PORTABLE LAMPS - Stylish Cordless Designs to Light Up Your Home
Welcome to the BLOG
Hi, I’m Sandra.
If you're in awe of stunning interiors and crazy about home decor, you’re in the right place. As an interior writer with a background in styling and photography for leading magazines around the globe, as well as an avid home renovator, I am here to help you style and decorate your home with ease and confidence, like a pro.
On this blog, I’ll be sharing insightful articles packed with advice, tips, and ideas for home styling and decoration, along with inspiring tours of beautifully styled spaces. Having styled countless homes with very different interiors, I know it’s the final touches and thoughtful curating that make a space magazine-worthy, regardless of whether it’s an architectural masterpiece or filled with high-end furniture. And, rather than focus on one particular interior look or style, I aim to open your eyes to a wide variety so you feel inspired, not limited. In this post, I am showing you one of my favourite styling items - portable lamps which can illuminate any surface.
PORTABLE LAMPS
Styling your home with these amazing new home decor items
Photo: Pooky
Perhaps one of the newest and most exciting styling items are portable lamps - and they are definitely having a moment! Incredibly versatile, you can move them from room to room, and today’s designs are so considered they often pass for their wired counterparts. I chose to feature the lamp pictured above by Pooky, as it is, in my view, one of the most convincing cord-free models. I first spotted portable lamps on tables in a hotel and have since used them on almost every surface - to light up shelving, in a vignette on a console, next to a vase of flowers, or as part of a tablescape. And, as the nights draw in, having them dotted around gives me a warm cosy feeling. Aside from the aesthetics, The best part of these lamps is no cables or the need to be placed in the proximity of a socket, which means that, unlike regular lamps, a rechargeable or battery-powered lamp can be placed, for example, in the middle of a dining or coffee table. Most can be charged with a simple USB cable, while others are battery powered, requiring standard AA or AAA batteries. These lamps are even cleverer than you think, as not only are many of them dimmable, but with some models you can also choose from a cool white light to a soft, warmer option. The only downside is the level of brightness, as the bulbs are generally integrated and are between 2 and 4 watts, with some up to 5 watts. But now we have all ditched halogens for LEDs, I believe that most of us are comfortable with softer, more ambient lighting.
You can style portable lamps on a shelf during the day, then weave them into your tablescape in the evening. Tuck them into a dark corner to give it light and display them on surfaces where you would otherwise have candles or no light at all. As well as dining tables, think coffee and side tables, which are often in the middle of the room, so you would not place a lamp with a cable, even if there was a socket nearby. These portable models are also ideal for kitchen shelves, styled next to books and plants. In the bathroom, they can be placed beside a scented candle for spa-like lighting. Pop one next to your bed and, if you choose a model you can simply tap, there’s no more fumbling in the dark for the switch. Read on to see how portable lamps come in so many shapes and sizes and are far more versatile, yet as stylish as traditional lamps.
MY BATTERY POWERED PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Sandra van Aalst
The cinnamon-toned lamp shown here was the first portable lamp I purchased, and one of those home decor pieces that I find myself moving around the house constantly, trying it on all different surfaces where I don’t need a socket. I’ve styled it in the image here on my dining room shelving next to gold-coated coral and a starfish, but it looks equally as good on my dining table. This particular model is made of ribbed glass and battery powered by interior designer Abigail Ahern, who gets that balance of style and function.
BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL WALL AND TABLE RECHARGEABLE LAMPS
Photo: Pooky
Pooky were one of the first to give us this new flexible lighting option and also offer some of the brightest bulbs. This lamp, pictured here on the kitchen island, with its stone base and black and cream Empire Shade, is one of my favourites. Styled here on a white stone tray next to rustic vessels with dried grasses, it would work in pretty much any interior. I also chose this image not just for the lamp, but also for the two wall lights above the shelves to give you a taste of rechargeable wall fixtures. Having electricity wired to where you want light fixtures in a room is extremely costly, and now all you need to do is to attach these rechargeable models and you have light anywhere you want it! Just screw the backplate to the wall and you are good to go. Tap the top to turn on and off, and remove the shade to plug into a USB. At the end of this article, I feature one more wall light, but I will be bringing you many more in a blog post soon.
STYLISH PORTABLE WITH MARBLE AND LINEN
Photo: Lights& Lamps
Having held the lamp pictured here, this is a solid, beautifully-designed piece, made with luxury natural materials including a white linen scalloped shade and a base crafted from Italian Calcutta marble. From Lights & Lamps, it has to be one of the classiest portable lamps. With Calcutta on my kitchen worktops, this is definitely on my wish list. As you can see here, this lamp also works so well displayed on a dining room table, and would look equally good on shelving.
FUNKY JEWELLED PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Rockett St George
I love this rather unique jewelled orange lamp and, although made from plastic and inexpensive, it’s a real showstopper. Aside from its stylish design from Rockett St George, the hue feels both warm and a little bit retro, and when lit, its shade is covered in indents so it throws out twinkling patterns with an overall amber glow. Pop it on the dining table or a drinks tray to bring a touch of glamour to your evening. It’s a perfect mix of playful and polished, adding a hit of colour and character wherever it goes.
SLEEK PORTABLE FLOOR LAMP
Photo: Next
I was rather excited when I came across rechargeable floor lamps. What I admire about these pieces is the freedom they give you. Pop them behind a sofa, close to a chair, standing proud in an empty corner, or pull them out onto the terrace for the evening. The softly curved dome feels really sculptural, and the warm grey slips into most schemes. At 140cm tall, it throws a sufficient amount of light, and is nimble, so easy to move around or recharge.
CONTEMPORARY PEBBLE SHAPED PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Made
What I like most about this little lamp is that, with its soft, pebble-like opal shade perched on a base with yellow accents, it looks like a tiny sculpture but with a purpose. The glow from this lamp by MADE is warm yet diffused by the opaque shade. It’s compact and easy to move, so you can style it on a stack of books, coffee table, desk or shelf.
VINTAGE STYLE PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Webb & Gray
Bobbin legs have been increasingly popular on tables, chairs and lamps, but what makes this lamp so special is that it is actually crafted from a reclaimed vintage bobbin chair leg. This one-of-a-kind portable lamp from Webb & Gray combines sustainability with real artistry, with the base having a hand-applied silver leaf finish to give it a luminous, textured sheen. Paired with a patterned shade complete with a red fringed edge, the lamp is decorative and functional. As a lamp like this creates quite a statement, it would work styled on a sideboard, chest or console, perhaps with another touch of red, like the cabinet here, that weaves nicely into an interior scheme.
SOPHISTICATED GLASS PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Dar Lighting Group
When the first portable lamps emerged, they were all a similar style, rather similar to the outdoor models, with a simple, straight or tapered base and a shade made in metal where you tap the top to switch it on and off. The Enrico Table Lamp from Dar Lighting, shown here, is such a great example of how rechargeable lamps have evolved. With its ribbed glass and sleek satin black base, it's a classy design that looks convincingly like a regular lamp. Styled here on a marble-topped table, it works in both modern and more traditional spaces.
ARCH-SHAPED PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Abode Living
The arched shape of this lamp is both on-trend and striking, and makes it feel more like a piece of art than just a light source. I love the soft, ribbed texture that has been cleverly reimagined in durable HDPE plastic, which is ribbed, with steel feet, balancing style with everyday practicality. Perfect for illuminating most surfaces, the Vuelta Portable Lamp by Abode Living has been styled here on a round stone table with a stylish vase and single dried seed pod, showing how its unusual design works in stylish, minimalist settings.
PLAYFUL PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Umbra
Styled here next to a vase of dried grasses on a stack of books, you can pop this lamp anywhere and move it from room to room to give you that bit of extra light where needed. Its unique leg design doubles as a handle, so you can also use it like a torch. With its jack-like shape, the CONO lamp by Umbra has a fun, almost toy-like quality, and the fact you can tilt and position it in different ways makes it very versatile. But what is also rather special about this lamp is that you can control it wirelessly.
CREATING ATMOSPHERE WITH GROUPED PORTABLE LAMPS
Photo: Joanna Wood
Portable lamps are perfect for a tablescape and, they look striking when displayed grouped together or in a row, as shown here along the centre of a dining table. The repetition creates a sense of drama, and what I like about these classic brass cordless lamps from interior designer Joanna Wood is how they take on a traditional design, yet, with their elegant brass finish, feel timeless.
CLASSIC PORTABLE FLOOR LAMP
This lamp has the combination of style and portability, with the presence of a full floor lamp without the distraction of a long, bulky cable. The bobbin-style base is a classic, and combined with the pleated, patterned shade, it’s hard to tell that the lamp, which is the Lillie Standing Lamp by Pooky, is actually portable! Another advantage is that it has a remote control to switch it on and off, with a dimming feature for when you want a more ambient light.
BATTERY-OPERATED PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Next
Aside from my own glass lamp from Abigail Ahern, this is one of the few stylish, battery-operated lamps that I have come across. This light by Next, with its subtle green tones and gold base, has just the right touch of glamour and, in addition to looking stylish, it has a 6-hour on, 18-hour off timer switch function, so you can just set it and only need to change the batteries when they run out.
DESIGNE-LED OUTDOOR PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: Tom Raffield
Designer lighting brings high-end craftsmanship to portable lamps in the shape of this striking piece from Tom Raffield. At the London showroom, I was able to see for myself its sculptural, flower-like shape, beautifully crafted from twelve steam-bent wooden petals. It's sustainable, bringing Scandinavian-inspired simplicity and natural materials together. Being rechargeable with a dimmable touch button, it’s practical too. This lamp, like other rechargeable models, also works just as well inside but has the flexibility and bulbs that can be used outdoors too.
ELEGANT OUTDOOR PORTABLE LAMP
This is a sleek, modern lamp you can use inside or out to enhance the enjoyment of alfresco dining. What’s also great about this light from Sophie Allport, is that you can adjust the brightness and customise the settings from a cool white to a warmer glow.
STYLISH SOLAR PORTABLE LAMP
Photo: The Solar Centre
This is an exciting outdoor lamp - a clever design powered by either solar or, if you don’t have enough light or don’t want to leave it outside, charged with a USB cable. Traditional solar lamps will only work if kept outside, as they rely on the light for recharging. What I like about this portable lamp by The Solar Centre is how it blends with a rustic outdoor setting while still keeping a contemporary silhouette. Styled here among flowers, a lavender plant and string lights, it looks at home in its wood-effect finish, adding a nature-inspired feel to the table.
SLEEK OUTDOOR PORTABLE FLOOR LAMP
Photo: Lime Lace
I had a traditional outdoor wired lamp on my terrace, but being heavy and wired meant it didn’t last very long, so I was delighted to stumble across this stylish and incredibly practical outdoor floor lamp. As it is battery operated, the Arnold Lamp by Lime Lace is also so versatile and lightweight, so you can reposition it in any area of the garden and, if the weather turns, easily bring it in overnight, although the strong aluminium construction is built to last whatever the weather. Whether you have it on the terrace by a seating area or close to your outdoor table, it’s one of those objects that will make any al fresco setting look more stylish.
PORTABLE WALL LIGHT
I’m ending this article with a wall light fixture to give you a taste of what’s to come as more rechargeable wall lights hit the market. I have also recently bought one myself, so I will show you my own in another post. To me, a wireless wall light is a revolutionary solution to lighting around the house. With this Scandi-style model from The Design Gift Shop, the baton can be removed and placed literally anywhere. With its combination of light wood and opaque white, it is a stylish yet clever little number, as it has a hidden magnet that holds the stick in place and allows you to remove it from the wall. It can then be used in many ways, such as a reading light in the bedroom or as a practical torch.
LET’S SUM UP
As you can see, portable lamps are no longer simple metal solar lights. Design-wise, they have come on leaps and bounds and you can now choose a model that complements your interior style. They’re perfect for creating little styled vignettes on dining tables, sideboards, coffee tables, and even bedside tables without the hassle of having a socket nearby.
