Glass Table Lamps
Decorating with Glass Table Lamps
Glass table lamps can provide an elegant, sophisticated look to any room. They come in many sizes and in every color imaginable. Some glass lamps have a classic or vintage look while others can have a contemporary look. While some lamps have a base that is made of blown glass, others have a cut glass base, and others have stained glass.
Blown Glass Base
Glass table lamps with a blown glass base have a very rounded, fluid look. The glass can either be clear or colored. With clear glass bases the wiring up to the light bulb socket will be visible. In some lamps, the wire inside the base will be wrapped in different colors to act as an accent. When the base is made from colored glass, the color in the glass masks the appearance of the internal wiring. Because of the nature of blown glass, there are variations in the color throughout the lamp base. The variations make each lamp unique as the variations cannot be controlled. The shapes of a blown glass base vary greatly. Some are wider at the base and taper in toward the top. Others are the same width from top to bottom. Lamps with blown glass bases tend to have a very modern or abstract appearance.
Cut Glass Base
Glass table lamps with a cut glass base tend to have a very classic or vintage look. Cut glass often denotes class and sophistication. These lamps make an excellent addition to rooms that are decorated with early 20th century furniture and art. The glass in these lamps tends to be clear. The cut patterns tend to mask the internal wiring that runs up to the light bulb socket. The cuts in the glass can either result on angled peaks, giving the lamp a lot of steep angles. The cuts in other lamps are actual pictures and designs. There are many different base shapes possible with cut glass. A common one is to have a metal foot with the glass piece starting out very narrow at the bottom and flaring out near the top before losing back in at the top with a metal piece connecting it to the light bulb socket.
Stained Glass Base and/or Shade
Using stained glass techniques allow for more control over pictures and depictions on the glass. While the most famous examples of this style of glass table lamp are Tiffany lamps, they are not the only ones. Lamps with stained glass have a very distinct look with a lot of rich colors. Tiffany, the man who created the famous lamps and windows, had an affinity for flowers and dragonflies. As such, they were often depicted in his works. Abstract designs are also common in glass table lamps with stained glass.