Floor Lamps to Light Up the Area Behind Your Sectional

Adding a floor lamp behind a sectional sofa can provide much-needed extra illumination in your living space. Strategically placed floor lamps behind sectionals create a warm, ambient glow that highlights and complements the seating area. With the right style, height, and position, floor lamps can become an integral design element that ties the whole room together.

Benefits of Placing Floor Lamps Behind Sectionals

Here are some of the top reasons to use floor lamps behind your sectional:

• Provide extra task and ambient lighting. Floor lamps give you additional light source options compared to overheard lighting alone.
• Create a cozy, relaxing glow in the living room. Well-positioned floor lamps provide soft, indirect lighting from behind.
• Highlight certain areas and surfaces. Direct a floor lamp to illuminate artwork, shelves, or accent walls.
• Add visual interest and dimension. The right floor lamp becomes a decorative feature that enhances your room.
• Offer convenient access to controls. Floor lamps put light switches and dimmers within arm's reach.

Whether you need extra light for reading or working, or simply want to create a warm, inviting ambiance, floor lamps behind sectionals can dramatically transform the look and feel of your seating area.

Tips for Picking the Perfect Floor Lamps

Selecting floor lamps for your sectional requires evaluating a few key factors:

Lamp Height and Reach

Consider the height and proportions of your sectional sofa to choose a floor lamp of an appropriate size and scale. Taller backrests pair well with taller floor lamps. For lower sectionals, opt for more mid-range lamp heights. Make sure the lamp is tall enough to distribute light but not so tall that it feels overly imposing.

Also pay attention to the lamp's reach and arm length so it can be readily adjusted to direct light onto the sectional seating as needed. Swing arm styles allow the most flexibility for angling the light.

Light Direction

Think about whether you want the floor lamp to cast light down onto the sectional, upward for ambient lighting, or out towards the surrounding space. Torchiere and arc lamps shine light upwards or outwards for whole-room illumination, while standard floor lamps direct light downwards for task purposes.

Bulb Brightness

Choose floor lamps that can accommodate the appropriate bulb wattage and brightness for your needs. Opt for higher wattage bulbs if you plan to use the floor lamp for reading or illuminating tasks. Lower wattage bulbs create a softer glow for ambiance. Consider energy-efficient LED bulbs to save on electricity costs.

Lamp Design and Style

Select a floor lamp design and aesthetic that matches your sectional style and living room decor. For contemporary spaces, try minimalist tripod lamps. In traditional rooms, vintage-inspired lamps complement. Match metals for a coordinated look. The lamp should enhance your overall interior design, not clash with it.

Cord Length

Make sure the floor lamp has ample cord length to reach a suitable electrical outlet near the sectional. Extension cords are a tripping hazard, so pick a floor lamp that has a cord long enough for proper placement behind your sectional couch.

Types of Floor Lamps for Sectionals

With so many styles of floor lamps available, how do you choose what works best behind a sectional sofa? Here we highlight some of the most popular options:

Arc or Swing Arm Floor Lamps

Perfect for directing a beam of light right where you need it, adjustable swing arm lamps allow flexible positioning. Rotate and tilt the arm to reduce glare. Choose different lamp heads, like magnifying glasses for task lighting.

Torchiere Floor Lamps

Featuring upward facing bowls or vertical bars, torchiere floor lamps distribute ambient light throughout a space. Pair one with a reading floor lamp for layered living room lighting.

Standard Floor Lamps

With traditional downward facing shades, standard floor lamps are ideal for illuminating the sectional area with direct light. Consider multi-arm styles for even more flexibility.

Tree Floor Lamps

For a natural, organic statement, tree lamp styles look striking behind sectionals. Choose from branched metal designs or faux bamboo stems with linen drum shades.

Reading Lamps

Reading lamps provide focused illumination perfect for bookworms. Opt for adjustable swing arms and gooseneck styles that allow directing the beam onto your lap rather than your eyes.

Placement and Positioning

Where and how you situate floor lamps behind your sectional impacts their lighting effectiveness. Follow these helpful placement tips:

• Place centrally behind the sectional for even, all-over illumination.
• Position in a corner to brighten up darker areas of the room.
• Locate midsection behind reclining or chaise segments for ideal reading light.
• Flank both outer sides for symmetrical, balanced lighting on each end.

Consider layering multiple floor lamps. For example, use an ambient torchiere lamp supplemented by two reading lamps for customizable directional lighting. Experiment with adjusting floor lamp locations to achieve the desired ambiance.

Lamp Design Factors that Impact Function

A floor lamp's design characteristics significantly influence its lighting capabilities. Consider these elements:

Lampshade Material and Style

The lampshade filters and directs the light. Materials like fabric and parchment offer warm, diffused light. Empire or drum shades give soft, even illumination. Glass or metal shades create more focused, direct lighting.

Adjustability and Maneuverability

Look for floor lamps with easy adjustment features like rotating shades, tilting necks, and bending arms. These make it simple to angle light just where you need it most.

Portable Compared to Fixed Bases

Portable floor lamps with casters allow you to conveniently reposition them as needed. Fixed base lamps provide consistent placement but less flexibility for moving them around.

Lamp Arm and Neck Design

The height, angle and range of motion of the lamp arm impacts light direction. Opt for jointed arms that swivel and hinged necks that tilt to customize illumination behind your sectional.

Ideal Floor Lamps for Specific Sectional Shapes

Match floor lamps to the particular style and layout of your sectional sofa:

U and L-Shaped Sectionals

Long, linear sectionals benefit from centrally placed arc or tree lamps that shine light evenly across the entire length. Flanking both ends with matching lamps also works well.

Modular and Reconfigurable Sectionals

Modular sectional sofas with movable components allow flexibility in floor lamp placement. Position lamps to focus light on seating areas as you rearrange configurations.

Square and Rectangular Sectionals

Symmetrically balance lighting on square sectionals by placing identical floor lamps in opposite corners or at both ends. Arc lamps also work well centered behind square sectionals.

Extra Floor Lamp Tips

Keep these additional tips in mind when selecting and installing floor lamps behind sectionals:

• Layer lighting - Combine multiple lamp types for balanced overall illumination.
• Match decor - Choose lamp finishes and styles that coordinate with your overall room aesthetic.
• Buy quality - Invest in solidly constructed lamps with durable metal and fabric shades.
• Mind proportions - Make sure lamp height and size suits the sectional's scale.
• Consider focal points - Angle floor lamps to highlight artwork or architectural features.
• Inspect condition - Examine for defects like dents, scratches or frayed cords before purchasing.
• Check electrical load - Avoid overloading circuits by reviewing lamp wattage ratings.

The right floor lamps can make all the difference in creating a warm, inviting ambiance in your sectional seating area. As we've discussed, ideal placement directly behind sectionals illuminates the space beautifully while enhancing the overall room decor.

Factors like lamp height, arm reach, light direction and brightness allow customizing the lighting to your needs. Arc, torchiere and reading lamp styles offer unique benefits. Position floor lamps centrally, in corners or at both ends depending on your sectional's shape.

By following the tips provided, selecting floor lamps for illuminating the space behind your sectional sofa can be an enjoyable and rewarding process. Thoughtfully designed and positioned floor lamps become permanent living room features that elevate both form and function.