A new shade is the quickest way to change a lamp or a ceiling light without buying a new one. It decides how much light reaches the room, where it falls and what colour it takes on. Our first lamp shades are arriving from European makers, delivered free across the UK.
Our first pieces are on their way. We are choosing them one by one from European workshops and makers. Tell me when they arrive.
Buying guide
Choosing lamp shades comes down to three things, in this order. Check the fitting, then the size, then the material and shape that give the light you want.
For a table lamp, a good starting point is a shade whose height is about two thirds of the base, measured up to the lamp holder, and whose bottom diameter is roughly equal to the height of the base. The shade should hide the lamp holder when you are seated or standing beside it. For a ceiling pendant, the shade should leave a comfortable gap above heads and tables, and a large drum shade of 40 to 50 cm suits most living rooms. Floor lamps take bigger lamp shades than table lamps, often 40 cm across or more, so that the shade still looks in proportion with a tall stem.
Measure the top diameter, the bottom diameter and the slant height, the length of the side from top to bottom. When replacing lamp shades, take these three numbers from the old one and keep the fitting the same. If you are buying for a new base, take a photo of it next to a tape measure, which makes it much easier to judge proportions when you compare shades online.
Linen and cotton give a warm, even glow. Pleated fabric adds texture. Paper is light and very diffuse. Rattan and woven shades cast patterns on walls and ceilings. Opaque shades, or ones lined in white or gold, send light up and down and keep the room dim, which suits a bedroom. Coloured lamp shades tint the light, so a deep red or green will make the whole room warmer and darker.
Drum and cylinder lamp shades look modern and spread light widely. Empire and tapered shades narrow at the top and push more light downwards, a classic choice for traditional bases. Coolie shades, wide and shallow, work well over a dining table. Pairing shapes helps too, as a round base usually looks best under a drum, and a square base under a square or rectangular shade.
Respect the maximum wattage marked on the lamp, and keep the bulb clear of the fabric. LED bulbs run much cooler than old filament ones, which makes them the safer choice inside fabric and paper lamp shades.
Measure the top diameter, the bottom diameter and the slant height down the side. Note the fitting type as well, so the new shade fits the same lamp holder.
As a starting point, the shade height should be about two thirds of the base height and the bottom diameter roughly equal to the base height. The shade should hide the lamp holder from view.
Only if the fitting matches. Easy-fit shades slip over most existing pendant flexes, while others need a specific ring size or a new pendant set fitted by an electrician.
Usually the shade ring is not sitting flat on the lamp holder, or the fitting is the wrong size. Reseat the ring and tighten the collar, or check that the shade matches your holder.