archtoolbox, Recommended lighting levels in buildings](https://www.archtoolbox.com/recommended-lighting-levels/) (primer). Supports: Library reading 300 to 500 lux, citing the IESNA Lighting Handbook.
59. Zamana schema parts: lighting_fixture_lamp, lamp_shade_base, led_lighting add-ons (other). Supports: Socket lamps sit under furnishings/decor, integrated LED under machines/electronics; Existing fields: bulb_base_required, max_wattage_per_socket, fitter_type, lumens, cri.