Different Styles of Desk Lamps

Banker and Pharmacy Style Lamps

• Banker and pharmacy lamps have the same basic style. Each lamp sits low to the desk surface, has a rounded glass shade and is meant to illuminate specific work areas. Bankers' lamps help place direct light on ledger books with small writing, and pharmacy lamps help technicians see the ingredients to dispense the proper amount of drugs. These lamps are considered traditional-style desk lamps and are often used with vintage decor.

Contemporary Adjustable Lamps

• Contemporary adjustable desk lamps swivel, swing and pivot to cover larger areas of desk and task space with direct lighting. This style of desk lamp is usually present at the work station of an artist, architect or jeweler. They can also be purchased with magnifying lenses built into the structure for viewing small print, artwork or objects. Contemporary adjustable lamps are also manufactured in clip-on styles to bring light to subjects beyond the desk.

Flexible Gooseneck Lamps

• Flexible gooseneck lamps are popular student desk lamp styles. They are available for as little at $5 at local discount stores. Different styles sit stationery on a desktop, while others clip to the side of a desk or bedroom headboard for night reading. These lamps were sometimes referred to as "Aladdin lamps" because they can "magically" be turned in any direction with their flexible construction. Shades on gooseneck lamps can be metal, glass or heat-resistant plastic.

Table Lamps

• Table lamps can also be used as another style of desk lamp--the prerequisite being that the lamp is tall enough to bring light to the desk surface. They also need to be smaller than ordinary table lamps--especially at the base so as not to take up valuable real estate on a worker's desk. Shades can be made of many different materials. Some of the most beautiful examples are made with stained glass.