Timeless Beauty and Function: Antique Floor Lamps

June 12, 2015 1 Comment

Antique Floor Lamps are amongst some of our most popular types of lighting fixtures at Turn of the Century Lighting, and it's no wonder. Many homes from the Turn of the 20th Century until even today are without a central ceiling fixture in the living room, and other common areas.

Floor lamps are often the work horses for illumination in living and common areas. Less architectural and permanent than ceiling or wall lights which cannot be moved, Floor lamps can be used where you need light the most. Beautiful, versatile, and portable, we often perform a great number of rewires on these types of lamps, as they travel with their owners from home to home.

The two types of lamps that we tend to see could be categorized as Floor Lamps for Task Lighting and those for Overall Room Illumination.

Task Lighting

Bridge Arm or Reading Types lamps look great and provide task lighting. Positioned beside a Chair or beside a desk, they give perfect directional light whether reading or sewing etc.

Below is a catalog image of some bridge arms sold in the 1920s.
antique bridge light 1920s catalog image

We fully restore these types of lamps with new wiring, and fit them with timeless handmade or antique shades that look great today.
antique nouveau bridge floor lamp shade antique art deco bridge floor lamp custom handmade lampshade

Overall Room Illumination

Torchiere or Trilight Lamps are fantastic at giving overall room illumination, and can create a beautiful focal point in a space. The light quality is fantastic on these lamps, as they accept trilight bulbs, and are taller to cast a greater arc of light.
antique torchiere floor lamp antique turned wooden floor lamp

Sofa Lamps - Task Lighting and Overall Room Illumination!

Some types of lamps served both purposes. Sofa Lamps are amongst the most popular as they are great for overall room lighting with a central “torchere style” uplight for room illumination, and candles below to give softer task lighting for those sitting underneath the lamp. Below is a great 1930s catalog image with a sofa lamp, and explation of how these lamps served these multiple needs.
antique floor lamp catalog image
We fully restore Sofa Lamps with new wiring, refinishing as necessary, and pairing them with a variety of shades that work well in contemporary or tradtional spaces. Below are a few of the restored sofa lamps we currently have in the showroom.
antique sofa floor lamp brass antique sofa floor lamp cast iron
In addition to restoring floor lamps for ourselves, we love rewiring, or fully restoring client lamps too. Feel free to bring in your Floor Lamp to get it working again.

Check out the Antique Floor lamp section of our website for all of our selection, and keep checking as many new ones are currently being restored!