Shades

Table lamps and floor lamps serve multiple purposes. They provide light, act as beautiful interior accessories, and help you accentuate other parts of your decor through proper lighting. Here, we provide tips on how to choose the right lampshade when buying a lamp for your home. A new lampshade can also give an older lamp you already have at home a completely new look!

In our range, you’ll find lampshades in many different styles, colors, and materials. Just like decorative pillows, throws, and accessories, lamps are easy to change and can transform the entire feel of a room.

Artwoods lampshades are available in materials such as brass, leather, and acrylic. We also have a wide variety of beautiful fabric shades, ranging from light linen to luxurious velvet and classic plaid wool fabrics. Here, you’ll find suitable lamp bases for both table lamps and floor lamps, from large, grand designs to smaller models suitable for windowsills and small bedside tables.

Feel free to play with color and shape to discover your own personal expression. Often, the lamp and its shade can be works of art in themselves, even when the lamp is not lit! If you prefer a calm, cohesive impression, you can let both the base and the shade harmonize with the rest of your decor.

How to choose the right size of the lamp shade

Lamp bases and lampshades are available in many different sizes. Here are two tricks to match the right screen with the right foot.

• On the height, you can use the rule of thirds. For a table lamp, it usually looks good if the shade makes up about 1/3 of the lamp’s total height. If approx. 40 cm of the lamp base is visible, a screen that is 20 cm high can therefore be adequate.
• In terms of width, the best balance is usually achieved if the lampshade is wider than the base, and the proportions of the table lamp will be fine if the widest part of the lampshade is twice as wide as the widest measurement of the lamp base (which is usually the base). If the lamp base is therefore 20 cm wide, the screen should be 40 cm wide.

Please note that these rules do not apply to all lamps, but they can be a starting point if it is difficult to find the right size of screen. If you are hesitating between two sizes, we usually advise you to choose the larger one. And generally, floor lamps require larger lampshades than table lamps.

Also think about where the lamp will be placed. In a large room, you can advantageously choose really large lamps. If you want a pretty lamp, for example on a narrow windowsill or a console table, it is good to choose a shade that is oval or rectangular.

What shape should I choose?

The shape of the lampshade is about both style and function. For reading, for example, a lampshade that provides directed, concentrated light is good. For ambient lighting, on the other hand, you may choose a lampshade that diffuses the light more evenly. Also, consider the direction in which the light will fall.

From a purely visual perspective, there’s a trick to create symmetry: let the shade and the lamp base have the same shape. So, if you have a angular lamp base, you should have an angular lampshade. However, contrasts can also be very effective, so don’t hesitate to experiment.

The material matters

Just like the shape, the material of the lampshade plays a role in the function. We then think above all about how transparent the material is. Behind a transparent screen, you can choose a light source that is beautiful in itself. Through a light, thin screen in, for example, fabric or frosted glass, the light filters softly into the room, while a darker, more covering screen concentrates the light, for example, onto the table surface or the book in your lap.

Shade by season

By changing lampshades, you can quickly and easily give the whole home a new feel. It is, for example, very effective to change lampshades according to the season. In the summer, you might choose a light shade in linen, while in the darker season you use a darker shade in, for example, leather or velvet, or why not a beautiful woolen fabric?

4 general tips about lighting

• Choose lighting according to how you want to use the room. Most of the time, it is best with a combination of general lighting, targeted functional lighting such as reading lamps and mood lighting that creates atmosphere.
• How many lamps are needed in a room? More than we think… If you want functional and beautiful lighting, you should, for example, aim for 6-10 light points in the living room. The darker the room, the more light points are needed.
• For cozy lighting, you should choose lamps with dimmers and light sources with warm white light. The light temperature is measured in Kelvin and a figure of 2200-3300 Kelvin is considered warm white.
• Also complement the lamps with candles, it does a lot for the feeling in the room. Feel free to combine lower candle lanterns and taller candlesticks in beautiful still lifes. ATTENTION! Never leave candles unattended. Blow out the candles when you leave the room.

More ways to create an inviting atmosphere

In addition to the right lighting, you can make the room more welcoming and cozy with the help of textiles. Cushions and throws give the room a softer, warmer feel. Also let personal details such as books, magazines, photographs, small memorabilia and art set your own, personal style. This is how you turn a house into a home.

Care advice for lampshades

When you buy a lampshade from Artwood, it’s good to ask how best to take care of it, but there are also general care tips based on the material of the lampshade.

• Fabric lampshades can be vacuumed with a soft furniture nozzle. If the textile screen has got a stain, you can try to gently clean it with Textile clean & protect. Use the water-based cleaning foam to wash the screen and impregnation to provide continued protection.
• Leather lampshades can be wiped with a slightly damp cloth, and possibly cleaned and cared for with Leather clean & protect. The packaging contains products for both care and treatment of leather (not suede, nubuck or bycast). If the leather gets small scratches or scuff marks, you can try to “rub out” them gently with a clean finger.
• Screens and details in metal, wood, glass, acrylic, wipe with a slightly moistened cloth.

 Where can I find shades from Artwood?

Artwood’s exclusive lamps and lampshades are available for purchase at a selection of stores around Sweden and Europe. Here you can find your nearest reseller.