All About Lampshades

Lampshades come in all shapes and sizes. These days, many people are mixing and matching their lamps and shades. Whether store-bought or custom made, lampshades can make all the difference in your home decor. There is a wide variety of both contemporary and classical designs available today. And for the more creative and craftier types, making your very own lampshade might be just the ticket to express your personal style within your home setting. Lamp shades come in a variety of materials, including linen, burlap, shantung, rustic weaves, translucent and classic oiled parchments, leather-looks, exotic and plain papers, and a vast array of pleated fabrics. You can also get lampshades made of glass, porcelain, and stone for that ultra-sheik look.

Replacing your lampshades

How does one know when they need to replace their lampshade? Sometimes it's easy: if the material on your lampshade has become tattered to the point that it is a fire hazard, consider buying a new one. In other instances, it might simply be a case of the current lampshade not adequately complimenting its base. Here are some basic design tips:

Rectangular shades look best with square bases.

Be sure that there is at least three inches of space between the shade and the light bulb.

Crystal and glass lampshades require smaller bulbs.

The height of the lampshade should be roughly three-fourths the height of the base. Beware of big, gawky lampshades.

The lampshade should fall far enough down to cover the electrical fittings and the base of the socket, but make sure you leave enough room so that you can comfortably change the bulb. 

Lampshade fittings

No matter what material you are using for your lampshade - fabric, metal, crystal, paper, or glass - you will have three fitting to choose from: "Spider", "Uno", and "Clip-on". One fitting does not fit all, so be sure that you know the difference between each and make a note of what fitting your current lampshades are.

Spider - This is the most common lampshade fitting of the three and is usually used with wall lamps and table lamps. This type of lampshade fitting usually has risers attached to the harp to resize the shade and boost its height.

Uno - This lampshade fitting does not use a harp because it is more commonly used on smaller lamps such as nightstand lamps and swing-arm wall lamps. This fitting attaches the shade directly to the lamp socket.

Clip-on - This type of lampshade fitting clips on to chandelier bulbs and secures chandelier lampshades. It also fastens onto bulbs in smaller, accent lamps.

More information on lamp shades