Tiffany Table Lamps Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right One
The Tiffany table lamp is the defining form of the entire Tiffany tradition. The piece that most people picture when they think of a stained glass lamp, and the piece that has been on more American side tables, nightstands, and reading chairs than any other fixture type. Our collection of Tiffany table lamps spans every style, size, and price point.
This guide helps you make the two key decisions, size and style, and then walks you through the features that distinguish a quality Tiffany table lamp from a lesser one.
Getting the Size Right
Lamp size is the most common mistake buyers make. A shade that is too small looks lost on a large table, and a shade that is too large overwhelms a small space. Here is how to get it right.
Measure Your Surface First
Before choosing a lamp height, measure the height of the surface it will sit on. The top of the lampshade should be approximately at eye level when you are seated nearby. Typically 58 to 64 inches from the floor. If your side table is 26 inches tall, you want a lamp that is roughly 32 to 38 inches tall. If your nightstand is 24 inches tall, a lamp of 28 to 32 inches total height works well. Our team can help you with these decisions if needed, as clearly not everyone likes placement exactly the same.
Shade Diameter and Surface Width
The shade diameter should not extend beyond the edges of the surface the lamp sits on. As a rule, leave at least 2 inches between the shade edge and the table edge on each side. A 16-inch shade needs at least a 20-inch wide surface. A 12-inch shade can sit on a much narrower nightstand.
The Four Size Categories in Our Catalog
Under 20 inches tall ~ 25 lamps
Accent lamps and small table lamps for nightstands, bookshelves, small side tables, and console tops. These lamps work as secondary accent pieces rather than primary room lighting. See our Tiffany accent lamps collection.
20 to 24 inches tall ~ 75 lamps
The most versatile and most popular size range. Suitable for standard side tables, end tables, and most nightstands. Includes the Meyda Tiffany Wisteria Accent Lamp, Variegated Fishscale Table Lamp, Turning Leaf Table Lamp, and the core of the Chloe and Quoizel collections.
24 to 27 inches tall ~ 85 lamps
The widest selection in our catalog. Larger side tables, console tables, and any situation where a standard lamp feels too short. Includes the Dale Tiffany Zenia Rose, Meyda Tiffany Woodland Berries, Quoizel West End, and the Chloe double-lit series.
Over 27 inches tall ~ 15 lamps
Statement table lamps for large surfaces, library tables, and spaces where visual presence is the priority.
Single-Light vs. Double-Lit
One of the distinctive features of the Chloe Lighting collection is the double-lit design, lamps that have a light source in the base as well as in the shade, allowing the lamp to function in two distinct modes. With only the base light on, the lamp acts as a soft night light or ambient accent. With both lights on, the full stained glass shade is illuminated.
Double-lit lamps are among our best sellers precisely because of this flexibility. The Chloe Liaison series, Serenity series, Phoebe Wisteria, Priscilla, and Blue Iris Victorian are all available in double-lit formats. If you want a lamp that serves multiple lighting purposes in a bedroom or living room, a double-lit Chloe lamp is worth considering seriously.
Choosing a Style for the Room
The style of the lamp should relate to the room it lives in, not match it exactly, but speak the same decorative language. Here are the pairings that work best:
Bedroom
Wisteria, rose, and floral designs create a warm, romantic atmosphere. For a more dramatic bedroom, the Meyda Tiffany Elizabethan Table Lamp I creates an extraordinary atmosphere.
Living Room Side Table
The living room allows the most flexibility. A dragonfly lamp brings intellectual character to a reading corner. A Victorian lamp makes a formal statement. A geometric mission lamp complements contemporary and craftsman spaces. The Quoizel West End Table Lamp, Meyda Tiffany Sebastian Table Lamp, and Chloe Liaison Double-Lit series are consistently popular living room pieces.
Office or Study
Mission and geometric designs, the clean-lined Arts and Crafts tradition, work particularly well in offices and studies. The Meyda Tiffany Navajo Mission Table Lamp, Prairie Corn Desk Lamp, and Quoizel Inglenook Table Lamp are strong choices. See our dedicated Tiffany desk lamps collection for task-oriented pieces.
Entryway or Console
Console tables suit buffet lamps - tall, slender pieces that fill vertical space without crowding the surface. See our Tiffany buffet lamps.
What Makes a Quality Tiffany Table Lamp
Copper Foil Construction
Every lamp in our collection uses the authentic copper foil technique, each piece of glass individually wrapped in adhesive copper foil before soldering. This is the method developed by Louis Comfort Tiffany's studio in the 1890s, and it is what distinguishes a genuine Tiffany-style lamp from an inexpensive imitation. Look for consistent solder line width and visible copper foil at the seams.
Art Glass Quality
Genuine stained art glass has natural color variation within each piece, slight shifts in tone, density, and translucency that create the characteristic depth and richness of a well-made Tiffany lamp when lit. Machine-made float glass is flat and uniform by comparison. All lamps in our collection use genuine stained art glass.
Base Weight and Finish
A quality reproduction Tiffany table lamp base should feel substantial, either cast resin with a quality metal finish, or genuine cast metal. Meyda Tiffany's bases are frequently described as feeling heavier and more premium than comparably priced alternatives. The finish, typically Mahogany Bronze, Antique Bronze, Antique Brass, Valiant Bronze, should be consistent and free of drips or uneven coverage.
Browse the full collection: Tiffany table lamps. Need help deciding? Use our complete Tiffany lamp buying guide or contact us - we've been helping customers find the right lamp since 1988.