Choosing a Modern Arc Floor Lamp

For a dramatic look and functional lighting over a table or chair, there's no floor lamp that is as distinctive as a modern arc floor lamp. Whether it's to highlight your coffee table or give you per lighting for reading in your favorite sofa, these lamps can do it without getting in your way.

There are times when you need overhead lighting but you can't or don't want to add a pendant lap to the ceiling. By using an arc lamp, almost any contemporary or classic room can be lit in any spot. Arc lamps are especially good for rooms with high ceilings as they add vertical scale if the rest of your furniture is low.

There are quite a few variations to the original Arco lamp that was designed in 1962 in Milan. You can choose a specific look to fit your décor or find one that's the most practical for your needs. This lamp has been reproduced by all major lighting manufacturers and you can get one in just about any price range.

The original Arco lamp is a stainless steel arc with an inverted bowl shaped shade and a white marble rectangular block as a base. The base has two holes on either side to accommodate handlebars to help move the fixture.

You can find quite a few reproductions made with bases in other materials, but if you'd like something that resembles the original as closely as possible, these ones with a heavy marble base are a good bet. There's no chance of the lamp tipping over even when fully extended.

This adjustable arc lamp's nickel finish stem is made of three tubes with the widest attached to the marble base and the narrowest attached to the shade. This telescopic design allows you to adjust the reach of the shade from 3' to 6'. The height of the top of the arc to the floor is 7'. The shade is also adjustable.

The circular base is white marble with grey swirls and is 14" round. The shade is 2.5 inches high and 12" round. The top of the shade has a pattern of holes in it that lets some light shine through. If you have a low enough ceiling, you'll get the pattern on it.

The switch is a foot button located on the power cord and you can use an up to 100 wattage bulb. This lamp needs to be assembled and all the parts are included.

This willowy lamp is the closest to the original one except that the base is black marble instead of white and is a lot cheaper! It looks spectacular and is there is no chance of it tipping over as the base is quite heavy.

The heavy base measures 9-1/4" by 7" by 21-1/2" and the shade is 12-1/2 " in diameter. The maximum reach is about 6' and the highest point of the arc is about 7.5'.

The 3-piece arched stem is made of stainless steel and can be adjusted for height and reach of the shade. In order to get the maximum height, you will need to reduce the reach a bit.

The suggested maximum wattage for this piece is 60W but a few customers have fitted a 100W bulb. The holes cut out in the top of the shade makes a cool shadow pattern on a low enough ceiling.

You don't have to restrict yourself to chrome or nickel arched floor lamps. A less modern and more classic look can be achieved with a bronze finish.

Although this is not a true Arco, the arch is achieved with a cantilever style stem so that you can adjust the height of the arc.

Except for the oatmeal colored hard linen shade, the rest of this piece is in a burnished copper bronze finished steel. The movable cantilever arm adjusts the shade's height from 60.5 inches to 69.5 inches while also giving it a flexible reach. The vertical stand's height is fixed. The shade is 12" in diameter.

A maximum 100W bulb can be turned on and off with a foot switch.

You can also get this lamp in brushed nickel.

This piece has a brown marble base and a very dark bronze finish stand and shade.

The reach of the arc extends to about 5.5' while the maximum height is 7'. The head is also adjustable so you can direct the light for reading or other tasks.

An on/off foot switch controls an up to 110W bulb.

You can also find this lamp in chrome with a white marble base.

If you're not too keen on the metallic inverted bowl shade but still like the function of an arc lamp, you can find a piece with a metal arch and a shade that's different from the normal Arco style. Instead of the metal bowl, choose a fabric or rice paper shade in another color to suit your room's decor.

With a black marble base, a chrome stem and a black linen shade you can achieve an even more sophisticated and contemporary look.

This piece stands 6.75' tall and has a width of 17". The arm is adjustable from about 2.5 feet to 4 feet and it is turned on or off with a foot step switch built into the power cord.

The lamp shade has a paper covering across the bottom to mute the glare of the bulb. It has a small hole cut into it to let some light come through unfiltered.

Ikea is known for making a variety of rice paper shades, so it's not surprising that they do a version of the Arco too!

The base and bow of the lamp is in a black matte finish steel and the paper shade is white.

The advantage of this lamp is that it is much lighter than a traditional arc lamp, as the base and shade are made of lighter materials and it is a good choice for a casual room.

This piece comes with a E26 bulb.

If you want a little more lighting than what a single arm lamp will give you, there are some really nice 3 arm choices available. Of course, because of the design, you won't get the large Arco shades.

This steel lamp has a bronze finish with brown mica shades and is a good choice for a room in a transitional style.

It is 7.25' in height and you will need 3 bulbs up to 75W each. There is a dimmer switch near the top of the stem. While the height of the lamp cannot be adjusted, the arms can be swiveled up, down and sideways so it is very versatile.

The Threshold 3 Arm Arc Floor Lamp features a steel base in a bronze or silver brushed finish with tapered cotton shades hung from 3 adjustable arms. The width of each shade at the bottom is 11" and the overall height of the lamp is 82" with maximum reach at 36".

You can use a maximum of 60W bulbs each that are controlled by a 3-way rotary switch. This means that you decide if you want all 3 or just one or two on at the same time.

If you're looking for even more light from your lamp or you want one to stand behind a sectional, a 5 arm arc floor lamp is what you're looking for. These lamps usually don't extend as far out as a normal arc lamp but they work well for lighting up a larger area. Their edgy and stylish look makes them suitable for a contemporary or retro home.

This interesting 5 arm piece is made of polished steel and white nylon shades. The arms are adjustable and you can use 60W E27 A type bulbs. You can control whether you want just 2,3 or all 5 lights on by using the 3 way switch that you'll find on the pole.

This lamp is very tall, coming in at almost 7.5 feet. Certainly a statement piece in your room!

This 5 arm piece comes in a polished black or nickel finish and is a very modern look. The base is a sturdy tip-resistant plastic.

The height is 7' and is not adjustable but the small dome-shaped shades can be swiveled to direct the light from each bulb which can be a maximum of 40W each and are of a medium base type. The arms are evenly arched and you can adjust the brightness via a dimmer switch.