Lamp Shades Guide
Lamp Shades Guide

Lamp Shades Make A Difference

One of the most overlooked and under-valued considerations in decorating is the selection and use of lamp shades. The styles, colors, composition, and design of shades can create a real impression in a room. A printed or web based lamp shade guide can be a real plus in helping create the desired look for a space. Especially for an amateur designer, such guides can really make the decision process more productive and less painful. One of the most important considerations to be made is the visual ratio between the lamp and the shade. It is vital that the two be in sync, so that both are shown to their best possible advantage. Lamp shades are typically measured across the top, across the bottom, and up the side for what is known as the slant height measurement. The fitter style of the lamp shade must be considered, so that it will fit the lamp properly. A lamp shade guide will explain that there are three basic styles of fittings that exist on typical lamps. A harp and spider fitting is used on lamps with a harp (a wire mechanism that curves around two sides of the bulb and meets above it). The spider is a wire frame (normally three pronged) that fits atop the harp and is secured by a finial. Spider fitters may be built in to a lamp shade, or a lamp may be fitted with a separate harp and spider to accommodate a simple lamp shade. Harp and spider fitters provide an excellent opportunity to vary the height of a lamp shade. UNO fitters may be threaded or slip style. In either case, the wire frame is secured at the base of the bulb and projects upward over the bulb to hold the shade in lace. The simplest form of fitter is the clip on style, which holds a hade in place by means of a curved wire frame that actually clamps on to the bulb itself. Whichever shade fitter is needed, a lamp shade guide will also consider matching the shade to the lamp style. It is important that the shade match the loo, style, and shape of the lamp in question. The intended function of the lamp is also a prime consideration. For example, a shade for a reading lamp should generally be wide at the base, so that plenty of light is dispersed. There is a wide variety of lamp shades for every need. According to one lamp shades guide, there are at least six distinct styles. Candelabra shades (the name is self-explanatory) are usually clip-on shades. Drum lamp shades have almost vertical sides and tend to be wider than the similarly shaped (but taller) cylinder shades. Floor shades feature steep sides, while coolie shades are small at the top, wide at the bottom, and feature a a gradual slope. Empire shades are usually used on table lamps, and feature a slope between the two just defined. A bell shade is, obviously, bell shaped and often features a scalloped bottom. Whatever shade is chosen will drastically affect the look and function of the lamp.