Ascent Table Lamp - 1 Light - Polished Nickel, Black Shade Elstead

Ascent is a table lamp from Elstead Lighting's own line. A slender four-sided steel column tapers upwards like an obelisk and is finished in polished nickel; on top sits a tapered drum shade in black faux silk with a hard backing. The whole lamp stands 79 cm tall.

Size and space on the furniture

The base takes up just 9 × 9 cm, but the shade is 30 cm across at the bottom, 26 cm at the top and 30 cm high, and it is the shade that decides how much room to leave on a chest of drawers, bedside table or console. The column alone is 45 cm high. At 79 cm overall, the lamp is noticeably taller than a typical bedside lamp, so compare that figure with the height of the furniture and with whatever hangs on the wall above it.

The lamp weighs 2.92 kg. It runs from a cable with a plug and is switched on with an inline switch on the cable. It is Class I, so it needs an earthed socket. It is for indoor use only.

Bulb and dimming

Under the shade is a single E27 lampholder for a bulb of up to 60 W. The bulb is not included, so you choose the brightness and colour of the light yourself; beside a bed or sofa, warm 2700 K light, close to a traditional incandescent bulb, is the usual choice.

The maker states that the lamp is compatible with dimmable smart bulbs. It has no built-in dimmer, so brightness is adjusted through the smart bulb's own controls.

Style and variants

The geometric column and gleaming nickel set against the black fabric give the lamp a modern character. The maker places the Ascent range in bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms. The same lamp also comes with a dark grey shade on the nickel column, and with a black column and a dark grey or white shade; the collection includes floor lamps as well.