Lamp Shade Buying Guide: Size, Shape and Fitting
A new lamp shade is one of the quickest ways to change how a room looks and how its light feels. This guide covers the three things that decide whether a shade works: its size, its shape and its fitting.
What size lamp shade do I need?
For a table lamp, these rules of thumb give a balanced look:
- Width: the shade should be wider than the widest part of the lamp base, and roughly as wide as the base is tall.
- Height: the shade should be about two thirds of the height of the base.
- Bulb cover: when you are sitting next to the lamp, the shade should hide the bulb and the bulb holder.
Floor lamps suit larger shades, usually 40cm wide or more, because the shade sits further from eye level. For a ceiling pendant, choose a shade in proportion to the room: a small shade can look lost in a large living room, and a very wide one can dominate a box room.
Which shape should I choose?
- Drum: straight sides, modern and versatile. Gives an even spread of light up and down.
- Empire and tapered: narrower at the top than the bottom. A traditional look that throws more light downwards, good for reading.
- Rectangular and oval: sit closer to the wall, so they suit sideboards, consoles and narrow bedside tables.
- Tiered and pleated: add texture and make the shade itself a feature.
How does the material change the light?
Pale linen and cotton shades let light glow through the fabric and brighten the whole room. Dark or lined shades, such as velvet, send light out of the top and bottom only, which gives a cosier, more dramatic effect. Glass and stained glass Tiffany shades colour and pattern the light.
Will the shade fit my lamp?
UK lamps and pendants use three common bulb holders: bayonet cap (BC or B22), Edison screw (ES or E27) and small Edison screw (SES or E14). Most Happy Homewares shades come with a reducer ring, so the same shade fits all three and can be used on a table lamp base, a floor lamp or a ceiling pendant. Check the product description to confirm.
What wattage bulb can I use?
Every shade has a maximum wattage, shown in the product description and on the shade label. Never exceed it. LED bulbs use far less power and run much cooler than old filament bulbs, so they are the best choice for fabric shades.
Shop lamp shades
Browse our lamp shades, or if you want a new look for a ceiling light without any wiring, see our easy fit pendant shades.