Portland Textured Ceramic Table Lamp

Wider than it is tall. Measure the surface depth, not the height.

The shade is the widest part by a distance. At 50cm across you want a surface of at least 40cm deep, ideally 45cm, or it will sit proud of the front edge. This catches people out because the lamp looks compact in a photograph.

The low height is the point. At 46cm it slips under a wall-mounted mirror, a low shelf or a run of artwork where a 60cm or 70cm lamp would not go at all.

On a bedside this works well. Most bedside lamps run 40cm to 50cm, so this sits in the right range, with the bottom of the shade at roughly shoulder height when you are sitting up in bed. Check the table is deep enough for the shade.

On a console under a mirror, measure the gap between the surface and the bottom of the mirror. 46cm plus clearance is what you need, and it is the arrangement this lamp shape was made for.

The texture, and the proportion. Both are doing something.

The glaze is heavily textured, closer to pumice or coarse stone than to smooth pottery. Light catches across the surface rather than reflecting off it, so a white base reads as substantial rather than plain. On a smooth white lamp there is nothing to see; here the whole body has depth.

The wide flared shade is the other half. A coolie shade throws light outward and down across a surface rather than concentrating it in a pool, which is why it suits a console or a sideboard where you want the whole surface lit rather than one patch of it.

And the proportion is unusual. A shade wider than the lamp is tall gives the piece a low, grounded stance that reads as considered rather than accidental. Most lamps are taller than they are wide; this one is not, and it is the reason it fits under things.

Because the texture is applied and fired, the surface varies slightly between pieces, so yours will not match the photograph exactly.

• Heavily textured glaze, closer to pumice than smooth pottery
• A wide coolie shade that lights a whole surface rather than one patch
• Low at 46cm, so it fits under a mirror, a shelf or artwork
• The right height for a bedside, where taller lamps dominate
• Natural linen shade for a warmer diffusion than synthetic
• Pale neutral, working with timber, rattan, stone and linen
• Standard E27 fitting, so bulbs are easy to find and cheap to replace
• Buy two for symmetry either side of a bed or a sideboard

A warm bulb at 2400K to 2700K, maximum 60W. Cool white light on a white textured glaze is the worst combination there is: it turns the whole lamp grey and flattens the texture completely.

The low profile is the reason to choose it. Under a mirror, a low shelf or a run of framed pieces, where a taller lamp would clash with what is above it.

Texture is made of shadow, so raking light reveals it. Daylight from a window or a second light source across the room does far more for the base than the lamp's own bulb.

A white lamp against a white wall disappears. Against olive, sage or charcoal the silhouette and the texture both read properly, and the lamp looks deliberate.

A 50cm shade already occupies most of a console. One low bowl or a stack of books alongside is enough, and anything tall competes with the shade.

It takes an E27 screw fitting, the standard large screw bulb, up to a maximum of 60W. A bulb is not included, which means you choose the light rather than inheriting it.

Go warm. 2400K to 2700K. Anything cooler makes a white glaze look grey and a linen shade look washed out. This is the cheapest decision on this page and the one that matters most.

Go dimmable if the socket or a plug-in dimmer allows it. A wide shade at low output in the evening is exactly what this shape is for.

On brightness, 400 to 600 lumens is usually right for ambient light. A wide shade spreads that further than a narrow one, so you rarely need more.

A note on LED wattage. The 60W maximum refers to traditional bulbs. An LED drawing 8W to 10W gives roughly equivalent light and runs far cooler, which is the sensible choice inside a ceramic base.

Dust the texture with a soft brush rather than a cloth. A heavily textured glaze holds dust in the surface, and a dry paintbrush clears it where a cloth catches and leaves fibres behind.

A barely damp cloth on a mark, dried straight after. Nothing abrasive, and take care with anything that could snag on the texture.

Never use water or cleaning spray on the linen shade. Water marks a fabric shade permanently. A soft dry brush, a lint roller or a hairdryer on the cool setting.

Mind the shade in passing. A 50cm shade on a console in a walkway gets knocked. Position it where sleeves and bags do not brush past.

Switch off and let the bulb cool before changing it or cleaning near the shade.

Interior rooms only. IP20 means no protection against moisture, so not a bathroom or a conservatory that gets condensation.

What to expect. The texture varies slightly between pieces because it is applied and fired, which is the character of the finish rather than a fault.

Your lamp ships packed to protect the ceramic and the shade in transit. Current timescales and charges are set out on our delivery page.

Send us the depth of your surface and we will tell you honestly whether a 50cm shade suits it. Reach us via our contact page or live chat.

If it is not right once it is in the room, our returns process is straightforward, and everything is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

0% interest-free finance is available at checkout, and our price match promise stands if you find the same piece for less elsewhere. Lighting a hotel or a holiday let? Ask about trade accounts.