Lamp shopping:

Last weekend, our bedside lamps stopped working. Or actually, last weekend we decided to replace two beside lamps that stopped working about a year ago. Okay, it's really only one that doesn't work. The other works but you have to turn it on and off by unplugging it. And it finally got annoying enough that we decided to do something about it. I've had those lamps since college. They used to reside in the living room of my college apartment. So, it was definitely time to upgrade.

I've been hunting lamps all week. And do you know what I've found? The right lamp is hard to find. First you have to figure out what type will work best for your space and then you have to determine what style fits you best. There are so many different kinds to choose from. It's a little overwhelming. And it shouldn't be. It's a lamp. Pretty much just a light bulb on a stick, right?

Determined to get this right, I've been researching and reading as much as possible so that I can make an informed decision. I read a lot. Some of that reading happens in bed. So I thought I might like to use a task light on my side of the bed. Like this:

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See more after the jump!





But then both lamps would have to be task lights or it would look off-balance, right? The setup in the photos below seems to work but I'm not sure that it would work for us:

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So, then I looked at my other, more general table, lamp options. I think I like either a hammered metal or glass because they can go with pretty much anything. So, later on, I can use them in a different room or with different colors. I really like the Glass Jug lamp from West Elm:

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And then I thought really hard about what I wanted my room to look like. What sort of vibe I wanted it to have. I hate when things are too matchy-matchy. And I think that's what matching lamps would look like. I mean, anyone can buy two of the same lamp and throw them down on either side of a bed. But I don't think I like that. It's too bed-in-a-bag for me. So, maybe I'll get one of the West Elm lamps and find another somewhere else that is similar but different. Not really sure what that looks like yet, but I have an idea in my head of what I'm after.

So we've decided that there's a pretty good chance (about 60%) that at least one of our lamps will be the Glass Jug table lamp. But before we commit to anything, we're going to scour the local thrift and antique stores for any possibilities. We can usually find something really great, and I'm all about buying used when I can. It's good for the environment and good for my pocket. So stay tuned for that. I'll update you as our lamp adventure progresses.