apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I voted lamp, but I actually have 'sconces' - not the hardwired kind though, the Basisk from Ikea. They can be mounted to the wall or used with a clip.

I always had lamps, but last year I spotted a great pair of swing-arm sconces on West Elm's site. They're retro-looking, but not the 'retro' sconces being sold now. I didn't hard-wire them, just ran the cord down the wall. I LOVE them. Bonus, they were on sale for $25 each. Now I'm happy to have the extra space on our nightstands, too.

Neither. I use a floor lamp.

Both - a beautiful bubble glass lamp and plug in style swing arm sconce over the headboard for reading.

I just installed swing-arm sconces for the first time in my life, and they've totally saved my eyesight. If you read in bed, a bedside lamp isn't likely to put light directly on the page (unless it's one of those tilting industrual ones). I've scorched too many lampshades by trying to tilt them at an angle I could read by.

Can't believe I never used sconces all these years.

I love the look of pendants over night tables (but I have lamps).

I have 2 of the IKEA round paper lanterns with the chord set, plugged into plug in dimmers, one hanging over each side of my bed and bedside tables.

Looks nice and casts such a nice glow to the room - especially when I have both lit.

Depends on whether you are a frequent in-bed reader.

If a sconce, it should be one that can be pointed, or swing-arm style as Lisa mentions.

I suggest to clients sconces and swing-arm lamps to frame sofas, too, especially sofa beds, where I then use storage cubes as end tables/bedside tables when the sofabed converts to bed. The bedding can be stowed in the cubes, and no lamps need to be moved to access the contents.

To add to Robyn's great pendant suggestion as an alternative, I always love the classic pharmacy lamp. They can be positioned to light the side tables or swung over to read in bed.

But they might not work with some of today's super-high mattresses.

I vote sconce for sure, for the reasons listed. But since I can't run wires in my walls, I positioned my bed so I can easily reach the light switch on the wall while lying down, and I read by the light of the floor lamp plugged into the switched outlet.

Do you need either of them if you never read in bed?