With the resurgence of all things vintage in the world of interior design, there’s one particular item of furniture that perhaps isn’t given enough credit by some for its ability to utterly transform a space and create an immediate sense of cohesion within your desired aesthetic.
The humble floor lamp has undergone many transformations and transmutations over the last few decades. An otherwise simple and functional household feature has, much like the armchair, become the object of experimentation for famous architects and designers across the globe. From the classic Norwegian work lamp created by Jacob Jacobsen in 1937, to the leaping Arco Floor light designed by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962, the contemporary floor lamp comes in many shapes and forms.
Floor lamps first started cropping up in western Europe throughout the Middle Ages, originating from the ingenious idea to bring the concept of street lanterns inside the home. From then onwards, floor lamp designs ranged from the practical to the sublime – with the homes of wealthy aristocrats often adorned with gilded lamps containing precious stones.
More recently, the ambient lighting trend has been all the rage. Curating the perfect collection of lamps both large and small is the current hallmark for interior design success. From the vintage-inspired, totally whacky, and utterly ethereal – one thing is for certain, the big overhead lights shall not be turned on in a design-led home. All you need to do is take to TikTok for confirmation of this fact, for videos containing the phrase ‘never turn on the big light’ in either the caption or audio garnering an impressive total of 36.6 million views. Similarly, the hashtag #moodlighting has over 34.7M views.
Keep scrolling for our edit of the best tall, contemporary floor lamps on the market right now.
Linda Floor Lamp
Height: 165cm
Inspired by the subtle and attractive lilt of a painter’s easel, this lovely floor lamp from Anthropologie balances on antique wooden legs and is offset by a delicate, scalloped dome lampshade, which is made from cotton. We love how the umbrella-esque curve of the lamp’s main base is reminiscent of the infamous Arco lamp, yet the natural materials and warm colour scheme elicits a slightly older, more historical vintage vibe.
Buy now £598.00, Anthropologie
Morning Glory Floor Lamp
Height: 213cm
A covetable art piece and functional homeware item rolled into one, beautiful floral shell? It simply doesn’t get better than this. The Morning Glory floor lamp by Aqua has been a bestseller for the brand for 30 years and is crafted by skilled artisans using crushed silk and metal. We particularly adore how discrete the polished silver foot pedal is, which allows you to switch between dimmer settings. You can also choose from a range of 16 different colourways to suit your personal style.
Buy now £6906.43, Aqua Gallery
Sculptural Tulip Lamp
Height: 182.88cm
Create your very own fairy tale kingdom from the comfort of your own home with this ethereal, vintage-inspired sculpted tulip lamp. Casting a warm, golden glow reminiscent of a sunset, the lamp consists of one larger tulip shade followed by a smaller bloom which can be adjusted and moved to face different directions, depending on where you decide to place the piece.
Buy now £752.99, Etsy
Shana Floor Lamp
Height: 177.8cm
We love the exaggerated lampshade of this floor lamp which is complimented by a unique geometric base. Despite the clean-cut composition of this piece, the slightly rounded shapes and curves create a wonderful sense of fluidity, making this piece a fantastic statement option for the more minimalist homes. Crafted from speckled resin, this floor lamp also flirts with more modern and boho aesthetics.
Buy now £249.00, Urban Outfitters
Lindby Christer floor lamp
Height: 150cm
A value-for-money option for those who are into bold colour-blocking, interesting shapes and textures, this lamp by Lindy Christer might just steal your heart. The green, red and blue base has been crafted from iron and reminds us of something out of Toy Story, while the concertinaed coffee-coloured lampshade provides a neutral balance to the overall contemporary design.
Buy now £59.90, Lights
Serax Marie Michielssen Earth papier-mâché floor lamp
Height: 148cm
If the width of your floor lamp matters just as much as the height, this sustainably made papier-mâché floor lamp is for you. The Belgian-born and family-run brand joins forces with various designers, creatives, ceramicists and pottery makers across the globe in order to produce an array of eye-catching and mind-boggling pieces. Though this lamp is the brainchild of in-house designer Marie Michielssen, it reminds us of a modern beachome on the coast of California. Yes please.
Buy now £935.00, Selfridges
Rowan Arc Floor Lamp
Height: 214cm
The Rowan Arc floor lamp is a true modern tribute to the iconic Arco lamp from the contemporary design masters at Soho Home, from the dark Emperador marble base to the arched chrome frame and the globular, adjustable shade. An extra-large option for the most spacious of living rooms.
Buy now £3250.00, Soho Home
Curiousa Glowbule Staccato Floor Lamp
Height: 142cm
The glorious result of a collaboration between internationally-renowned designer Adam Nathaniel Furman and the designer and founder of Curiousa, Esther Patterson, this stunning free-blown glass lamp looks like something straight out of a Dali painting combined with an expensive candy necklace. However, you can customise your piece to suit your own personal tastes – simply choose from their vast range of transparent and semi-opaque options. You’ll have to enquire directly with Curiousa to hear more about pricing, though you can snap up glass samples of the colours on offer for £70.
Buy now, Curiousa
Bobbin Blue Wooden Floor Light
Height: 155cm
A cute and quirky classic, you could take this lamp to a whole new level by adding a stained-glass light bulb to the mix. It’ll illuminate the white cotton lampshade with a kaleidoscopic array of colours, making it a dreamy addition for an eclectic, maximalist home.
Buy now £195.00, Oliver Bonas
EVEDAL Floor lamp, marble/grey
Height: 145cm
The Evedal lamp from Ikea has been going viral on social media as of late, with buyers flocking to their local stores to pick one up before they’re all gone. As such, stock is currently running low at most locations, so you’re better off ordering online in the meantime. The sleek and sophisticated design is achieved through a combination of delicate mouth-blown glass, polished brass, wood, and marble. We love how the inner, opaque lamp is encircled by a transparent coloured glass outer shade to create the most perfect ambient lighting, the lamp almost resembling a suspended bubble when lit. This is further exemplified by the handy ability to effortlessly switch between dimming settings as well as cold and warm light.
Buy now £279.00, Ikea
MAGNARP Floor lamp, natural
Height: 144cm
If you can’t get your hands on an Evedal and are also looking for something budget friendly yet design-focused, look no further than the timeless classic that is the Magnarp floor lamp. Fashioned to appear like an oversized paper lantern, the warm, dappled light that this lamp creates is far more luxurious than its pricing suggests. A true bargain and staple in any home, you simply can’t go wrong.
Buy now £29.00, Ikea
