Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Old Fashioned Table Lamps

There is room in every historic house for old fashioned table lamps. Any interior designer will insist that a table lamp or two be placed in every room to reinforce the period design. For this house, early 20th century table lamps are the right style. An emphasis on lighting from the 30's and 40's needs to show up.

Other houses in this historic district use 19th century light fixtures, lamps and lights to carry out the period design themes. Many of them are reproduction table lamps, since the wiring of authentic 19th century lights is too risky. There is a small cottage industry in the area that pulls the old wiring out of old fashioned lamps and retrofits the light with modern electrical workings. These renovated lamps are very pricey, but invaluable to carry out a historic design theme.

Build a scene on a table top. Arrange a small photo or oil painting, a book, and several pieces of pottery or momentos next to an original or reproduction table lamp. Place a painting or wall sculpture nearby, allowing the light to glow on the tabletop arrangement and the wall accessory.

There is only space for one small table in the front room of this house, unless smaller scale furniture replaces what is currently in here. That will be sufficient to get the design juice of one table lamp into this area. At the back of the house in the large bedroom there is room for another table lamp, but instead of sitting on a table, it will be atop a bureau.