The size of a table lamp is chosen together with the surface it will stand on. The practical rule is this: the lamp’s shade or body should not exceed the width of the surface, the bulb should not be visible from where you sit, and the lamp should form a balanced silhouette together with the furniture. For this, it is enough to look at three measurements: width, depth and height.
In this guide you will find general proportion rules, separate recommendations for consoles, desks, side tables, nightstands and bar and restaurant tables, and the actual dimensions of Nyxora table lamps.
What does W × D × H on a dimension label mean?
W is width, D is depth and H is height; together they give the volume the lamp occupies. In models with a round shade, width and depth are the same and equal to the shade diameter.
The measurement most often overlooked is depth. On a console against a wall or a narrow nightstand, what matters is not the width but how far the lamp projects from the wall. For example, Brime d’Onyx is 52 cm wide but only 28 cm deep; thanks to its asymmetric conical shade, it fits comfortably on a narrow console. A round shade of the same width would need 52 cm of depth.
What are the general rules for table lamp height and size?
The rules below are not standards but starting criteria often used in interior architecture. The proportions of your space and the job of the lamp can always change the final decision.
- The shade should not overhang the surface. The widest dimension of the shade or body should not exceed the width of the surface it stands on; leaving a few centimeters on each side looks more balanced.
- The bulb should not be visible. Seen from where you sit, the lower edge of the shade should be at or slightly below your eye level. That way you see the lit surface, not the light source.
- Leave clearance from the wall. The center of a lamp with a round shade should be at least the shade’s radius away from the wall; for a shade 52 cm in diameter, that means at least 26 cm.
- Take visual weight into account. A solid stone body looks heavier than a lamp of the same size with a fabric shade. If you are undecided on a small surface, choose one size smaller.
- Leave room to use the surface. The lamp should not cover the entire surface; there should be room for a book on the nightstand and a glass on the side table.
In models with a shade made entirely of stone (such as Golden Aura d’Onyx, Halo d’Onyx and Onda d’Onyx), the bulb is hidden inside the stone. With these lamps, the size decision is driven less by glare than by visual proportion and usable surface.
How do you choose the right lamp size for a console?
On a console, look first at depth, then at height relative to the mirror or painting on the wall. Consoles are mostly 75–90 cm high and 30–45 cm deep; because they are surfaces viewed while standing, they easily carry taller lamps.
On narrow consoles, choose models with little depth or with flat or asymmetric shades: Halo d’Onyx is 26 cm deep, Brime d’Onyx 28 cm and Noir Pearl d’Onyx 30 cm. On a long console, a matching pair of lamps creates a symmetrical arrangement; on a short console, a single lamp with an object opposite it creates a more relaxed asymmetry. The lamp may overlap the lower edge of the painting above by a few centimeters but should not cover most of the painting.
How tall should a desk lamp be?
When you sit, the lower edge of the shade should stay below your eye level and the light should fall down onto the desk. Desks are usually 72–76 cm high; on these desks, models in the collection 42–50 cm tall with shades that send light downward create a balanced proportion.
Having the light come from the side opposite your writing hand keeps the shadow of your hand off the paper: for right-handed people, the lamp should be on the left. If you work at a screen, place the lamp beside the screen and slightly in front of it; that way the light does not reflect on the screen.
Strata d’Onyx was designed for desks: at only 18 cm deep it does not crowd the desk, it casts a wide, warm task light onto the desk from its horizontal block of river onyx, and it is operated with a touch switch on the body. Brime d’Onyx and Luma Curve d’Onyx also direct light onto the desk from beneath the shade. Models with a shade made entirely of stone, on the other hand, should be thought of as ambient light rather than task light on a desk.
What size lamp suits a side table or armchair?
A side table should be level with the arm of the chair or a few centimeters below it; the height of the lamp depends on the job you give it. If it will be used for reading, the lower edge of the shade should be close to eye level when you are seated; this means the combined height of the side table and the lamp comes to the often-recommended range of 145–165 cm.
With sculptural onyx lamps, the job is often atmosphere rather than reading. A lamp that gives its light through its body can stay below this range; having the glowing stone sit below eye level lets the light spread through the room without getting in your eyes. If you need reading light beside a chair, leaving this job to a floor lamp and using the stone lamp on the side table as ambient light is a balanced solution.
On large side tables, models with wide shades such as Ombrelle d’Onyx (46 cm) or Golden Aura d’Onyx (52 cm) keep the proportion; on small side tables, compact forms such as Onda d’Onyx (36 cm) do.
How do you size a bedside lamp?
The top of the nightstand should be level with the top of the bed or within a few centimeters of it; the lamp should not be wider than the nightstand, and you should be able to reach the switch while lying in bed.
If you read while sitting in bed, the lower edge of the shade should sit between shoulder and chin level; that way the light falls on the book but the bulb is not visible. On narrow nightstands, compact models such as Maison Bleu d’Onyx (38 cm shade, Ø23.5 cm base) or Onda d’Onyx (36 cm) sit in balance; on wide nightstands, horizontal forms such as Halo d’Onyx or Noir Pearl d’Onyx do. If the nightstand is not wide enough, moving the light to the wall is also an option; for this, see our bedroom lighting guide.
How do you choose lamp size for a bar or restaurant table?
On a restaurant table, the lamp should not break eye contact between two people sitting opposite each other and should leave room for plates; that is why low forms with narrow bases are chosen. At a bar, the lamp is positioned at the end of the counter or on the back shelf as a focal point seen while standing and from high stools.
The small size of Orbe d’Onyx, with a diameter of Ø18.5 cm and a height of 37 cm, fits on narrow surfaces; the decorative glass globe bulb on top forms a sculptural point of light together with the stone discs. Halo d’Onyx, intended for consoles, bars and bedsides, finds its place with its 65 cm height not on the table but on wider surfaces such as the end of a counter or a reception console. For planning at project scale, see our hotel and restaurant lighting guide.
Nyxora table lamp dimensions and suitable surfaces
Nyxora is a studio that makes handmade lighting from natural onyx in its atelier in Izmir. The eleven table lamps in the collection range from 42 to 65 cm in height and from 36 to 52 cm in width. The table below shows the dimensions of these models and of the small size of Orbe d’Onyx, as listed on the product pages, in W × D × H order.
| Model | Dimensions (W × D × H) | Light character | Suitable surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brime d’Onyx (NT-001) | 52 × 28 × 50 cm | Directional reading light from beneath the shade, honey onyx body lit from within | Narrow console, desk, sideboard |
| Flare d’Onyx (NT-002) | 42 × 42 × 50 cm | Warm light downward and sideways from a pleated shade, blue onyx base lit from within | Side table, nightstand, reading corner |
| Golden Aura d’Onyx (NT-003) | 52 × 52 × 56 cm | Entirely stone, layered ambient light | Large side table, wide nightstand, deep sideboard |
| Halo d’Onyx (NT-004) | 50 × 26 × 65 cm | Ambient light from the shade and pyramid body | Console, bar counter, wide nightstand |
| Luma Curve d’Onyx (NT-005) | 45 × 45 × 42 cm | Directional light onto the desk from a brass shade, milky white body | Desk, side table, suite nightstand |
| Maison Bleu d’Onyx (NT-006) | 38 × 38 × 56 cm | Mild, diffused light through a fabric shade | Nightstand, small side table, desk |
| Noir Pearl d’Onyx (NT-007) | 50 × 30 × 50 cm | Diffused light from the globe body, upward reflection from the shade | Console, sideboard, wide nightstand |
| Ocean Shell d’Onyx (NT-008) | 50 × 42 × 59 cm | Focused light from beneath the shade, diffused light from the stone | Sideboard, deep console, large side table |
| Ombrelle d’Onyx (NT-009) | 46 × 46 × 50 cm | Segmented, warm light pattern from eight onyx panels | Side table, library table, lobby table |
| Onda d’Onyx (NT-010) | 36 × 36 × 45 cm | Enveloping ambient light from the dome and body | Small side table, nightstand, console |
| Strata d’Onyx (NT-011) | 46 × 18 × 45 cm | Wide, downward task light | Desk, library, office |
| Orbe d’Onyx, small size (NS-009) | Ø18.5 × 37 cm | Decorative glass globe bulb on top, stone discs that catch the light | Narrow console, shelf, nightstand; composition with the large size |
You can compare all models with product photos in the table lamp collection.
How do you test the size before you buy?
Trying the size on site rather than on paper prevents most mistakes.
- Measure the width and depth of the surface and its height from the floor.
- Mark the lamp’s base dimensions on the surface with masking tape.
- Cut a cardboard silhouette at the lamp’s width and height and put it in place; look at it both from where you sit and from the doorway.
- Check the outlet position and the cable route; Brime d’Onyx, for example, comes with a 1.5 m cable.
- For round shades, confirm that the distance from the center of the lamp to the wall is greater than the shade’s radius.
If you are undecided, you can send a few photos of the space and its measurements to our free consultation service; the studio prepares two or three suggestions within 1–2 business days. Architects and designers can request scaled front, side and top-view drawings for each model through the Architects & Designers Program.
Frequently asked questions
How tall should a table lamp be?
There is no single right size; height depends on the surface and the job of the lamp. The general rule is that, seen from where you sit, the lower edge of the shade should be at or slightly below your eye level, and the shade should not be wider than the surface. Nyxora table lamps range from 42 to 65 cm in height; the small size of Orbe d’Onyx is 37 cm.
How do you determine the right console lamp size?
Look first at the depth of the console: the lamp should fit on the surface without overhanging it. On narrow consoles, shallow models such as Halo d’Onyx (26 cm) or Brime d’Onyx (28 cm) are suitable. For height, take the mirror or painting on the wall into account; because a console is a surface viewed while standing, it can carry taller lamps. On long consoles, a matching pair of lamps creates symmetry.
What size should a bedside lamp be?
A bedside lamp should not exceed the width of the nightstand and should leave room on the surface for a book or a glass. If the lower edge of the shade sits between shoulder and chin level when you sit in bed, the light falls on the book and the bulb is not visible. On narrow nightstands, compact models with 36–38 cm shades sit in balance; on wide nightstands, lamps with horizontal forms do.
Which side of the desk should a desk lamp go on?
The light should come from the side opposite your writing hand; for right-handed people, the lamp goes on the left of the desk. That way the shadow of your hand does not fall on the paper. If you work at a screen, place the lamp beside the screen and slightly in front of it. Models that send light downward from beneath the shade, such as Strata d’Onyx, are suitable for a desk.
How close to the wall can a table lamp stand?
The center of a lamp with a round shade should be at least the shade’s radius away from the wall; otherwise the shade touches the wall and the lamp looks awkward. For a shade 52 cm in diameter, for example, this distance is at least 26 cm. On narrow surfaces close to the wall, models with asymmetric or flat shades fit more easily.