No, torchiere lamps do not provide ample light for the office environment. It is better to use a task lamp or direct overhead lighting when trying doing work that involves reading and writing.
Torchiere floor lamps are good lamps but are not known for being sturdy in the sense of possibly being knocked over. Due to the styling of these lamps and having a long and skinny structure these lamps could easily be knocked over.
Torchiere floor lamps are slightly unique in the fact that some of them still utilize halogen light bulbs. For the most part, current floor lamps do not use these bulbs, as they are proven fire hazards.
A floor lamp should be appealing, functional, and compatible with different light bulbs. A torchiere floor lamp has a sleek modern look with a tall shaft and curvy lamp shade. Additionally, the three way switch is useful for conditions that require different illumination intensity.
A torchiere floor lamp is a tall lamp that typically has a bowl-shaped light fixture at the top, which directs light upwards to provide ambient lighting. It is designed to illuminate a room by casting light towards the ceiling and bouncing it back into the space, creating a warm and indirect lighting effect.
Over the years there have been several different types of floor lamps that have been recalled for fire hazards. The most common and well known recalls were for Halogen Torchiere floor lamps as the bulb got very hot and there was nothing to protect them from coming in contact with other items. Halogen Torchiere floor lamps that were manufactured before 1997 were recalled in about 2002. There have been other Torchiere lamps recalled in between 2004 and 2008. The OTT-Lite True Color Floor Lamps were both recalled in 2001. All have been for fire hazards.
Lite Source offers many styles of lights such as contemporary, classic, traditional, accent, juvenile/kids and office. The first three includes another category for table, floor, torchiere and desk lamps.
Torchiere floor lamp is a high lamp used to provide lower light, creating a warm atmosphere. It is usually placed near walls or corners, with the lamp facing the ceiling. They normally are about 80 inches tall and usually they come with a rotary switch in order to give the user two or more light settings (normally low, medium and high).
George Kovacs, who passed away in 2007, was a lighting specialist. He is the person who first introduced the world to halogen lighting in the form of the floor torchiere.
An office on the first floor.
The best halogen floor lamps with dimmer for adjustable lighting in a living room are the Brightech Sky LED Torchiere Floor Lamp and the Catalina Lighting 3-Way 72-Inch Floor Lamp. These lamps offer adjustable brightness levels to suit your lighting needs in a living room setting.
By your description I believe it is Stiffel Laurel Leaves Torchiere Lamp from late 60's to mid 70's. Do a search for a picture. The shade looks like a tulip and the base is embellished with the same laurel leaves as the 4 uprights that support the shade. Good luck finding the lamp. The shade is still available on different sites.
You will find nice floor lamps at stores like Wal-Mart and Target. You can also purchase floor lamps at office supply stores such as Office Max, Office Depot and Staples. The Internet is also a great way to find and purchase floor lamps.