Bye-Bye Tapers: Why Designers Are Swapping Candles for Portable Lamps on Their Holiday Tables This Year

We’ve used candles for millennia – first for light, then for atmosphere. While they’ll never not have a place in the tablescape, it seems they’ve met a worthy adversary. Now that lighting fixtures are being engineered to, like our phones, go fully cordless, why keep taking the call from the corner of the wall? As lamps go wire-free, designers are swapping taper for tech, bringing glow and newfound ease to the holiday table.

This might sound niche – even slightly sacrilegious – but restaurants (and in-the-know tastemakers) have been onto the portable lighting trend for years. ‘Cordless lamps are our jam! I now officially hate cords!’ says New York–based interior designer Andrea Sinkin. The occasional need to recharge, she admits, ‘can be a buzzkill, but the juice is worth the squeeze.’ Her team uses them everywhere: kitchen counters, bathroom vanities, consoles, side tables – ‘and yes, of course, for table decor.’

To counter the holiday chaos, Andrea encourages balance. Two table lamps on either end of a rectangular table, one for a round or square. ‘Use them to create mood and ambience – keep the dimmer on low and definitely add a garland and holiday decor to jazz it up,’ she says. Her favorite source is Pooky, whose cordless offerings are fast becoming shorthand for good taste.

‘A well-lit table feels intimate and welcoming, no matter how big your party, but candles can be unpredictable,’ says Jo Plant, Chief Creative Officer at Pooky. ‘They can burn out, drip wax, and pose safety risks around children and a potential fire hazard around greenery. Cordless lamps give you that soft, golden glow without compromise and can be styled in ways that add a unique flair to your table.’

Jo’s approach to table styling is measured but layered. ‘Combine taller cordless lamps with smaller decorative ones to add layers of visual interest and draw the eye across the table,’ she says. ‘You can even pair a taller lamp with elements such as garlands, baubles, or floral arrangements to add dimension.’

And she’s firm about bulbs: they must be warm. ‘The softer tone is universally flattering, enhancing metallics and natural textures, and bringing out the richness of festive colors like oranges, golds, reds, and greens.’ For reference, she suggests bulbs between 2700–3000K to replicate candlelight’s warmth.

Lamps, of course, should suit the setting too. Brass or glass pair beautifully with the current ‘Ralph Lauren Christmas’ trend taking over TikTok, ‘while textured or colored shades complement a more rustic Thanksgiving tablescape,’ Jo notes. If you’re celebrating Hanukkah, try blue velvet shades and glossy white porcelain bases for contrast.

But above all, remember: the portable lamp is a free agent. While it might start at the dining table, it doesn’t need to stay there. ‘The beauty of cordless lamps is that they can be moved anywhere, perhaps from the dining table to a sideboard, so you can easily adjust your lighting as the evening unfolds,’ notes Jo. When the plates inevitably outnumber the guests, it’s an easy solve – just slide it over to a nearby surface, a tiny table, perhaps, where it can shine softly out of frame.

To be clear, candles aren’t canceled; the best holiday hosts mix both. But there’s something distinctly du jour about a little lamp glowing beside your place card.

Ahead, six portable lamps we'd love to seat at the table.

‘Let the lamp’s gentle glow and minimalist design carry most of the message; this creates calm,’ notes Alexzandra Aguirre of Phoenix Interior Design LLC, who says they’re her favorite way to add ambience to a long dinner. ‘With thoughtful styling, rechargeable lamps can glow as magically and timelessly as candlelight.'