you could use a point light, but what you need to realise is that cg light behave very differently to real world lights. Things like translucency etc are expensive effects, what you want to do is fake it with other lights.

So I would use a spotlight as the main source of light from the lamp e.g. pointing down, then have spill lights and fillers acting as diffuse light (remember cg light doesnt bounce like in real life!!) That would be how I'd start it. Start with a picth black room and then add more lights until it feels right checking after you add each light.

As for the material, use a blinn because lamberts have no spec and even if you dont want spec you can always turn it off in the blinn by turning it right down.

Post some pics and lets see how you are doing.

Alan