Lamp Shades
Lamp shades are a great way to not only control the lighting of the room but also to decorate it. It is in fact a cheaper option for giving your home a fresh makeover. Lamp shades also spread the light uniformly all around the room creating a dramatic ambience. With the right lighting by the lamp shade, a simple living room can turn into a hotspot for parties or a casual get together. Lamps and lamp shades come with a range of options like whether it can be hung from the ceiling, kept on a table or bed side or on the floor. There are a number of parameters than one need to consider while selecting a lamp shade.
Guide to Choosing the Right Lamp Shade for your Room
- Lamp shades come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is advisable to choose the one according to the size of the room and the place you wish to place the lamp shade.
- Another point to consider while selecting the shape of the lamp shade is the wattage of the bulb that you will be using, as it directly translates into the heat produced by the bulb. Experts’ advice having at least 2 to 3 inch gap between the shade wall and the bulb, if it is of high wattage. Compact fluorescent lights or CFLs provide a comparatively less heat generating bulb option and is ideal for tall lamp shades.
- In case the room is small, it is better to select a lamp shade that has enough area to withstand the heat produced by the bulb inside.
- The color of the lamp shade determines the amount of lighting. Dark colors emanate softer light and is ideal as a night stand or for romantic lighting. Light colored lamp shades are better for reading purposes and for lighting a large room.
Types of Lamp Shades
Types of lamp shades depend on the material it is made of. Common materials that are used in India to make lamp shades are wood, fabric, glass, leather and paper. Here is a brief overview of the popular types of lamp shades:
Usually hung from the ceiling, these lamps make the room look cozy...
View MoreApplique Lamp Shades
Applique work is basically stitching a fabric motif to another fabric. In India, apart from geometrical patterns, people like using shapes of flowers, birds, elephants and other animals as applique motifs to stitch on the other fabric that is shaped and sized to make the lampshade. Traditionally these lamp shades are available in a variety of colors like blue, yellow, red, green and black. The lamp shade shapes may vary from umbrella to layered canopy. Although, it is traditionally hung from the ceiling, sitting lamp shades are also available.
Walnut Wood Lamp Shades
Walnut wood is sturdy and soft, which is perfect for shaping, sanding and carving. Another advantage that makes it the artisans’ favorite is that walnut wood does not need any paint layer as its wood color is naturally attractive. They make intricate carvings on walnut wood, creating decorative furniture and wooden handicrafts like lamps. These lamps are usually set on a table or flat base.
Crochet Stitch Lamp Shades
Crochet stitching is well known all around India and the world for its striking patterns and shapes. This type of stitch can remarkably transform a simple ball of yarn and a hook needle into table mats, dolls, bags and even lamp shades. This lamp shade is usually hung from the ceiling making the room look cozy. Sitting crochet stitch lamp shades are also available. You can find these in a range of colors like purple, blue, red, white and yellow.
Leather Lamp Shades
Soft leather, like of goat, lamb or pig, is used to make lamp shades. It gives a rustic charm which looks elegant in log cabins, country-side homes and cottages. It is durable and is ideal for bulbs that have high wattage, thus making it a good investment in decorating your home. Usually the lamp shades are placed in a flat base or table. Andhra Pradesh is famous for its leather lamp shades that have designs, in earthy yet vibrant colors, of mythological figures, peacocks, trees, flowers and camels.
Wooden Lamp Shades
Wooden lamps are some of the common ones seen in the market. Wooden lamp shades though are exquisite pieces of art made with utmost care. The wood is obtained from a variety of trees like pine, teak, sheesham, rosewood, and coconut. Either a block of wood is cut and carved to get the lamp or lamp shade or wooden strips are used to make different lamp shade designs. To enhance the beauty of the lamps, alloys like brass are used as inlay material on the carved surface of the wood.
Paper Lamp Shades
Paper lamps or lanterns are famous all over the world especially China, China-towns in other countries and Japan. These provide stylized lighting during festivals and wedding ceremonies of the Chinese and Japanese. In India, it has become popular owing to the festival of lights or Deepawali. Traditionally paper lanterns were made of rice paper covering bamboo reeds. Today a variety of hand-made papers are used to make these hanging paper lamps in several shapes like round, star, umbrella, fan and other geometrical designs.
Cane Lamp Shades
Canes are flexible and long stalks of pliant wood obtained from bamboo. These are tough strands used to weave and make eco-friendly furniture, baskets and other handicrafts like mats and lamp shades. Cane handicrafts are made all over India including the states of Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Sikkim, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Maharashtra. The weave of the cane lamp shades gives lighting a unique effect. They look perfect in traditionally decorated rooms, log homes and cottages.
Glass Lamp Shades
These are popular all over India and the world for its stained glass designs, paintings and numerous shapes. Ideal for the table and walls, glass lamp shades are available in a variety of transparencies (depending on the amount of light you wish for in your room), color, sizes and designs. It gives an elegant look to your modern home.
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