Using Swag Lamps

There are so many different varieties of swag lamps available today, that range from 1970s throwbacks to contemporary metal and glass lamps, that choosing just one per room could be difficult. There are rooms that aren’t terribly well-suited for the style, like hallways and bathrooms, in some cases. But for living rooms, dens, bedrooms and sitting rooms, swag lamps can add just the right touch.

It can be helpful to understand the difference between a hanging swag lamp and something like a pendant light. Pendant lights are hanging lamps, too. But they’re installed in the ceiling. A swag lamp will hang from the ceiling, but from a hook or eye. The cord is threaded through that and drapes over to the wall—that’s the part that’s called the swag. The cord then hangs down the wall and plugs into a standard electrical outlet.

This makes a swag lamp a convenient choice for almost any place in any room, without the hassle of installation. Hanging these lamps above a seating area for reading is an excellent choice, and they look great over things like tables or interesting features in a room. Narrow hallways would have to have the lamps so close to the wall that you’d lose the swag feature and end up making the hallway feeling cramped.

But in a corner of a bedroom or living room, over a chair or other seating, a swag lamp can lend just the right design element. You can go retro, modern, Victorian, gothic and almost any style with this type of lamp. Their popularity has caused manufacturers to create a variety of different shades and looks.

Remember to keep the style a complementary one with the rest of the room. A chrome swag lamp won’t look right in a country décor, and a retro lamp will look out of place in a contemporary room. Blend the lamp in and it’ll stand out in just the right ways.

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