Choosing the Right Ceiling Shade or Lamp Shade for your Interior
Whether you’re a tenant in a rented property or feeling the pinch of the increased cost of living. Shades are a great way to refresh your interior. You can revamp your home without the need for rewiring or the added cost of an electrician. Changing shades can also be a great way of breathing new life into commercial establishments like restaurants and hotels.
Lighting and Lights have a huge selection of ceiling and lamp shades to suit every style and budget.
Finding the right shade can get confusing. Do you know your reversible gimbals from your fixed gimbals or your drums from your empires? This handy guide will help ‘shade’ some light on the terms you might come across in your search.
Styles
Ceiling and lamp shades come in all shapes and sizes. Gone are the days when lamp shades meant awful paper shades or boring, plain cylinders. Shades have improved dramatically and at Lighting and Lights, we have a whole range of diverse and interesting ceiling shades that give the impression of large elaborate lamps without the expensive price tag.
Whether you’re looking for a popular wire shade for a vintage look or a metal industrial style shade in keeping with a retro feel we have shades to suit.
Beautiful feather shades are perfect for bringing a soft, whimsical feel to a cosy bedroom or living room.
If you’re a fan of the current eclectic, bohemian fashion these unique natural shades will help bring that look to your interior.
Are you after something a little more impressive to make a statement in your home? In that case, we have a range of glass easy-fit shades to bring a touch of glamour and sparkle to any room.
Perhaps you have multiple rooms to restyle and are looking to buy in bulk or would like to match your lamps to your ceiling lights. We have some beautiful and well-priced shades to help you achieve the look you require.
Shade Shapes
There are three main shapes for everyday ceiling and lamp shades.
Drum
Drum shades are the most common and you’re probably familiar with these. They have parallel outer edges. Drum shades can usually fit on both table and floor lamps as well as ceiling fittings without needing adjusting. Look out for patterned shades that need to be displayed a certain way up. These will only work one way so check the description carefully.
Empire
Empire shades are usually wider at the bottom; like a tapered drum. They work really well on floor and table lamps and are available in multiple colours, shapes, sizes and patterns. They can also work as ceiling shades if they have a reversible gimbal… (more on those later). Check the descriptions carefully to be sure they will fit where you want them. Shades with a diameter of 30cm (or 12in) are usually big enough for a ceiling fitting. Lamps can take almost any size shade depending on your preference.
Coolie
Coolie shades are much wider at the bottom with only a small hole at the top just big enough for the fitting. They usually look best on ceilings but can work for wall lamps too. Metal ones are great if you are a fan of the retro industrial vibe and they are great for displaying filament bulbs to complete the look.
Gimbals
Yes, Gimbals! Gimbals are the metal part of the inside of the shade which fixes it to your light bulb fitting.
Look for a reversible gimbal if you want to fit your lamp shade to a ceiling light or vice versa.
Smaller shades may have a candle clip instead of a gimbal. These simply clip over the top of candle bulbs traditionally used for candle-style wall lights or elaborate chandeliers.
Reducers
Most shades are designed to fit an E27 (ES) light fitting but often they are supplied with a reducer ring so they will also fit a bayonet cap (BC/B22). If they are not supplied they can be purchased on Lighting and Lights.
Other Ways to Quickly Revamp Your Home
Table Lamps
Table lamps are a quick and easy way of refreshing the look of your interior. Placing a lamp on a coffee table next to a favourite armchair or on a bedside table can add an extra dimension of light to your room.
Table lamps often come complete with shades but if you like to create your own style you can buy lamp bases and shades separately. You can choose a simple base and change the shade to suit the season or go for something more elaborate with an oversized shade to create a real impact.
Floor Lamps
Floor lamps are excellent when used to brighten a dark corner that perhaps the main light doesn’t reach. In the same way as table lamps, they can serve a practical but also a highly decorative purpose.
Plug-in Wall Lights
Wall lamps are another great way of adding layers to your lighting design. Plug-in wall lights mean there is no need for complicated rewiring or professional electricians. Just place it on the wall where you want it, plug it into the nearest socket and you are ready to go.
