Light fittings are furniture in their own right. A well-chosen pendant can anchor a dining table, a pair of lamps can bring symmetry to a sideboard, and a sculptural floor lamp can become the finishing touch in a living room. But choose badly and even beautiful furniture can look awkward, overshadowed or oddly unfinished.
Getting it right comes down to scale, height and style, and a few simple measurements will take most of the guesswork out of it.
A pendant over a dining table should be sized in proportion to the table beneath it. A common rule is that the diameter of the pendant should be about half to two thirds of the table’s width. For long rectangular tables, two or three smaller pendants in a row often work better than one large fitting.
Height is crucial. The bottom of the shade should usually hang around 75 to 85 centimetres above the tabletop. Any higher and the light disperses into the room; any lower and it blocks the view across the table.
Over kitchen islands, the same principles apply, with pendants typically spaced evenly and kept clear of the edges. Allow around 60 to 75 centimetres between the centres of multiple pendants so they do not crowd one another.
A table lamp should suit the piece it sits on. When seated, the bottom of the lampshade should sit roughly at eye level, which stops the bare bulb shining in your face. On a side table beside a sofa, this usually means a combined table and lamp height of around 100 to 110 centimetres.
The shade should be wider than the widest part of the lamp base and generally no wider than the table it sits on. Heavy, chunky bases suit substantial furniture, while slim, delicate lamps look best on lighter pieces.
Pairs of matching lamps are a classic way to create balance, either side of a sofa, on bedside tables or at each end of a sideboard. For a more relaxed look, pair lamps of similar height and visual weight but different designs.
Floor lamps are invaluable for lighting areas away from walls, such as a sofa floating in an open-plan room or a reading chair in a corner. Arc lamps can reach over a sofa to light a coffee table without a ceiling fitting, while tripod and column designs suit corners and alcoves.
For reading, choose a lamp with an adjustable head or a shade that directs light downwards, and position it behind the shoulder of the reader.
Lighting does not have to match your furniture exactly, but it should share something with it, whether a material, a shape, a colour or an era. Brass and warm woods sit comfortably together. Matt black suits industrial and contemporary pieces. Paper, linen and opal glass shades soften the lines of modern furniture.
Scandinavian design is a good example of lighting and furniture developed as a single language, with simple forms, natural materials and soft, glare-free light. Our feature on Scandinavian furniture design explains the thinking behind it, while our piece on bringing Nordic calm into a British home shows how to adopt the approach without copying a catalogue.
When in doubt, bring a photo of your furniture and its measurements when shopping for lights. It is the simplest way to avoid a fitting that looks perfect in the shop and wrong at home.