Why are lamp shades so expensive

If your lamp has a reflector bowl inside the shade, a reflector spider fitter may be needed to secure its position. These fitters feature grooves in the spider arms for the secure positioning of reflector bowl. Reflector bowls are not sold as part of the lamp shade - they are usually shipped with the lamp base. The UNO fitter is built-in to the lampshade. There are two types of UNO fitters:.

Typically for down-bridge lamps and feature a screw thread for installation above the downward-facing bulb. Clip-on lamp shades are typically for chandeliers. The clip fitter is built into the lamp shade and clips over a standard medium or candelabra bulb. Shades with a spider-type or UNO-type fitter usually have some distance between the top edge of the shade down to the center of the fitter. This makes the fitting less visible when viewing the lamp from the side but does raise the position of the shade by the drop distance.

Shades with a Slip-UNO fitter have several inches of the drop which varies per-shade since the fitter has to drop down to below the bulb. Threaded-UNO fitter shades typically feature a drop of 1 to 2 inches so as to conceal electrical attachments above the shade.

A tall cylindrical lampshade will likely have a deeper drop than a regular shade, to accommodate the extended proportions and reach down to the lamp harp. Light bulbs produce heat, no matter their wattage. If your new shade is too close to the bulb, it could discolor the shade or worse: start a fire! Here's how to avoid these problems and choose the right shade. If using a 40 or 60 Watt incandescent bulb, leave at least inches between the bulb and the shade.

If using a 75 or Watt incandescent bulb, leave at least inches between the bulb and the shade. If using a Watt incandescent bulb or higher, leave at least inches between the bulb and the shade. If using a compact fluorescent bulb , it will run cooler and requires less space - leave at least inches around the bulb to be safe.

If using an LED bulb , it will run much cooler and requires even less space - leave at least inches around the bulb just to be sure. Never exceed the maximum wattage. This could not only cause the shade to catch fire but could also cause an electrical fire.

If you are unsure about a replacement shade, choose a shade close in size and shape to your original shade. Be sure the top of the shade is open to vent the heat. Never cover the top of your shade with a cloth or other material, especially with hotter bulbs, as it may cause the shade to overheat and the shade or cover may ignite. Remove the plastic from your new shade once you know you will keep it, as plastic can be prone to overheating as well. Lamp shades can be easily ordered online and ship to your home or business safely.

We'll help you understand how much a lampshade typically costs and where you can find lamp shades online. Buying a new lamp shade for table lamps, floor lamps or light fixtures doesn't have to be expensive. After all, you probably already spent enough on the original lamp or light and would just like to add a lampshade or replace a missing or damaged one.

Large lamp shades tend to be more expensive. At LampsUSA we've made significant efforts to reduce the price of lamp shades , in particular by manufacturing our own shades and reducing shipping costs. With hundreds of lamp shades to choose from in every size and shape and color imaginable, this is the best place to find a new or replacement shade. Websites selling lamp shades are on the increase, but at LampsUSA we've been selling lampshades online for decades.

We also have our own line of inexpensive lampshades. We've made it easy for you by ensuring we have all of the popular and even obscure sizes and shapes in stock. If you need a lampshade in an unusual color like red or pink for example, we've got those too, as well as the popular colors like black white.

You don't have to just trawl through hundreds of lampshades trying to find the exact right size or shade to fit your lamp. If you're armed with certain pieces of information, you can shortcut your search to find the perfect lampshade. Usually you measure a lampshade across the top to get a "top width", across the bottom to get a "bottom width", and along the "diagonal slant" or vertical height for drum shades of the side of the shade, to get a "slant height". Consult our section about how to measure a lampshade if you need help.

But once you know the measurements, why not jump straight to the exact right size lampshades and skip the ones that won't look right? For mini chandelier shades , go straight to our chandelier lamp shades. We've got lampshades of all colors so jump straight to the color you want and it'll save you a lot of time searching:. Lamp shades come in various shapes. Popular shapes are the drum lamp shade , the classic empire shape, and the bell lampshade. Consult further down this guide for more information about choosing the right shape to suit your lamp base, but if you have your heart set on a shape already, we'll make it easy for you to find the lampshade you're searching for:.

Consult the section of this guide regarding how to measure a lamp shade for tips on what size shade you'll need depending on your lamp base size. Generally you'll want to get an idea of the right "size" of lampshade you need first before you consider the shape or color, otherwise it won't have appropriate proportions and will look too big or small.

Once you have an idea of the size you may need, consider the shape of the lamp base to help you decide what kind of lamp shade to look for. See our section on How to match the shade shape to the lamp base for simple tips about matching the lamp shade shape to the style of the base. While it may be easy to just throw a typical empire shade onto your lamp, it will look better when the shape of the lampshade complements or balances or brings out the shape of the base.

Let's take a deeper look at how different kinds of lampshades can be used for different purposes. Different types of lampshades serve a different purpose. Besides shielding your eyes from the glare of a light bulb, their shape is not purely for decorative reasons.

The correct shade greatly affects the kind of light the lamp gives off, as well as where that light is directed. Different types of lamp shades correlate to different functions for practical purposes, be it sitting nearby, at a distance, or as an ambient light source.

If you are not as concerned about how the lamp assists you in your daily activities, you may prefer to make a choice purely for decorative reasons. Empire lamp shades for table lamp provide a spread of light for a bedside desk as well as for reading in bed.

A bell shade atop a floor lamp provides a maximum area of illumination for sitting beneath to read. A drum lamp shade on this pendant light, radiating strong and focussed light downward over a dining table as well as illuminating the room with ambient light via the ceiling.

A pair of floor lamps with flat drum lamp shades prove strong ambient and local light for a softer mood. The opaque drum lamp shade on this lamp provides a decorative, less functional ambient light over a narrow side-table.

Light emits from different shaped shades in different ways, which affects how far the light is useful and for what purposes. Light emitting from the top of the shade produces a reflected ambient light bouncing off the ceiling, while light emitting below produces a more focused light surrounding furniture.

Additional light shines through the sides of the shade itself, whereby a white or light-colored shade allows the most light to pass through. Darker-colored shades and hardback shades tend to block more of the light. Also consider also what other sources of light are in the room - if you have bright light from a main light fixture, your lamps may provide accent lighting, or mood lighting when used alone. Also consider a hard-backed shade for increasing the light output from below the shade.

Often light will shine through the sides of a lamp shade if the material is not solid enough. This may or may not be desirable. Hard-backed Lampshades hold their shape either due to a hard lining or with the use of a metal framework.

The hard lining allows the shape of the shade to be quite firm and less likely to change over time. The firm backing is glued into place behind a more attractive outer material.

A soft-back shade does not have a firm lining, although it may still potentially be lined. The lining, however, would be flexible, such as a linen or paper, and so does not provide support for maintaining the shape of the lampshade. This soft-backed drum lamp shade emits light through the shade itself, for a softer light, and reveals a textured pattern in the shade material.

A variety of lamp-shade shapes are available to suit any lamp, although the design of the lamp base may influence which shade looks best. Now let's take a look at the main lamp shade shapes , so you can get an idea of what may be available or which shape might suit your lamp or light fixture. Cylinder-shaped lamp shades are taller than they are wide, with vertical straight sides. These tall shades are best for unusually tall lamp bases, or floor lamps. They funnel equal amounts of light out of the top and bottom without spreading the light outwards, producing a large amount of ambient reflected light.

Because they are so much taller than wide, their proportions look good on narrow lamp bases. Their very open-ended nature maximizes the amount of light output. Drum-shaped shades are similar to cylinder shades except they are flatter, typically wider than they are tall, similar to a musical drum. Drum shades look good on a variety of table lamps and floor lamps, but also can be suited to pendant light fixtures.

With vertical sides, maximum light emits through the top and bottom of the drum shade producing ambient reflected light in the room. When used in an overhead pendant it provides ample light output for visual clarity. On a table lamp the drum shade gives a contemporary, modern look. A drum shade is well suited to a lamp base with wide proportions. Being open-ended allows a maximum amount of light to be released through both ends of the shade.

Floor lamps typically require a slightly larger shade than table lamps. Also due to the height of the lamp, they tend to look better with a drum or floor-style shade. A floor shade is almost a drum shade, except the sides are slightly slanted. This shape complements the proportions of the floor lamp.

A floor shade distributes light out through the bottom with a slight spread, illuminating a larger area around the lamp base. Similarly, the top of the floor shade is less open, slightly restricting the amount of ambient reflected light shining out through the top.

Often a floor lamp is located near to a seating area and thus provides a cone of light which can extend at least partly across the furniture. Floor lamps, in general, provide a large amount of light close to functional spaces. Empire-shaped lampshades strike a balance between slanted sides and visually-appealing proportions.

These straight-sided shades are found commonly on many table lamps and some floor lamps. The narrower opening at the top is still large enough to vent heat from the light bulb, yet allows the bottom of the shade to flare more in order to spread light outwards. This wider cone of light illuminates a wider area beneath and to the sides of the lamp, providing a hotspot of local light ideal for reading and other activities.

Since most of the light is cast downwards, there is less ambient light reflected off the ceiling and more light spread outward near to seating areas or top of furniture.

Empire shades are popular lamp shades for table lamps. A coolie lamp shade features a very wide spread of light, since the top of the shade is very narrow and the bottom very open. The sides of the coolie shade are heavily slanted.

Coolie shades tend to be flatter less height due to the proportions of the shape. The coolie shade restricts ambient light emitting from the top of the shade, while maximizing the amount of light spreading out from the bottom. The shape of the shade also directs the light to spread as widely as possible to the sides of the shade for maximum coverage.

This can be useful when your lamp is serving to illuminate tasks or projects or for reading. The bell shade is very popular and provides an elegant, relaxed shape. The flare at the bottom helps to distribute light outwards for maximum coverage, while the top of the shade remains quite wide to help facilitate the escape of heat and ambient light. The bell shade is well suited to table lamps with a more curved base shape.

Empire lampshades are popular lamp shade for table lamps to use. With an oval-shaped shade , looking down on the shade from above reveals an oval shape rather than a perfect circle. The shade wider than it is deep, front-to-back. An oval or flatter style of lamp base goes well with it. It can help to situate a lamp on a narrower piece of furniture closer to a wall without extruding into the room, helping to ensure the lamp will not be knocked over by passers by.

Oval shades are less common but look good when their shape complements the shape of the base. An oval shade may have an oval profile from the top, while having any of the other shapes when viewed from the side, such as an oval bell, an oval empire, an oval drum etc. Square and rectangle-shaped shades complement a lamp base which is very rectangular in appearance. Suited mainly to contemporary modern lamps, they work well with floor lamps and table lamps. The rectangular shade has flat edges rather than circular edges, and thus produces corners.

Some varieties of square shade also feature a 'cut corner' as a decorative modification to its shape. Square or rectangular shades are most obvious when viewed from above or at an angle, but from the side may feature a bell shape pagoda , drum shape, or empire shape. Rectangular or square shades with a very narrow or no opening in the top may be thought of as a pyramid shade.

Unusual-shaped shades include Hexagon and Octagon Lampshades , with 6 or 8 flat sides. A little more extreme than simply a cut-cornered square shade, these shades feature equal-length edges around the top and bottom of the shade.

This design is more for visual appeal and functions similarly to most other shades depending on the side profile of the shape. These could be bell or empire or drum shades which, when viewed from above or below, reveal a hexagonal or octagonal shape.

These shape shades are much less commonplace than most other types. Louis Tiffany created the Tiffany Lamp , featuring metal or soldered structures with hundreds of pieces of colored glass. These intricate designs produce a heavy, long-lasting attractive shade. Tiffany shades come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and designs.

Since the shade can be constructed piece-by-piece, they often exhibit unusual shapes and beautiful colors not found in typical lamp shades. Usually a tiffany shade is specifically designed to match a fit to a particular lamp base, so finding a replacement usually entails contacting the manufacturer of the original lamp. Tiffany shades tend to also be quite expensive, although for a reason - their magnificent beauty when lit makes them a family treasure.

Tiffany shades can be found on floor lamps, accent lamps, desk lamps, table lamps, and even a wide variety of tiffany light fixtures. Art-glass is a special kind of toughened glass designed to be lighter and less fragile than real or tiffany glass. Lamps with an art-glass shade make a bold statement. Commonly a single piece of art glass is used in a very unique hand-crafted shape.

Since art-glass can be molded into endless shapes, it can be manipulated to resemble flowers, animals or even traditional shade shapes with unusual edge designs. In addition to the shape, art-glass shades feature extraordinary patterns of vibrant color, with swirls of multiple hues mixed in. While art-glass lamps are readily available, finding replacement glass shades is less simple - usually through contacting the manufacturer of the original lamp, since each piece is so uniquely specific to the lamp itself.

Chandelier light fixtures feature multiple arms extending outward with individual light bulbs at the ends. Rather than be blinded by dazzling light, the bulbs are typically shielded with small lamp shades. These small lamp shades are just large enough to cover the light bulb with little extra. Chandelier shades come in as many varieties of shape and design and color as for lamps. A typical chandelier may feature 4 to 6 or even 9 bulbs, and so replacing a complete set of ceiling light shades can give your chandelier a completely new look.

Let's dive into the various lamp shade colors and find out what color may be right for your lamp. Lampshades feature a wide spectrum of colors to suit almost any lamp base and environment. You will likely want to complement the base of the lamp by choosing a lamp shade color that is either understated as to let the lamp base be featured , or to make the shade a focal point e. It's also possible to strike a balance between the two components, for example picking up colors in the base to bring out with the shade - similar to how you bring out the color of your eyes.

A black lamp shade can allow a lamp to be understated but also gives your lamp and air of sophistication, and can also be quite a modern look. Sleek black shades might match your black furniture or act as a balance against white or brightly colored elements in the room. Explore some examples of black lamp shades.

A white lamp shade similarly can give your lamp a look of elegance and sophistication especially allowing the lamp base to be featured if it is colorful or interesting. White shades are clean and purifying, and may reflect upon white elements in the room or act as a canvas for other colors you wish to feature. Explore some examples of white lamp shades.

Cream lamp shades are a classic. Not so pure as to be white, but somewhat softened and warming. A cream lamp shade will match well to many lamp base designs and colors especially more classically or traditionally styled lamps.

Sometimes cream includes off-white or egg-shell which are more neutral or reddish tones. Explore some examples of cream lamp shades. Beige is all the rage.

A beige lamp shade suits many modern homes where beige and browns provide a soft, comforting and nurturing environment. Beige shades can complement well with brown furniture or perhaps a beige couch. Often a beige lamp shade will complement a fancy decorated lamp base well. Explore some examples of beige lamp shades. Brown lamp shades add a darker, comforting warmth to a room.

Add 3 levels: High, middle, low. Do this with a lamp high , candlesticks middle , and stack books or other object low. Buffet lamps, as their name suggest, can be used on a buffet, some lowish chests, bedroom dressers, pedestals, hall console tables credenza , and on sofa tables, etc.

This is especially important if you use them in a room where you also have table and floor lamps. Credenza A credenza is an American term for a dining room cupboard used to serve buffet meals. Credenzas are sometimes smaller and more formal-looking than a sideboard or buffet. They often have no legs or else very short ones. They may have shelving in their centers surrounded by glass display cabinets on either side.

A buffet, much like a sideboard, is a piece of furniture with a long, low storage space. A sideboard placed in the dining room is called a buffet, but once it is moved to the living room, it is referred to as a sideboard. Buffets serve as a great piece of storage furniture for your dining room.

A sideboard, also called a buffet, typically consists of shallow drawers over cabinets. The texture of the paper looks beautiful when the lamp is lit, as does the warm light cast through it. Ruth Sleightholme and Arabella Bowes. The trend for patterned, gathered fabric shades has reached near epidemic status, but they are often so heavy they barely let out any light.

Robert Kime was one of the first to make them - and still does. I think his ones are the best, as they have a lightness that is very pretty and, being made from vintage textiles, two are rarely the same. Guinevere Antiques makes lovely shades from old saris, or you can choose an antique textile from its stock.

Nushka has some beautiful gathered shades in quite unusual colours, including ochre - an excellent neutral for when you don't want to introduce another colour to a scheme. The shades that I find myself using over and over again are Lucy Jane Cope's 'Squiggle' shades, which I sell through my website. Rooms can get very uniform, so these hand-painted shades are a nice touch. When I was growing up, my mother used Florentine and Venetian papers to make lampshades.

I'd proceed with caution. There are actually multiple different dome mounting mechanisms: external thumb screws, slotted rims where the dome slips in and then you turn it a quarter turn or so to lock in place, domes that fit onto a center rod and are held in place with a decorative finial Flush mount fixtures are generally sold as kits, not as mix-and-match parts. Does "boob lamp" imply something like this a pretty standard builder's grade fixture, but doesn't look like juvenile penitentiary chic to me so idk.

If that's what you've got it seems unlikely that you'd be able to find a drum shade that will mate with it "out of the box" because it's a fundamentally different type of mount from what is used with a ceiling-mount lamp with a drum type shade. But there's a certain amount of DIY'ing involved. Retrofitting a boob light to a drum shade does not always look great. Consider replacing the whole fixture with something like the Lamps plus one linked above or a school house light.

Is there a reason you can't ask the landlord to replace them? This apartment therapy article has some good jumping-off points for ideas as to how to DIY a disguise for that style of light. Do I pull up last year's veggies in the garden if Newer ». This thread is closed to new comments.