14 Best Bedside Lamps if Your Room Could Use a Little Glow Up

I’m calling it now: 2024 is the year of Snowman Chic! This bubbled beauty is an eye-catcher, full stop, and is sure to add a little somethin’ somethin’ to even the most boring of bedrooms. It’s also available in cute green and blue hues, so run, don’t walk.

Glowing review: “I bought two for my dining room, and love the size and shape. I also love that they have a three-way switch. They look beautiful!”

I’ve been to the Year 3000, and this is the bedside lamp that everyone is using. (For legal reasons, this is a joke.) But for real, how futuristic and COOL is this lil guy?! Set in a minimalistic wood base, the round, white lamp is lined with powerful LED strips that the brand promises will stay lit for more than 10 years. You can also adjust it to 10 different levels of brightness, so your future hungover self is already grateful.

Glowing review: “My favorite thing is the ease of turning it on and off with the on-cord button. The button glows blue when it is off, so you can find the button in the dark. I also like that there is a dimmer built right into that same button area. Can give quite a lot of light when on high! Be aware that it is a USB plug, as opposed to a standard electrical plug.”

I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of the gorgeous mushroom lamps you’ve probably seen all over TikTok. The trendy table lamps are short and squatty while packing a powerful decor punch, perfect for a bedside table. I personally love this matte-white pick (which gives off a gorgeous yellow glow when turned on), but if color is calling your name, they’ve got plenty of bolder options as well.

Glowing review: “If you’re looking for a small lamp that has the most inviting, pleasant, and warm glow, look no further!!! Would buy a hundred times over and I always get compliments on it.”

Whether your room is eclectic, super-feminine, all-neutral, or a little moody, this tall and skinny lamp will look right at home. It’s the brainchild of whimsical interior designer Justina Blakeney, with a smooth, off-white ceramic base and a thick shade decorated with a gorgeous knotted fringe.

Glowing review: “Cute lamp! The lampshade is a suede material so the light that shines through will be softer. I think it’s great for a bedroom or somewhere that doesn’t need the brightest light.”

This baby has features on features on features! Though not your traditional bedside lamp, this device can definitely act as one—with a ton of added benefits. Designed to help you fall asleep easier and wake up more refreshed, the light itself mimics a sunrise, slowly amping up in the morning to wake you up in a more natural way. (The soft glow is also perfect for bedtime reading!) It also doubles as an alarm clock and sleep sound/meditation machine, so basically, you’ll never snooze the same again.

Glowing review: “Seriously the best alarm in the whole world. I’ve never woken up feeling more rested and relaxed until I had my Hatch! I LOVE the colors and the sound options available on the app. I would recommend this to literally anyone and everyone! Seems like a steep purchase but I’m serious it’s 1000 percent worth the money.”

This baby has the “Amazon’s Choice” stamp of approval…and honestly, it’s got mine too. Frankly, I’m shocked by how affordable this bad boy is ($25 feels like a steal) considering it’s made of a gorgeous frosted opal glass (which makes everything feel extra glowy) and has three brightness levels you can switch up with a quick tap of the base.

Glowing review: “Love these lamps! I thought they may be too small, but the filtered light is bright (but not blinding) even at its lowest setting. Put them on small side tables in my guest room. Now I want to buy another set for my office. Strong enough to stay put if my cats jump on the table. They aren’t tall at all, but work for me. Totally recommend.”

If you told me this was in an art museum somewhere in Scandinavia, I would believe you. It’s so high style my brain can’t fathom how it’s under $200 on Amazon, and I want one in every color (ahem, there are four).

Glowing review: “Great, modern, fashionable lamp! Goes great with my living room!”

Real talk: tangled cords can be unattractive in an otherwise pristine living space. If you agree, then you might want a bedside lamp that’s cordless, like this cute little sage green guy. It’s completely portable and super bright, so you can take it from your bedside table to your dining table, desk, deck (perfect for dinner parties!) or literally anywhere else you might need it.

Glowing review: “Exactly what I’ve been looking for. The sage color is stunning. These lamps are perfectly petite and create unbelievable ambiance.”

If the only color that can be found in your closet is black (New Yorkers, I’m looking at you), then this beauty requires your attention. Dark and moody while still being super modern and chic, this lamp will surely last you for years—especially thanks to its super-durable concrete base. Not into the black? Fear not, it’s also available in ivory and grey.

Glowing review: “I bought two of these for my bedroom nightstands and they’re incredible! They totally make the room, and the lighting gives off a very soothing vibe. Plus they’re actually very heavy, which I love since I have a cat and was worried he’d try to knock them over! A perfect addition to any room.”

At the risk of sounding completely dramatic, you should know that bedside lamps are very personal things. What works well for one person—or one bedroom—might not be a fit for someone else. So, you gotta look at your lifestyle, preferences, and space to choose the best bedside lamp for you. Here are some things to consider:

Size!

First things first, think about where you’re going to put your bedside lamp. Chances are you’re going to be placing it on your nightstand, for easy access. But maybe you don’t have a nightstand (been there, done that tiny apartment life) and you’ll be leaving it on your nearby desk. Or, maybe you’re getting really adult and hooking up a sconce, like the Stori Modern Quill Indoor Sconce you see above. No matter the situation, pull out your measuring tape and see what you’re working with, spacewise. Then, compare that to the dimensions of the lamp you’re lusting over. You don’t want something too big or too small, because it’ll look out of place in your room, trust.

Style!

Like I said earlier, a good bedside lamp can make a huge difference in dressing up a room, so make sure you choose one that really matches your personal style and home aesthetic. There are truly so many bedside lamps on the market right now (I would know, I’ve been doing allll the research for you ❤️), so don’t settle for one you think is just “meh.” I promise there’s something out there you’ll love (and honestly, chances are there’s one above).

Features!

If you took a peek at any of the picks above, you likely noticed that bedside lamps have had a glow up (heh) over the past decade or so. And by that I mean most do more than just turn on and off—many also have a variety of features that can make your life (a) better, and (b) easier. For example, you can find bedside lamps that have tap on/off capabilities, are cordless, can dim or have various brightness levels, include a charging pad or USB port, act as an alarm clock, and more. Pick what’s most important to you before you buy!

As you probably know, Cosmo’s lifestyle team spends all day, every day scouring the internet, testing products, and reading reviews so we can bring you the type of high-quality content we’d want for ourselves (and our standards are preeeetty darn high, TBH).

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