Arc Floor Lamps

Arc floor lamps that stand behind or beside a sofa and carry the shade out over the seat, in overall widths from 27½ inches on the Whitman to 102⅜ inches on the Wells.

Measuring reach and height

Decide where the base will stand, then measure to the spot you want lit: the middle of the sofa, a reading chair or the coffee table. The lamp's overall width is a rough guide to how far the shade travels. The Marston Floor Lamp spans 43¼ inches and hangs a 13¾-inch fabric drum; the Chester Floor Lamp, 66⅞ inches wide, is built to stand behind a sofa and reach right across it.

When the arc hangs over a sofa, keep the lowest edge of the shade above the head of someone sitting upright; where it crosses a walkway, it needs to clear a standing adult. Some adjust: the Dalton sets anywhere from 57⅛ to 70⅞ inches, and the Manchester Bamboo and Fenwick hang from height-adjustable arcs.

A long arm needs a heavy foot. The Avery Marble Floor Lamp is counterweighted by a marble cylinder, and the Hampden stands on a marble base. Shades run from domes that aim light down (Chester, Warner, Woodbury) to the Whitman's glass globe, the Kensington's smoke-grey glass drum and the Manchester's open bamboo weave. See all floor lamps or the full lighting range, pair an arc with coffee tables it can light, or browse modern lighting, where 11 of these 17 sit, and organic modern lighting. For mixing looks, see the style and light guide.