Are you diggin’ the retro feel of an arched floor lamp? I’m not sure where I first saw and fell in love with one. The details aren’t really all that important. What is important is that I found one, and I want to share what I think about it with you today!
I bought mine with my own moolah off Amazon
First of all, and I found this mentioned a lot in the online reviews: my lamp did not come with instructions. It may seem silly to want instructions for a floor lamp, but it comes pretty dang unassembled. I figured it out, but if you’re not apt to figuring out how to assemble things, this may be a major issue for you. (Although, one reviewer said theirs was printed on the side of one of the boxes included in the delivery, just for reference).
The on/off switch is a very handy and perfectly functioning foot activated switch. There’s a great deal of cord on either end of the switch too, so you can maneuver it to where it’s convenient. (omg my floors are so dusty!)
The base of the lamp is a very heavy circular slab of marble. I don’t doubt that it is in fact a heavy stone material. There is an alcove on the underside. This space makes it fairly easy to screw the pole into the base. I was missing no parts necessary to attach the two pieces.
I’m making the assumption that these slabs are made to fit with a variety of lamps/products as there’s a smaller hole beside the larger hole (that the pole of the arch attaches to the base with) that serves no purpose. I want to also point out that the threaded piece that attaches the pole to the base screws out to be long enough to accommodate the pole, base, and nuts and washers (I saw this complaint mentioned a few times in reviews).
The finish is a very definite brushed nickel. And the poles appear to be heavy-duty enough to hold up to the weight of the metal shade and arch over time. I’m not sure how much the lamp could take if you’ve got a small child who likes to shake things, though. I think it’s definitely worth mentioning that I think rambunctious children could eventually loosen the nuts holding the base intact. (the lamp is heavy which could be a safety concern).
The pole that’s attached into the marble base attaches to the other two “sections” of the arch by simply sliding into place, and screwing a small screw (included) into the predrilled holes. While it’s undoubtedly in place, the construction overall leads me to believe that constant moving of the lamp, or jostling caused by small children, could loosen some of the important joints (as aforementioned).
The middle segment is slightly skinnier than the first. Still the same brushed nickel finish, though. What I’m finding a lot of the reviewers mention, is that the third segment is missing. In fact, it’s actually inside of this second segment. Most people aren’t finding this and are bummed because the lamp doesn’t arch enough and the shade doesn’t point straight down.
In the picture below, I added a rectangular overlay to demonstrate just how crooked the adjoining pieces of the arch are. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem caused by over tightening of the screw or misassembly. So I’m left to believe this is a quality issue.
The third section is a bit tough to pull out, but it’s there and pulls out to fully extend the arch. I don’t have much upper body strength, so I couldn’t figure out if the piece pictured below was meant to be turned to tighten the other piece in place (but, a reviewer said that is indeed what it does). If it is, mine could very well be broken and that’s why I can’t turn it. I’m having no problems with it slipping out of place, though.
Probably the flimsiest part of the whole lamp is the shade. It’s not a single piece, but rather two, as you can probably see by the line below the holes (for the release of heat, if you’re wondering). It’s disappointing, as that’s not obvious in the picture. And the mechanism for attaching the shade to the rest of the lamp isn’t very sturdy. You may be able to see where it didn’t screw properly in place and a sliver of light is showing between the shade and the light socket portion of the lamp.
The rim between the two pieces that made up the shade can be seen below. The lower portion just rests atop the upper piece.
We have 8 foot ceilings in our home. Many reviewers on Amazon mentioned that they thought you’d need at least 9 foot ceilings because the lamp is too overpowering otherwise. I think if you’re looking for this type of lamp, you’re probably looking for a statement piece anyways. So I pulled it out and snapped a photo so you could see it in comparison with my 8 foot ceilings and Broyhill China Cabinet.
We’re in the process of buying pieces and arranging them in our home, so don’t mind the mess, will ya’? Here’s a picture of the lamp in the corner over my fabulous Vintage Swivel Egg Chair. Hopefully this gives you an overall view of it’s size and construction.
Overall, I love the look of the lamp. And for the price, it’s on par with what I expected it to be. It’s functioning, but the quality could be better. But, I could also spend a whole lot more money for one that is better quality. I wanted to point out a lot of what reviewers were complaining about, as the reviews are largely weighed negatively against this lamp because of misinformation. If proper instructions were included, a lot of these negative points would be void. Alas, I’m happy. And if you’re wanting this style of lamp, you may be happy, too!
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