There is nothing like good old context clues to help provide clarity when you need it. As you can guess from the first half of the word, torchieres are another element of the expansive lighting industry.
As you can tell from the second half of the word, however, it is slightly more sophisticated than the archaic, flaming wooden sticks.
Torchieres are floor lamps that project light upward from a translucent bowl or cone. This creates a warm, indirect glow that softly infiltrates the room.
Before electricity was discovered, harnessed and readily available, people would place small torches in carved out niches at various high points along the halls so the light could flow throughout the building.
Torchieres are a modern translation of this, literally, age old concept. With many modern renditions, improvements on basic functions have been made.
Take the Horton 1-Light Torchiere by Kenroy Home for example. It features the standard inverted cone for the indirect glow mentioned earlier. What was less traditional, but becoming more commonplace, is the additional light attached to the middle of the floor lamp by way of a flexible arm.
Standing at 6′ tall, this torchiere will effectively cast its charming light in many average to large rooms. The side light, meanwhile, provides a direct light that can be adjusted to optimum angles for reading, etc.
It’s not too often that you find an essential item that offers such versatility without taking up a lot of space. When you do, it’s almost a must that we find a way to incorporate it into our lives.