Yes, This M&S Table Lamp Will Make Your Living Room Look More Expensive, but There’s One Thing to Know Before You Buy
Sometimes our favorite online pieces can look a little different IRL
Anyone shopping for a new lamp needs to know about M&S's lighting selection. The brand has been pumping out tons of elevated designs lately, making it a true one-stop shop for perfecting that soft, atmospheric glow as long winter evenings creep in. The most recent tabletop piece to hit its shelves? A very stylish, glossy ceramic table lamp in a deep olive green color. However, as luxe as the lamp is, dive into the reviews, and buyers say it's a bit darker than it looks online. If you really love this olive green like I do — should that be a deal breaker?
Color, especially on textured decor, is hard to perceive through a screen. In the campaign imagery, this lamp seems to be a saturated olive green, but apparently it reads as more of a true dark olive or forest green. So, I decided it was time to go take a look at this popular table lamp myself. I headed down to the Oxford Street store to browse the M&S lighting aisle and see what kind of wow-factor this piece has IRL.
As it turns out, M&S's ceramic table lamp is a shade or two darker than what you would expect. It still has the eye-catching high-gloss finish and a luxurious build, but if you were set of a punchier pop of green, then you may want to keep reading. Below is everything I know about this buzz-worthy lamp and what to consider before you buy.
The lamp immediately catches your attention with it's polished finish and elevated build.
Image credit: M&S
In person, it's just as elevated looking, but with a slightly more classic colorway.
Image credit: Future, Olivia Wolfe
The full ceramic base and shade make this piece an instant standout style. Pair that with the soft ombre finish and the metal detailing, and it's no wonder this piece has become one of the brand's most popular styles — sleek, cohesive, fashionable; what's not to love? As for size, it's large enough to capture the eye, but slim enough to fit on a standard side table or console.
Though, yes, the color is objectively different than how it appears online, I wouldn't consider this a deal-breaker for the lamp. Sure, if you want the vibrancy that hints at those zingy green color trends we've seen this year, then this piece might no longer be the one for you. However, the shade of green it's closer to is actually a very timeless color. Olive green will never go out of style, and sometimes those slightly deeper shades can create a more grounding and neutral-leaning moment.
Plus, the ceramic glaze is an ombre, so it hosts a few different shades of green within it that change depending on the light. Even in the M&S store, the lamp's coloring looked different when viewed straight on versus from the side. So really, it's all about where and how you style this lamp within a layered lighting scheme. Surrounded by a few wall lights and floor lamps, this piece will most definitely make a luxurious addition.
To me, it's not even necessarily the color that makes this ceramic lamp look so chic (take M&S's biscuit colorway, for example), but the details and build. A high-gloss ceramic or lacquer finish adds that unexpected visual moment, elevating a scheme without even trying.
So, with all of that to consider, below are a few more table lamps that hit on a few of the same design elements as the M&S best seller.
Shop Similar Styles
Slightly misleading? Sure. A deal-breaker? No. I was very impressed with this lamp both online and in real life. It's the perfect mix of classic (both in color and build) and contemporary (who doesn't love a high-gloss moment right now?). There are so many fabulous places to shop for lighting, but it always helps the decision process to get the inside scoop.
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