Glass table lamps come in a few distinct styles, classic cut glass, colored bottle-style, clear glass for bedside tables, and glass paired with brass or nickel . Because glass is transparent, it's also a clever choice for small spaces, opening up a room rather than crowding it. Here’s our complete guide to choosing a glass lamp, plus ideas and inspiration for using glass in your interior design…
Why glass lamps?
Glass has always been prized as a material for ornaments and objects– because of its beauty, of course, but also because of the skill and craftsmanship involved in making high quality glass objects. Glass is also enormously versatile, subtle or showy, contemporary or classic, which is why it works in almost any room. In fact, the Venetian island of Murano – effectively the birthplace of decorative European glass-blowing – was so protective of its glassmakers that in the 14th Century anyone caught exporting their professional secrets could be punished by death.
We’ve come a long way since then, but beautiful glass is still valued in part because it’s so difficult to make. As a statement, a large, gorgeously-coloured and shaped glass lamp, placed on a side table or cabinet, just oozes quality, taste and class. But glass is also very versatile: it can be subtle or showy, contemporary or classic. Here are some ideas to inspire you for using different kinds of glass table lamp for different effects and in different interior design schemes…
‘Glass Blowers of Murano’ (1886) Charles Frederick Ulrich
Classic glass table lamp
A really well-made, clear cut glass lamp carries a hint of Regency decanters, or antique perfume bottles , and works just as well in a bold color as it does clear. A piece like this will work brilliantly on a dressing-table. For subtle and elegant, then try a tall, thin glass table lamp, sometimes just two fluted glass tubes joined by brass. Browse our full glass table lamp collection to see the full range.
Bottle-style glass table lamps
Remember going to Italian restaurant as a child and loving the way they used an old fat-bottomed Chianti bottle as a candle-holder, the glass covered in dribbles of hardened wax? Who knows why, but there’s something pleasing and oddly nostalgic about seeing a bottle double up as a lamp. You can get the same sort of feeling but stay cool and contemporary with a blown glass bottle table lamp. In a vibrant color with the light pouring onto it, something like this can make a real statement and bring accent color to a room, especially if you're also bold with your choice of lampshade.
Glass bedside lamps
Another great thing about using glass, particularly clear glass, is that it can help if you’re trying to make a smallish space look bigger. Transparent materials and objects create a feeling of light and space rather than clutter, removing barriers for the eye and opening up a room. (For more tips and ideas on that, see our post: How to use lighting to make a room look bigger.) That also means that glass is great on bedside cabinets and tables. One popular style is effectively a heavy paperweight that's been "lampified," petite and very pretty and perfect as a bedside lamp.
katherine cordless table lamp
Glass and metal combinations
Another great way to use glass is in a combination with a metal. A bluey green glass vase sitting in a solid brass base, for example, is a really simple design that works so well in all kinds of decorative themes. Nickel also looks lovely with clear glass, and you can seek out different combinations of colored glass and metal to find the one that clicks with your interior décor. Browse our glass and metal table lamps to see the range.
Wisteria in nickel and clear glass
Unusual or statement glass table lamps
If you want something sensational – a real conversation piece – on your side-table then a really flamboyant piece of hand-blown glass should do the trick. There’s the obvious skill that goes into making fine glass lamps, but you can also find real artistry: statement pieces are imbued with the personality of the maker, and of course every hand-blown glass item is unique with its own little bubbles and imperfections.
Glass ceiling and wall lights
If you love the way light plays through glass, there's no reason to stop at table lamps. The same qualities that make glass work so well on a side table, its sparkle, its transparency, its knack for scattering light around a room, apply just as beautifully overhead and on the wall.
For a coherent scheme, pair your glass table lamp with glass pendant lights over a kitchen island or dining table, or glass wall lights flanking a mirror or headboard. And if you're after something with a bit more drama, our glass chandeliers bring the same faceted sparkle to a much bigger stage, especially lovely over a dining table or in a stairwell.
If you take a bit of care over the design, you’ll find glass lights make perfect accent features in a room – looking almost as lovely in the day time as they do when lit up at night.
Browse all of our beautiful, unusual glass table lamps here.
FAQs about glass lamps
Are glass lamps hard to keep clean?
Not at all, glass is one of the easier materials to keep looking good. A wipe with a soft, dry cloth handles everyday dust, and a standard glass cleaner on a microfiber cloth brings back the shine. Skip anything abrasive, which can dull a polished finish over time. For a fuller routine, see our guides to cleaning glass pendant lights and cleaning glass wall lights, the same principles apply to table lamps.
Do glass lamps break easily?
A well-made glass lamp is sturdier than it looks. Most sit on a solid or weighted base, which gives good stability on a nightstand or console table. As with any glass object, it's worth keeping it away from the very edge of a surface or somewhere it's likely to get knocked.
Do glass lamps work with dimmer switches?
Most do. Pairing one with a dimmable bulb means a single glass lamp can go from bright and functional during the day to soft and atmospheric at night, no need for a separate lamp for each mood.
Do glass lamps get hot to the touch?
The glass itself stays cool, since it's the bulb that generates heat, not the material. As with any lamp, the bulb and immediate fitting can get warm during use, so it's worth letting it cool briefly before moving it, but the glass itself is safe to handle.
What lampshade pairs best with a glass lamp?
A plain linen or cotton shade lets a striking glass base do the talking, especially useful for bottle-style or colored pieces. For a clear or subtly-toned base, a bolder patterned or colored shade can add the personality instead. Either way, keep the shade in proportion to the base so neither one overwhelms the other. For more guidance, see our guide to styles and shapes of lamp shade, or try our mix-and-match tool to see combinations before you commit.