We got a request the other week for a roundup of dimmable lamps that are ideal for a bedroom. Understandably, they wanted the option to have their bedside table lamp on but at a low brightness to help ease them into bedtime. Set the sleepy mood, if you will. Made perfect sense to us! It’s also kinda funny that I’ve never prioritized dimmable lamps before. However, thanks to my parents, I’ve had it ingrained in me to always have dimmer switches. But with stand-alone lamps, it’s always just been a happy accident. I’m sure that there are plenty of you with your jaws on the floor thinking, “A happy accident?! I won’t buy a lamp unless it’s dimmable. It’s a dealbreaker!” And to you I say, your lighting game is VERY good and the rest of us are just catching up:) You may remember a post I wrote a few years ago about “The Perfect Soft Glow Light” being the ideal winter decor hack. This post is in that same world but you have even more “mood lighting” control. So let’s get right into it.
JWDA Table Lamp | Desk Lamp with USB Ports
I thought I’d start with one that Emily owns and has in the upstairs mountain house guest room. It’s so pretty, fits perfectly on a side table or nightstand, and you have total control over its brightness. But while the quality is wonderful, it isn’t cheap at $310. Now, Target has a pretty wonderful and very similar option that will only cost you about $37. Basically, there’s something for everyone with these two!
Pepin Table Lamp with Touch Dimmer
In case you’ve never experienced a Rejuvenation lamp in person let me tell you that they are truly special. The quality is so high and as you can tell from the lamp above, the designs are stunning. Emily also owned this lamp and only had great things to say about it (I, of course, asked). The style is versatile and that fabric shade diffuses the light so beautifully.
Bibelot Wavy Black Metal Mini Table Lamp
Ha, ok this is the last Emily rec as she has this little guy in her living room at the moment. She loves the soft glow it gives to the room at night. Plus, it’s just such a cute lamp! The shape and that woven shade are simply the best.
Caldera 9″ Table Lamp | Modern Flowerpot Cordless Table Lamp | Gold Cordless Table Lamp Rechargeable
These three all felt like similar enough vibes (with different price points) so I bundled them together. The first one on the left is from Schoolhouse and the most expensive. But as an owner of a Schoolhouse floor lamp (that looks as good as the day she got it five years ago) you can count on its quality. Plus, it’s also a fun and not “too modern” look, giving you style flexibility. The sweet white one in the middle is only $40 and that great shape will instantly make your room feel cool. Lastly, on the right, is that delicate modern traditional gold guy that’s only $27. Oh, and they are both also cordless! We can’t attest to the quality, the reviews give both 4 out of 5 stars.
Dalton Brown Suede and Metal Dome Table Lamp
This is also a dome lamp, like the ones above, but that rich burgundy shade and leather-wrapped base puts it in a league of its own. This lamp is pretty close to perfect but is definitely an “ambiance lamp” and not a “functional lamp”. Meaning, that even with the brightness at full blast, the metal shade blocks the light from bouncing all over the room. But if you want a moody lamp this might be perfect for you.
Now, for a lamp that will drench the room with light, this stunner might be your match. Wow, I love this one A LOT. It’s modern with a vintage feel, is interesting but still versatile and it’s under $200. I’m not saying that’s super affordable but if you would have told me this lamp was $400 I would have easily believed you.
Bianca White Marble Table Lamp
It’s dimmable but make it chic. CB2 knows how to make a modern table lamp so when I saw this I wasn’t surprised but was delighted it was also dimmable! That doesn’t feel as common for a lamp that looks like this. I love the detailing of the shade and that white marble base but if red marble is more your style, don’t worry that’s an option too:)
Full disclosure, this gal isn’t cheap but boy is she cool. Whether your home is full of abstract shapes or maybe you want to mix it up with adding one, this lamp is a very awesome option. She’s also BIG at just over 28″!
Ugh, I love a colorful fabric lamp so there’s no surprise I also love this BluDot one. It does come in a couple of other colors but this blue really spoke to me. So not only is it dimmable but it would add such a fun pop of color to any space. We have been using BluDot for a long time so can attest to their wonderful quality.
Brass and White Glass Globe Dimmable LED Portable Touch Lamp
This one is just fun! It’s the wild glam cousin of the first two lamps on this list. For $50, this portable lamp is going to add some cool quirk to your room AND give off a pretty glowy light. A win-win!
Vintage PHILIPS Type 13079 Dimmable Plastic Desk Lamp | Verge Adjustable Sconce
These two aren’t your “average” bedside table lamps. The first one is a task light which I don’t feel is the norm to use for a bedside light (?) but is so cool and VINTAGE! Then for the sconce, we love using them bedside. They give you more nightstand real estate and just look cool. This black one is also a plug-in so no need to worry about not having a junction box where you want to install it.
60-Watt Equivalent A19 LED Smart Wi-Fi Tunable White Smart Light Bulb | 60-Watt Equivalent ST19 Smart Wi-Fi Vintage Edison LED Light Bulb | Sengled Alexa, WiFi, Smart Light Bulbs (Set of 4)
Now, we all love a new beautiful lamp but in case you have a lamp you already love or have your eye on one that isn’t dimmable, you can always try a smart lightbulb. You can dim them using your phone! These light bulbs won’t be compatible with every light socket (I’m mostly talking about the little ones) but if it’s a standard size you should be good to go. All of these work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and should also work with the WiZ app you download to your phone if you don’t have those other options. Clearly, this is the most affordable option and lets you work with what you already have and love.
Hope this is fun and helpful! See you in the comments.
Love you, mean it.
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal (Yes, Another One!): The Coziest Upstairs Guest “Bunk” Bedroom
YES to warm, glowy lights, those are definitely on my mind now as it starts to get dark at 7:30 (earlier and earlier these days)…..I love using an “extension cord plug-in dimmer switch” for my bedside lamp. I have the ability to dim, and I’m using the switch (that sits on the nightstand table top) instead of reaching into the lamp shade to turn on/off. Also, TOTAL GAME changer for all my plug-in light fixtures, is this item, a “Remote Control Outlet Wireless Light Switch” (like this). I use two of these sets for the lights (lamps and plug-in wall mounted lights) in our common living spaces, and then from my favorite corner of the kitchen, via two hand-held remotes, I can turn on/off all our ambient lighting. We even have string lights in our sunroom/pool area, and the connection reaches out there. I really really love this item. I was on the hunt for a tiny cordless lamp for my kitchen widow ledge, and came across this company, Pooky – swoon, these lamps are so adorable. But I wasn’t ready to spend that much on this item at this time, so I ended up with a $30 mini cordless… Read more »
Ah whoops I said the same thing basically – those are such a game changer! And of course also smart bulbs that let you customise different lumen output and colour temperature for different “scenes,” that’s good too. But way more limited in terms of bulb connectors (like no G9 options etc).
Don’t forget the Tarnaby from Ikea. I have multiples of these in my home. Only $30. Lovely, dimmable light.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/taernaby-table-lamp-dimmable-beige-10508079/#content
Whaaat! How have I never seen this one before?? It’s so cute! Thanks for sharing, PM.
So cute! I’ve never seen this one either.
Just wanna make sure we all remember that there exists a product called a “dimmer plug,” often with a table-height slider mechanism, that allows you to make standard lamps dimmable as long as they have a compatible dimmable bulb. Have a Google! They’re cheaper and better designed and more available in the US than the UK where I now live.
Granted, sometimes you don’t want to be stuck with all that extra cord and cabling to have to disguise; it’s great to have the controls right there on the lamp (especially with a wall sconce). But don’t lose hope over beloved pieces – you can often make it dimmable!
Thank you for “enlightening” me. 🙂
What a great roundup! I recently discovered Gantri‘s lights—they’re dimmable and affordable, I have the Noah plug-in sconces in my bedroom and we love them. (Also obsessed with this quirky task light.)