Roundup : Kitchen Countertop Lamps
Let’s talk kitchen countertop lamps… ever since I styled my $30 black lamp on our soapstone kitchen counters, I’ve steadily received questions about it. Inquiring minds want to know where the cord lives (does it even have a cord… what kind of sorcery is this?!), does it get dirty or greasy resting by the range, and what type of lamp shapes and styles work best in kitchens? I’m obviously on board the “lamp on the countertop” trend, and having lived with it for quite some time- I can say it has come in very useful. Not only does it look aesthetically pleasing, but I’ve grown accustomed to the soft glow it puts off in the evening hours, and how it acts as a nightlight in our kitchen. Click through for the answers to all of the aforementioned questions and for a giant roundup (26, to be exact) of my favorite table lamps that would look stellar on the kitchen counter…
Why style a table lamp in the kitchen, anyway? For starters, it’s beautiful… I love the cozy aesthetic it adds. Secondly, it’s honestly very functional! We switch our counter lamp on every evening, and even after turning the main lights off in our kitchen, we leave the lamp aglow. It provides a nice, soft nightlight that helps us navigate the kitchen in the evening hours or early hours of the morning. I haven’t stumbled around our kitchen at night since adding the lamp, which is helpful… especially when I need a drink of water or a midnight snack. It’s also handy when we have house guests who aren’t as familiar with our home. The kitchen is a highly trafficked area, so having a little light makes perfect sense.
What kind of table lamps work well in a kitchen setting? This totally depends on YOUR kitchen and preferences (the colors, the materials, the size, the amount of counter space, the layout, etc). I prefer a bit of contrast, so my black lamp works very well against our gray tiled backsplash.
Click directly on the lamps to be redirected to the source- or use the numbered links below the collage to shop…
01: birdie lamp // 02: round rattan lamp // 03: allure lamp // 04: square nero lamp // 05: capiz lamp // 06: mayer lamp // 07: alabaster lamp // 08: mini lamp // 09: square marble lamp // 10: orb lamp // 11: artichoke lamp // 12: diagonal weave lamp // 13: ceramic lamp // 14: simple brass lamp // 15: aged iron lamp // 16: winnie lamp // 17: forged lamp // 18: faceted lamp // 19: woven lamp // 20: cube lamp // 21: umie lamp // 22: curvy lamp // 23: fluted lamp // 24: wood lamp // 25: obera lamp // 26: copper lamp
There are SO many beautiful options in this roundup. I actually ended up buying a lamp for the kitchenette at our office. Any guesses which one? It was #9. I already own #1 (at least it is very similar from the same Alice Lane collection… that lives in our bedroom), #10 (that lives in our formal living room), and of course #22 (pictured, in the kitchen). I also bought this one for our guest bedroom, but forgot to include it in the collage! I feel like I just tossed you a major curveball, haha.
Adding a lamp to a kitchen feels cozy and intimate to me. I guess I would compare it to installing outdoor curtains… usually they belong elsewhere (like the interior or your home), but they make any outdoor area feel extra romantic and inviting. They’re kind of a game changer! The same goes for the kitchen lamp- maybe it’s an unexpected place to install a small light fixture, but it really enhances the mood and makes the kitchen feel more welcoming and lived in. Since we’re basically in the holiday season, I guess I could also compare it to warm twinkle lights on a Christmas tree. They’re so charming and cozy… why wouldn’t you want that glowing effect year round?
In regards to the lamp that lives in my kitchen, pictured above… I want to elaborate on the cord- or lack thereof. There is no sorcery or magic happening here… there actually is no cord. I ended up cutting it out completely. I took my kitchen scissors and lopped it off, then pulled out the excess. If you’re wondering how it functions, I used a puck light on a remote. The remote lives in the drawer directly below the lamp, and we have it set on a timer. The puck light itself is just resting on the harp where the lightbulb would live. If you’re curious what that looks like, I explain the process in this DIY lamp post! Having a cord on my countertop near my cook space would probably drive me nuts. If it were on an island or out of the way, I wouldn’t care… but in this location, I like having a small, cordless lamp.
Have I convinced you to put a table lamp on your kitchen countertop or island? Or maybe even on your floating shelves in the kitchen? I’m all about it! Maybe you already have a counter lamp? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this lighting dilemma! I know we’ve talked about it here on the blog in the past. Do you have any favorites from the roundup? Apparently I have a thing for mini lamps. Happy Tuesday, friends!
