The patterned lampshade and blue-and-white base seen here are complementary to one another and the rest of the room.
Swapping old lampshades out with new ones is a quick and inexpensive way to make your interior design feel fresh again. However, if you normally buy a lamp base and shade together, you may not know what to look for when you’re shopping for lampshades themselves. It’s important to learn which lampshade shapes, materials, colors, and sizes will look most pleasing with the lamp base you already own.
1. Make Careful Measurements
Your lampshade should be almost as tall as the lamp base and twice as wide to achieve classical proportions.
In order for your lampshade to look proportional with your lamp, you’ll want to follow the following guidelines:
Lampshade Height:
Needs to measure about three-quarters of the height of the base.
There should also be a two-to-three-inch space between the shade and bulb to allow heat to disperse.
Lampshade Width:
The shade width should ideally be double the base width.
Your shade needs to cover up the light switch and harp—keep this in mind if your lamp will be above or near eye level.
For floor lamps, the base diameter of the lampshade looks best when it’s eighteen inches or more.
If you find yourself stuck between two differently sized lampshades at the store, when in doubt, choose the larger one.
2. Balance Your Lampshade with the Rest of the Room
After you measure the bases of the lamps you want to update, take the surrounding room into consideration. Lampshades look best when they harmonize with the proportions of the items around them. For example, the lampshade for a table lamp should be balanced with the other objects on the table. In a narrow room, you might not have room for an end table with a lamp. In this case, I’d suggest lighting the room with two floor lamps on either side of a sofa instead.
The floor lamps in this Dallas area den complement the modern artwork displayed on the wall. We added a modern trim to the top and bottom of the shades.
3. Pick a Complementary Shape for Your Base
Different shapes of lampshades complement different kinds of bases. Square lampshades go well with square bases, and rounded shades can be paired with either rounded or hexagonal bases. “Empire style” is the term for lampshades with that classic conical shape. Although rounded lampshades are more popular, square shades have the advantage of conserving table or floor space because they can be pushed closer to the wall.
4. Choose Material and Translucency
As you can imagine, the material of your lampshade influences its overall look and how much light passes through it. Parchment is a good choice for contemporary and modern rooms because of its minimalist, solid-color look. For traditional and classical rooms, I’d normally recommend silk or cotton lampshades with a pleated effect. Linen shades look great in either solid colors or prints.
In some cases, rectangular lamp bases should have boxy lampshades, like these metal square shades from a Kessler Park guest bedroom.
Another thing to consider: are you planning on using your lamp to add more ambient lighting, create a reading corner, or highlight a focal point? In any of these cases, make sure you choose a translucent lampshade to let light filter through.
To highlight another object, choose a shade material that is opaque enough to bounce light above and below. Thick parchment, silk, or laminated card are examples. Feel free to choose a darker, thicker lampshade material if your lamp is purely decorative and is situated in an area that’s already well-lit.
5. Use Colors and Patterns That Contrast With Your Lamp Base
If your base has a unique shape that you’d like to highlight, make sure to choose a simple shade so that you don’t draw attention away from the base. On the other hand, simple bases call for lampshades with interesting colors or patterns. Since lampshades have less of an impact on the room than curtains or upholstery do, you have more leeway to use very striking colors or patterns on them.
When we’re working with a client, we take the original lamp with us when we shop. Having the original helps us not only find the perfect new lampshade color and material, but also see how the lampshade will transform.
Plain white lampshades are the safest choice for lamp bases with eye-catching shapes or textures.
Updating lampshades can seem intimidating at first, but you might be surprised at what a difference a new shade can make. And of course, if you’re starting a major redesign project and need to update all your lamps, our professional interior design team can help make the process a smooth and easy one for you. Schedule a free consultation with us by calling our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.