Although they existed prior to his landmark invention, table lamps in their present form came into being after Edisons invention of incandescent light. Prior to that point, the light was produced by burning either oil or natural gas. This naturally produced a terrible odor that tended to cling to peoples clothes throughout the day. Fortunately for all of us, those times are long gone and we can enjoy the benefits and comfort of the table lamp free from the worry of smelling like the exhaust produced by one of our vehicles.

Today, there are really only three types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. Ambient lighting provides a general illumination for the room. Ceiling fixtures, chandeliers, and track lighting are all sources of ambient lighting because they light up an entire room without focusing the light on any one specific object or area. Task lighting, on the other hand, sheds light for very specific functions such as reading, cooking, or any other activity where concentrated light might be necessary. Any desk, floor, or table lamp is a source of task lighting as it provides additional illumination in concentrated areas without producing glare. Accent lighting is used to either illuminate hallways and corners where the ambient lighting is less-than-adequate, or to accentuate features within your home such as paintings or displays. As a rule, its illumination is roughly triple that of the ambient lighting.

For generations, the table lamp has been the preferred choice to fulfill most task lighting needs. What living room doesnt have at least one table lamp sitting aside the big, comfy chair for reading the evening paper? Is any bedroom suite complete without one, if not two, table lamps flanking either side of the bed to provide additional light to read novels with?

The very tone of your home is set by the lighting you use to light it with. That is why it is best to choose a table lamp with a soft, subdued lampshade to reduce glare and avoid overpowering your ambient lighting. You also want to pick a table lamp that compliments the furniture and dcor rather than something that stands alone. A Tiffany lamp may look absolutely stunning but if the rest of the room is contemporary and modern in dcor, it will tend to stick out like a sore thumb and draw unwanted attention. In such a case, using a table lamp of the Contemporary Style with a chrome base would probably be a better choice. Likewise, for those out there with a home decorated in the Craftsman tradition, a Mission Style or perhaps a Tiffany would probably complement the room very nicely and still provide a very warm, subtle illumination. Table lamps are also available in Traditional Styles for people with a penchant for antiques. Whatever your home dcor, just be sure to choose a style that blends in with the room but is functional enough to truly be a task lighting source.