Pairing Lamps with the Perfect Shade

Lamps are needed for more than just lighting up a room. Can you imagine a living room without a tall floor lamp in the corner or a bedroom without bedside lamps? Part of the beauty of a lamp, is the shade and how light filters through it. To maximize the impact of a lamp it is essential to correctly pair lamp bases with complimentary lamp shades. We’ve already talked of the many different types of lamp shades so here’s a quick guide on matching lamp shades to their bases.

Shape

A lamp shade should be paired with a base such that it appears to be a continuation of the form of the base. In most cases, a lamp looks complete when the shape of the lamp matches the shape of the base. For example, if your base looks round when you look at it from above, it will pair well with a shade that also looks round from above. A pedestal base with a curvy profile would be well suited to a bell shade while a bold spherical base would be well paired with a drum shade.

Size

For table lamps, the height of the shade should be approximately 3/4th the height of the base. Widthwise, the shade should be broader than the widest part of the base.  Ensure that none of the fitting hardware is visible under the shade. While browsing through design stores in Mumbai for lamp shades, you’re likely to be given measurements in terms of top x bottom x height. Top and bottom refer to the width of the shade at the top and bottom respectively while height refers to the slant height of the shade.

Fitter

A fitter is the type of hardware that connects the lamp base to the lamp shade. Not all lamps connect to a lamp shade in the same way. Two of the most commonly found fitters in India lamps are the spider harp fitter and the slip UNO fitter. While choosing your lamp shade it is best to take a photograph of the lamp base along with the fitter to make sure the shade you select will fit onto the base.

Wattage

Every bulb emits heat along with light. The high the wattage the more the heat produced. Thus when buying a shade for your lamp consider what the lamp will be used for and in turn how bright is the light required. For fluorescent bulbs and 40-60 watt incandescent bulbs 1-2 inches should be enough between the bulb and the shade while for 150 watt incandescent bulbs this gap would need to be atleast 3-4 inches. For lamps with high wattage bulbs ensure that the top of the shade is always open.

Keeping the wattage in mind is also necessary when considering the material of the shade. Choosing a paper shade over a high wattage bulb might result in the shade discolouring quickly or worse, it getting burnt.

It isn’t a bad idea to actually carry your lamp base with you when you shop for shades. That way, you get to see what it would like with a variety of shades. Lastly, while you can have multiple lamps in one room each with a different type of shade always ensure that atleast one element (example: colour, trims)  is common though all of them such that they complement each other.