A lamp.  It may seem like a pretty easy purchase, but it can take some time to find just the right one for your space.  When you’re looking for a new or a replacement lamp, there’s a lot more to think about besides how it looks.  Height, mass, and style are all important elements to finding that perfect lighting fixture for your space.

I ran into a lamp issue recently, when family gave us a beautiful marble-topped, heavily-carved antique table.  While it looked great in my foyer, the challenge came when I tried to bring in a lamp for it from another room.  What worked perfectly on the end-table in my family room suddenly seemed small and insignificant sitting atop this substantial foyer table.

So it was a quick shopping trip to pick up another lamp…  Or so I thought.

Your average lamp is between 20 and 30 inches tall (with shade), and is pretty easy to find if you have an unlimited budget.  But I needed a lamp that was over 30 inches, and I was trying not to break the bank.

The height that I sought really cut down on my options, along with my need for some heft on the base.  I quickly found that the taller the lamp, the skinnier the base, and visa-versa.  And to add to the challenge, this lamp had to pull together not only the antique table, but also the two contemporary side chairs that sit on either side of the table as well.

Luckily for me, I love the challenge of finding just the right item to make the room.  Whether it’s a particular rug, different pillows, or even a 30 inch lamp, the hunt is one of the things I love best about being a decorator.

And after a few weeks of hunting, my determination paid off.  I found the perfect lamp for this beautiful antique table, and it was just the right look to bring my room together.