Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
This week’s submission is about lighting, which is possibly the most difficult decorating challenge of them all. Knowing where to find a quality lamp is difficult and requires wading through a sea of junk.
Liz in Portland: “I’m looking for a lamp for my dining table. We have an open plan living/dining area, and my house is much more pleasant with the dining table in a different spot than the ceiling lights. We don’t have a plug nearby, and I’d love to find some sort of rechargeable or battery powered lamp that isn’t hideous or enormous and casts a decent amount of light. I could probably run a cord along a wall to accommodate a lamp over the table if necessary, but I have a toddler so I’d like to avoid that if possible.”
Dear Liz,
When I first read this request, I immediately thought of this very recent article about the battery-operated lamp that is apparently taking over NYC. I don’t care to discuss this any further because this lamp is awkward and ugly, but thank goodness you asked this question because I had no trouble finding some lovely alternative options for your (hopefully larger than a restaurant) dining table. Lighting concerns aside, it always adds an extra element of coziness to have a light source on the table. My favorite ambient dining situation in my own home is extremely dimmed overhead lighting and a cluster of chunky beeswax pillar candles in the middle of the table. It acts as a centerpiece, too, which means I’m less likely to impulse buy $50 dahlias at the farmer’s market to fill the space.
Here’s some criteria to consider when shopping for your totally functional, centerpiece-worthy dining table lamp:
Can it be easily destroyed by a toddler/or pose danger to a toddler?
Warm light, not a cold/daylight LED
Must be a shape/size that won’t totally block your view of the person sitting across you — either low profile, or with a long skinny base
Ideally no paper or fabric lamp shade in case you splatter or spill anything
I’m not sure if your table is round or rectangular, so I shopped with a round/oval table that fits 4-ish people in mind. Here are my favorite options:
Poldina Pro Rechargeable Lamp ($169), from Zafferano America (the same company that makes the NYT-featured Pina Pro) is rechargeable, has a classic shape and comes in SO MANY COLORS. This one really seems like a no-brainer to me if you want something restaurant-like and durable, and would probably be useful in other parts of your home, too.
Setago Rechargeable Lamp ($205) is my personal favorite for its low-profile, inclusion of a dimmer, and mushroom-y shape. This appears to be a popular shape for this type of lamp, but most others I have encountered either don’t emit enough light, or appeared to be cheaply made.
Fatboy Transloetje Lamp ($139) is the minimalist lamp version of an 80s transparent phone. I love how light and unobtrusive this one is, and can imagine that it’d be easy to get used to having on your table.
JWDA Portable Table Lamp ($230) is glowing orb of light! Not only is it a toddler-friendly shape, but you can easily see above and around it.
One thing I learned while doing this research is that the charging power of portable lamps can vary drastically. All of the above options last for 8-10 hours, while many others were only 4 or 5. Be sure to shop carefully! What use is an electronic device if you have to remember to charge it all the time?
QUICK ANSWER
Kerry in New Jersey: “I used to order custom foil-stamped pencils from your former shop, and I'm wondering if you have any recommended resources to acquire more? I'd rather support a small business than order from a big company.”
I’d recommend ordering custom pencils from Perry Pencil Co.! They’re done on the same type of machine we used in my shop. Boss Lady Carolyn is lovely and will make the whole process a total breeze. These make great teacher gifts for anything who’s going back to school this month!
Chana in Brooklyn: “I would love to hear your recommendations for children's backpacks for the back-to-school season. Of all the gear, backpacks take quite a beating and a good backpack is crucial to setting up a child's school year for success. Plus they're harder to replace midyear when there's a catastrophe and a child's rhythm gets thrown off. (It's much, much easier to replenish and/or swap out supplies inside the backpack.) There is SO much to consider from sizing to padding to internal organizational components - and there is a tremendous price range of backpacks currently on the market.”
This is such an important request! Finding the right backpack is hugely important and the truth is, there are a TON of garbage backpacks out there that value design/bells-and-whistles over function and comfort. I hope you’re not disappointed by this answer, but I am a firm believer that the L.L. Bean Original Book Pack is the #1 best backpack for school of all time. They’ve been tested and used by students for decades, and come in a variety of sizes and styles for kids of all ages, and are a real bang for your buck. Bonus point for optional monogramming! Want something a little snazzier? The Kane Kids Backpack from State Bags is twice the price, but is the highest quality backpack you’re likely to find in a more “fashion” style.
^Parents, do you have a tried-and-true favorite in your family? Please drop the link in the comments!
FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
You probably know by now that I am not an impulse shopper. That said, I do occasionally succumb to the the fleeting allure of something I would normally never buy. This happened in June while I was on a break during a long day on my bike. As I flipped through Instagram, I was served an ad for a Rosie Assoulin (who I love) and Allbirds sandal collab and the scarcity mindset of “limited edition” got to me and I pressed BUY as quickly as I could, even though these sandals are clunky and sporty and not my style at all. Several trips to the airport, over 100 miles clocked on foot and I can comfortably say that these dumb slides are my best purchase of the summer. They’re cushion-y without being so much so that I fear they’ll screw up my feet. And for a hard-wearing gal like me, it’s an added bonus that they’re easy to scrub clean. The RA collab is mostly sold out, but Allbirds makes the same Sugar Slider in a couple of regular stock colors, too!
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next week for fresh recommendations! xo Caroline
Received Sugar Sliders as a bday present and have been loving as well! (albeit as house shoes haha)