If picking between the many gorgeous lampshade designs we stock here at iapetus wasn’t already difficult enough, figuring out what size of shade you need can be even harder! But not to worry - we have over 10 years of experience in helping our customers find the perfect lampshade for their homes.
However choosing and buying a lampshade online can make this even more of a challenge. That’s why we’ve put together this little guide to make sure you get the right shade the first time.
Assuming you’ve already picked out the design your heart desires, the next important step is selecting the correct fitting. Every beautiful shade has a utility ring which is how you’ll connect it to the bulb holder, but this can be on either the top or bottom of the shade depending on how you want to display your new shade.
A pendant fitting has the utility ring fitted to the top of the shade. Meanwhile, a lamp fitting has the utility fitting at the base of the shade. The lamp or ceiling bulb holder will connect to the utility ring.
1. Table lamp.
The majority of small bedside lamps and larger table lamps require a lamp fitting where the bulb is facing upright.
2. Floor lamp.
This type of standard floor lamp, where the bulb holder comes up from the bottom of your shade will require a lamp fitting.
3. Room ceiling.
If you want to hang your lovely shade from your room ceiling you will need to choose a pendant fitting. In this case your bulb will be hanging towards the floor.
4. Table and floor lamps.
Some table and standard floor lamps are designed so that the bulb will hang downwards. You will require a pendant fitting for these too.
All of the shades we stock come ready to use with a B22 Bayonet Cap lampholder, meaning they’re ready to pair up straight away with one of our fantastic lamp bases that require Bayonet bulbs. However, if you’re buying a shade to go with a lamp base you already have in mind at home, but it requires a different bulb, the central adaptor is easy to remove by simply squeezing the ends towards one another.
Picking the correct size shade for your lamp can be tricky. Go too big and it’ll look awkward and clumsy but go too small and it’ll just look ridiculous! Using the sizing for the stunning lampshades handmade by the talented Dawn Maciocia, here are some suggestions for how they’ll fit best for your lamps.
20cm: perfect for small bedside lamps or as ceiling lights in very small box-like rooms.
30cm: ideal for small to medium table lamps or as a ceiling light in small/medium sized rooms.
40cm shallow: ideal for large table or floor lamps or in medium/large rooms with lower ceilings for a contemporary look.
45cm shallow: ideal for larger table lamps or floor lamps or for medium/large rooms with lower ceilings for a contemporary look.
40cm deep: ideal for large table or floor lamps or for medium/large rooms with higher ceilings.
45cm deep: ideal for larger table or floor lamps and large rooms with higher ceilings.
If you already have a table lamp and are looking to match it with one of our shades, the first thing you need to do is measure the height of your lamp from the base to the bottom of the lampholder and also the width of the base.
Next measure the width of your lampshade and the height.
When choosing a shade, its width/diameter should be roughly the same measurement as the height of your lamp - anything plus or minus 5cm should be fine. So if your table lamp is 35cm tall, a shade width of anything between 30 and 40cm should be fine.
The width of your lampshade should also be wider than the lamp at its widest point.
However, it is important to remember that this is only a rough guide and the look of your actual lamp and shade could be the deciding factor. TIP: If you’re unsure, try cutting out a thick paper the same diameter and height of the shade size you have in mind, roll into a cylinder and tape the joins. Hold this over your lamp base for a rough idea as to how it will look.
The height of your shade should be anything between 60-80% the height of your lamp. So if your lamp is 40cm high, a shade around 24-32cm is ideal. Again, it all depends on the actual match between shade and a lamp and anything on either side of these measurements may still look fabulous.
There are always exceptions to any rule. Some combinations break all the traditional rules but still look amazing.
When choosing a shade for your floor lamp, the height of the shade should be around a third of the height of the lamp base. So if your base measures 140cm to the bottom of the lamp holder, a large 45cm shade should be perfect.
Choosing the correct shade for your ceiling comes down to many factors. Such as; how high or low is your ceiling, how big is your room, how long is the flex, and is it going to hang over a table.
If you have low ceilings you don’t want to be bumping your head on a shade that hangs too low. A small shade on a high ceiling in a large room will look lost. Take all these factors into account before you make your final decision.
Hopefully with the help of this guide you can now pick out your perfect lampshade for your home with confidence!
You can take a look at our full collection of stunning handmade lampshades here...
Need a lamp base? You can take a look at our collection of handmade bases here...