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

(Image credit: Mood Authors. Design: Hauslab Grzegorz Pniok)

published 17 March 2023

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

$41.99

Matte brass table lamp

This budget buy in gold will make for a warm touch of color in your kitchen. Placed on an island or your countertop, it's a sophisticated piece that would work in a contemporary scheme.

$399

Ombra natural table lamp

I love the texture of this table lamp. It's calming, minimalist, and would help soften any hard materials used in the kitchen. The shade is modern and makes for a cool take on a classic lampshade style.

$399

Sidnie lamp in green

A mushroom lamp that brings a touch of joy to your kitchen. It's a mid-century style with a modern twist, and I love the dark green hue. The hand-spun steel gives it sturdy weighting too.

$262

Matilda Goad scalloped lamp

I love a Matilda Goad design, and this from Anthropologie is whimsical and playful. I like how the base looks like a vase, and the curved handles mirror the scalloped fringing on the shade.

From $580

Gilded rim wine glass

I'm into rose gold in the kitchen, it's quite modern and cool, adding a bit of glamor and extra light. It's also available in matte black if the glean of the light pink version isn't your cup of tea.

$248

Electra table lamp in red

I love this color pop, with clashing red and pink linen shade and base. It's got a sculptural element to it too, and will really stand out in a kitchen where the palette is woods and green.

$595

Neotenic table lamp

Designed with a playful shape, this lamp from Petite Friture is functional and sculptural, with a beautiful handblown glass orb. It's a decorative piece that serves a purpose and I love its whimsical shape.

$49

Pleated lamp shade

I popped this blue lamp into my round-up of mini table lamps, but I think its sharp pleats and cornflower blue coloring make it just so irresistibly cute that it's worth mentioning twice.

$129

Koepel table lamp

A perfect piece for your kitchen, I love the metallic finish of this lamp and the smoked glass base. I can just see it in its element when your kitchen becomes a late-night entertaining space.

$60

Gilded rim wine glass

A bargain buy from Target but designed by the acclaimed Studio McGee. The calming palette would make a simple addition to a neutral color scheme kitchen in need of some extra lighting.

$208.25

Matin table lamp in red

This table lamp has some serious statement pleats in vivd red. The shade tops a streamlined polished brass base, creating a modern take on a classic silhouette. It's also on sale, so act fast!

$275

Claudette table lamp

I love a tortoiseshell pattern, and this lamp blends this modern trend with an Art Deco feel, giving a luxuriousness to your kitchen, with a bronze finish that complements mottled brown.

What do table lamps bring to the kitchen?

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 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.