The ten best floor lamps

Best: For contemporary elegance

Rating: 9/10

Mixing Scandinavian influences with industrial chic is this unassumingly elegant floor lamp from Amos. In light matte grey and natural pale wood, it offers a calming vibe even before it’s illuminated. We loved its slimline tripod legs and its subtle contrast in colour and materials. The shade, with its soft white interior, is adjustable, allowing us to direct the light to where we need it, and as such it makes a great reading light. This one takes a bulb of up to 60W and is dimmable, which further adds to its versatility. And where other tripod floor lamps tend to steal precious floor space, this one is pleasingly non-intrusive.

Best: Bang for your buck

Rating: 9/10

You don’t have to go big to make a statement. Dunelm’s hexa floor lamp is a slimline beauty with its sculptural hexagonal design that frames an exposed bulb. Made from steel, the lamp is reliably sturdy and won’t topple over despite its small round base. We loved this one for its simple but effective design, its Art Deco influences (note the brushed gold accents), and its tantalisingly affordable price tag. That said, the lamp doesn’t come with a bulb included so it’s worth taking those pennies you’ve saved on the lamp itself and spending them on a large contemporary bulb you’ll want to show off.

Best: For sustainability

Rating: 9/10

Crafted from sustainable jute, BHS’s offering is both eco friendly and bohemian chic. The free-standing lamp/all-in-one shade gives off a softly diffused light, thanks to its intricate woven design. Gently curved, it creates a stylish statement, not to mention a relaxing zen-like vibe. With this one, it’s worth noting that the bulb sits in the centre of the piece as opposed to the top, giving living spaces a different dynamic – suitably low-down for laid-back boho seating. We loved the jute string floor lamp for its ability to transform a room in an instant. It’s impossible not to relax with this one.

Best: Original design

Rating: 9/10

Lights and Lamps is another surprisingly affordable lighting destination, with the brand’s pendants and lamps offering something a little different from the usual high street offering. The ridotti floor lamp is a beauty in its chic, tilted, hat-like form. It’s crafted from layers of handwoven raffia with a centred glass globe that gives a soft, diffused up-light. 

The disc-shaped shade is supported by a burnished brass stem with tripod feet, making it feel reassuringly sturdy. We loved the ridotti for the glamorous ray of sunshine it brings. It is also, however, available in fashionable black.

Best: For multifunctionality

Rating: 8/10

We do love a piece of furniture with dual functionality, and this deftly designed number marries lighting with nifty shelf storage. Once illuminated, the black fabric drum shade really glows. It’s worth noting that you’ll get a different hue with either a warm or white bulb. 

The black steel tripod base supports two sturdy shelves, which we found ideal for housing our current reads and those specs we’re always losing, alongside a trailing house plant to really bring the piece to life. Stylish, contemporary, practical and affordable.

Best: For bedroom glamour

Rating: 9/10

Seventies-style ribbed glass is currently enjoying a renaissance and, true to form, Made has embraced the trend. This vintage-inspired floor lamp is a lesson in understated elegance. We loved the dusky pink hue of the textured glass shade, which turns even more pretty once illuminated: not only does it glow, it casts an attractive pattern on the wall. 

The briz’s slimline metal stem and base boasts an antique brass finish, further adding to the look. This is a great choice if you’re short on floor space, as it takes up just 26cm of it. 

Best: Jointed floor lamp

Rating: 9/10

One for traditionalists, Pooky’s offering is a fuss-free but elegant number in brass that has a simple heavy base, slimline antique brass tubing, and a sweet candlestick feature at the top. The standing lamp can be purchased on its own but the brand offers a wealth of perfectly suited – and relatively affordable – shades to finish the look. See your chosen shade in-situ on the website. 

The two joints mean it can be adjusted to light up our favourite reading spot. We love Pooky’s attention to detail: even the olive-coloured braided flex is chic. 

Best: Design classic

Rating: 8/10

Our priciest pick is one for dedicated design lovers who’ll know this brand for its homely take on industrial chic. Unlike most overreach styles, this floor lamp features an adjustable boom arm, which allows us to position the light source exactly where it’s needed. 

Made from a top-notch aluminium with a powder-coated spun shade in a cool olive green, the quality of its craftsmanship is palpable. A simple and stylish statement piece.  

Best: For vintage lovers

Rating: 9/10

Quirky and retro, Florence Broadhurst’s bingle recalls an oversized table lamp and we loved its playful aesthetic. It comes in a choice of colourways, each one matching its thick glass base with a vibrant, patterned shade. 

The shade is handcrafted from buckram paper, while the bottle-like base is made from recycled glass, bringing quality craftsmanship with an eco friendly edge. In “green floral spot”, this late Sixties/early-Seventies-inspired number proved a showstopper in our mid-century style lounge.