The leaves give this lamp a touch of whimsy without overdoing it. The lamp is heavy with nice detail (the finial is a leaf, for example). The textured shade is very pretty, but since it is brown this lamp works best as ambient lighting. If you want a reading light, you could switch out with a lighter shade. The lamp is just under five feet tall; we have it off to the side of a wide rattan armchair and it looks perfect.