Recently while touring a few homes, I came across table lamps in the kitchen. Having a table lamp in the kitchen is something I never considered before, but it makes a lot of sense. The kitchen is a place in the home where you want to create warmth and a feeling of home. The table lamp makes the kitchen feel like an extension of the living room and adds a bit of drama.
Wait...don't go into your living room and take the living room table lamp and bring it into the kitchen just yet. Since you don't want to overwhelm the kitchen counter and/or make the lamp seem out of place in the kitchen, you will want to select a smaller lamp for the kitchen. Not every style of lamp will fit, I would personally look for lamps with fabric shades or that fit the decor of the kitchen. Good luck!
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I just love both of these kitchens. The warmth, the texture... it is no accident that they both have table lamps.
However, I am big on counter space and clean-ability, and so would perhaps tend to go with a wall-mounted metal anglepoise lamp.
Lovely.
I've always loved that idea and the cosiness of it. I had a large table lamp on the kitchen counter in one of my previous rentals and it did a fantastic job in adding warmth to the place. The counter was all white-tiled that gave an awful hospital feel to it... The lamp, a corkboard with photos and notes, and a couple of small plants made a great breakfast corner!
I really do like the look, but I fear it would get very greasy very quickly. A nice fabric shade would get particularly gross pretty readily.
This is probably best for a counter top that's nowhere near the stove or food prep.
My mother always had a small table lamp on our kitchen Island. It gave such a warm glow to the room, and was always the last light left on at night.
i have a table lamp in my kitchen and i LOVE it. it has a fabric shade and i do not have a proper vent (just a fan/vent in microwave); it doesnt get greasy quickly by any means. i also dont have it anywhere near the stove
YAY!!! AT listened to my recommendation on this topic. so pumped!
In a similar fashion, I keep an Ikea Grono table lamp in my bathroom. It creates a nice, relaxing atmosphere for when we have guests over. It also helps the bathroom look cleaner, rather than the exposing bright light from the ceiling fixtures.
I have a table lamp on my kitchen table. The ceiling light is so none descriptive in that corner. I thought it would be easier to just find a table lamp that I love instead of trying to change the ceiling light. I absolutely love the look of lamps in the kitchen.
Only if it was far away from where any actual cooking was going on.
I have a lamp on a shelf in my eat-in kitchen which I leave on and it does give a lovely soft light. But it's also practical because the new eco bulbs take a few seconds to light up and if you just want to nip into the kitchen to put on the kettle or get a glass of water then the lamp gives enough light without you having to wait for the main light.
Cleaning greasy film off shades is not easy - waste of time in a kitchen. Use washable textiles for warmth - table lamps are not worth it, imho.
I can only WISH for enough counter space that I could spare some space for a lamp!
My husband used to have a funky table lamp in the kitchen on our tiny bistro table. It drove me NUTS! We live in SF and already have no counter space why would you take up even more with a lamp? But, it made him happy. At our new house and with our crazy toddler, table lamps are a thing of the past.
For those worried about cleaning shades, there are always those Block Lamps which look like light bulbs encased in a glass brick. You can just wipe the glass casings clean.
I love this look! For a housewarming gift I once gave a small lamp made from a silver etched box. It had a black cloth shade and was so cute. My friend put it in the corner of her counter (away from the stove) placed on an old silver tray with oil and vinegar bottles, etc. She leaves it on all the time.
ooo! the anglepoise idea from @mschatelaine is fantastic! either wall mounted, or you could do a clamp one, and have it clamped to a shelf. i love the idea of spotlighting something special in my kitchen for a party or just for me:)
Oh, I love this idea!
I've always had a table lamp in my kitchen; either on the island or counter. I also put a dimmer on it. Bright light when I'm prepping dinner; dim light later. I love being able to walk through the kitchen at night when it's dimly lit. Feels cozy.
when we had our kitchen redone i specifically had an outlet added to the end of my peninsula so that i could have a table lamp there. I leave it on all day and have been thrilled with having it there. I use that and the under counter lights to cook with and only have the overhead light on once or twice a year now. Much happier.
i had a fabulous vintage laurel lamp company mushroom table lamp on my kitchen counter tucked under the the upper cabinets. it looked great!...until i dropped a bottle of olive oil on the glass shade/globe...i'm still sad about it and that was at least 5 years ago.
I converted an old kerosene lamp into electric for my kitchen so cute and washable the kits are at home depot for like $6. Mine was my gr grandmothers it is lemon yellow I love it!
This is unrelated to lamps, but both kitchens have these great hanging baskets for their garlic that I love! Anyone know where they're from??
^ditto, wondered about that egg basket myself! does anyone know where they're from?
Traditional garlic/onion baskets: http://www.etsy.com/shop/basketrybotanica?ref=seller_info
Thank you!!
totally pro-lamp. for the naysayers, just use a lamp that's easily washable...not some special priceless lamp, that'd be ridiculous.
I prefer to have empty counters. I'm kind of stuck with the toaster oven and now that we are having coffee-drinking guests more often, I leave out the Keurig that one of them gave us, but a lamp would be "clutter" (although I do like the look, in some settings.)
Instead, purely functional (not "decor") we have an LED emergency/nightlight in the outlet above the counter. It looks pretty much like a normal light sensor nightlight, but if the power goes out, it is a flashlight. Useful but not as pretty.
I don't know about you guys, but my kitchen is used for creating meals. Putting a lamp on the counter may be a great idea for people who get their warmth eating out each evening at McDonalds. I prefer warmth on the plates, and in the smiles of my family and friends.
I don't hate the idea, but about 90% of the times I've seen it done (from high design AD type homes to homey, kitchy homes) it seems impractical and ridiculous.
I have a little table lamp on the counter of the pass through. I live in an apartment with a tiny galley kitchen with horrible fluorescent lighting. Having my sweet little lamp gives me an alternate light source that actually warms my home instead of institutionalizing it further. That lamp makes me feel like I'm in a little cottage and not a standardized apartment.
after reading this post I put a small table lamp with metal shade in my kitchen. Wish I'd done it years ago.