How to Design Floor Lamps

Express your individuality by designing a floor lamp.

Lighting is a great accessory to express yourself. Nothing expresses your personality and style like a lamp designed by you. Imagine sitting in your favorite chair and reading a book by the light of the floor lamp you designed. If you've ever entertained the idea of designing your own floor lamp, you may have wondered exactly how to go about it. There's a simple process of logical steps that will take you from inspiration to completed design.

Things You'll Need

• Interior design magazines
• Architectural magazines
• Tape measure
• Scrapbook or folder
• Sketchbook
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Clip out photos of lighting that really catches your interest in interior design and architectural magazines and place the photos in a scrapbook or in a folder to reference them later. Also, search online for images of floor lamps and save all the pictures that catch your eye in a folder on your computer.

2. Visit furniture showrooms in your area and examine the floor lamps on display. Ask permission to take photos and measurements of any lamps that fit the style you want to design. If this isn't possible, ask for literature on the lamps. These brochures should have basic measurements and style options.

3. Lay out the photos you clipped in front of you. Also, open the file on your computer that contains the lamp images you gathered online. Scan through the photos and images again and look for key elements that strike you. Look closely for shapes, colors, and designs that you think you would like to incorporate into your design.

4. Sketch the elements that stand out in a sketchbook with a mechanical pencil. Using a sketchbook will allow you to reference your ideas anytime you need to. Combine these elements into sketches of lamps. Draw any ideas that come to mind. Draw the floor lamps from different angles and views. Experiment with shade styles and colors. Let your imagination guide you.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to turn your design into floor lamp reality, look into hiring a furniture maker, or an artist/craftsperson who specializes in lighting and whose style matches your designs.

References

• Freshome: Creative Lamp Designs
• Arcadian Lighting: Lamp Design Trends