The choices are endless. Once the lamp is chosen all eyes turn to the shade. As promised last week, I will give a few lampshade buying tips and introduce you to a great resource. Let’s talk purpose and style with Barbara Paulk of BMP Interiors (my fabulous resource).
Barbara Paulk, an Interior Designer, had trouble finding lampshades for her clients so she did something about it. She started her own lampshade business as a vendor at Cotswold Marketplace. Bring your existing lamp to her, and she will use her expertise to help you find the “perfect” fit and style. She also offers a selection of lamps if you want to start from scratch.
Purpose: A lampshade has two objectives; to hide the light bulb/hardware and to cast the light appropriately. Here are a few sizing tips:
1) The shade should be 1/3 of the height of the lamp with the bottom of the shade right at the “neck” of the lamp so unattractive hardware isn’t seen.
2) Light casting will be determined by the task of the room (reading, working, watching TV, gathering or gaming). Round drum shades send light up, down and all around while bell shades concentrate light downward onto the desk, table or bedside. So if the space will be used for reading, the light needs to be focused to that reading spot…select a bell shaped shade.
Style: banded, rolled, embellished, silk, faux silk, burlap, bell, drum……on and on. For every rule/tip regarding style there is a gifted designer who has broken it in a fabulous way. When I tell you that the shape of the lampshade can be determined by the shape of the base of the lamp (round base= round lampshade), know that when flipping through a magazine or walking through Cotswold Marketplace you will immediately see that rule broken beautifully. Decide what you like best, what catches your eye then get help with sizing (visit Barbara).
This modern cube lamp is one of Barbara’s “Mix & Match” collections where you choose a lamp, and she helps you pair it with a shade. Like a skirt and blouse separates, the options are endless and sometimes a stylist is needed. That is where Barbara comes in…she lets you try some options and pick the one that suits.
If you don’t know what that gadget is..don’t worry. Barbara has them, she sells, and fits them. Voila.
My favorite was option #3-the dramatic black shade. Which one did you like? Let’s try this with another lamp style.
It is evident how much a shade changes the look of a lamp. If you aren’t confident in making that selection, come see Interior Designer and Lampshade expert Barbara Paulk at Cotswold Marketplace for a FREE in store consultation Wednesdays 1pm-4pm & Thursdays 10am-1pm.
If you can’t afford a Christopher Spitzmiller Lamp (who among us can?) but want that same look, Barbara has a line of beautiful customized gourd lamps (small $225.00, large $260.00).
Choose the color (tons of options) and base (antique silver, bronze, brass, lucite). Then Barbara can help in shade selection.
