I am a custom lampshade designer/maker. So that means that the choices are almost endless. It is easier to say what I don't do!!!! I do not do victorian silk lampshades. I do not do bark shades, pleats, cut and pierced shades or stained glass shades. With that established, the rest is fair game. Let your imagination roam. Brighten up your room with lively shades; you'd be suprised what decorative light can do.
TO START : 1.) Figure out the size of the shade you need. The height is the most important number; measure the side of your
shade. You want to have all the ugly stuff covered!!! ie:no socket or neck showing.
2.) Measure across the bottom of shade.
3.) Measure across the top of the shade.
4.) If your shade size is outdated, it is often easy to lower the harp and use a shade that is a little smaller. Often the
shades of the 1940"s and 50's were really tall and unattractive. I suggest dropping the shade down and adding a
fun shape such as a hex bell or square bell. There are many great shapes avaliable these days.
WHAT IF I DO NOT HAVE A SHADE TO MEASURE? HOW DO I KNOW WHAT SIZE AND SHAPE TO USE?
First decide which shape would look best on your lamp. There are some guidelines that I use to help my customers pick the best shape and then it may come down to personal taste, for better or worse..... If the lamp is modern think about some of the shapes that say modern. Squares are very good, drum shades are big now, square bells are very useful on modern lamps.
If your lamp is a ginger jar shape, pear shape a Hex Bell shade often fits the bill. Or a round empire shade.
If your lamp is tall and thin: A square might be a good fit or a cut-corner square or cut-corner square bell.
If your lamps is a rectangle shape, such as a decoy lamp or figurine: A Rectangle shape almost always the best.
You can find a Rectangle, Cut-corner Rectangle or Cut-corner Rectangle.Ovals work too, but not my
favorite.
If your lamp is round: Round lamps used to stump me, but I have given in to using an empire shape (round shade
with smaller top than bottom) or also had good luck with hex- scallop shades. The rounded bottoms of
scallops work well with the round lamp base.
If you have a wall lamp, you need to consider if it is a clip or washer top. How much room is there from the wall.
How high can the shade be without hitting the lamp arm. Squares, Hex Bells, Hex, all work well on the
wall lamps. The standard over the bed lamp usually takes a shade that is 8 to 9 inches high and 10-12
across the bottom of the shade.
If you have an old floor lamp, also called a bridge lamp: check to see it light bulb goes up or down. If it hangs
you will need a shade with an uno fitting.It threads onto the shade. These are hard to find in commercial
stores. I usually have lots in stock. I make them in Hex, Hex bell, Empire and Scallop shapes.
If your light bulb goes up on the bridge lamp you will need to see if it needs a clip or a washer. Most
often I will use a hex clip, 5"top x 9"bottom x 7"high or an empire shade with the same measurements.
A FEW GENERAL RULES: The bottom of the shade will usually be a few inches larger than the widest part of the lamp.
You want to size the shade to look in proportion to the lamp. Too small it will look like a hat, too big
it will look silly. Sometimes the height of the shade will be similar to the height of the lamp. This is
obviously not always the case, but can be helpful with table lamps.
If the lamp has a heavy look to it; it helps to have the top dimension wider than one with a lighter feel
If you should come to my shop, bring your lamp. It is very helpful. My shop has lots of fabrics for customers to choose from, certainly an eclectic selection. I don't always have the perfect thing for your room, perhaps I can find it or you can send it too me. Some customers like to bring in fabric swatches or paint chips.
We can do much of this over the phone. I am quite used to working long distance as my shop is here in the boonies. Most of what I do goes through the mail. Lampshades come in so many shapes and sizes that custom work is the nature of this business.
Price is determined by shape of shade, size of shade, type of fabric~mine or yours, and trim used. Therefore there are some general prices, but will vary with these factors. Feel free to call me at the shop. 802-325-6308. or email me at judylake@vermontel.net. It is usually easier to talk!!!! so many details.....
Fabrics: Mine or yours. If you have family heirlooms, old embroideries, old textiles, a favorite bunch of hankies. All these are great. Think cotton or cotton/linen.Try to find fabrics without lots of stiff chemicals and sizing.
Have fun and break all the rules, Be Creative!!!! or Traditional if you must! Feel free to call me at the shop, time to get back to work, Judy Lake
