Table lamps are the new kitchen decor must-have – here's why (and 12 of the best you can buy right now)

Kitchen table lamps add a coziness to the heart of the home, here are 12 that I've got my eye on

A kitchen lamp on a tiled island
(Image credit: Mood Authors. Design: Hauslab Grzegorz Pniok)

Table lamps aren't just to be reserved for the kitchen. A stylish, cozy addition to the kitchen, they bring a sense of homeliness to the space. What's more, it's a simple way to get more of a golden glow without involving a rehaul of your wiring. 

It might even be that you've got a table lamp in your living room that needs a new lease of life - take it to the kitchen and voila - a cute decorative addition. Here are 12 table lamps that I think make for perfect kitchen lighting.

12 table lamps that would look great in your kitchen

What do table lamps bring to the kitchen?

A kitchen table lamp

(Image credit: L'Ercolini)

Kitchens are often stark spaces with hard surfaces and walls of storage, void of many decortaive pieces. But they're the heart of the home and a space that is so often used for socializing, entertaining, and gathering as a family or with friends. So why don't they deserve the same decorative focus that we give our living rooms?

They are a wonderful space in which to extend your interior scheme and add more homely touches to a kitchen. Adding layering to your kitchen lighting scheme can also enhance the mood and atmosphere of the room. ‘It’s not the amount of light fixtures, but the amount of lighting, that matters,’ says Eugene Colberg, principal at Colberg Architecture. What's more, they are functional - extra lighting for reading that recipe while you're entertaining in a low-lit space can only enhance the space.  

'Placing a table lamp in the kitchen adds an instant cozy factor that's difficult to replicate,' says Lauren Sullivan of Well x Design. 'Opt for a table lamp to illuminate a kitchen corner or low-traffic counter space where splashes and spills aren't as likely. Tiny, petite table lamps also make a great addition to the kitchen—and in my own home, it's the smallest lamp that remains turned on the most.'

Oonagh Turner
Livingetc content editor and design expert

Oonagh is a content editor at Livingetc.com and an expert at spotting the interior trends that are making waves in the design world. Writing a mix of everything and everything from home tours to news, long-form features to design idea pieces on the website, as well as frequently featured in the monthly print magazine, she's the go-to for design advice in the home. Previously, she worked on a London property title, producing long-read interiors features, style pages and conducting interviews with a range of famous faces from the UK interiors scene, from Kit Kemp to Robert Kime. In doing so, she has developed a keen interest in London's historical architecture and the city's distinct tastemakers paving the way in the world of interiors.