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Few things can transform a living space, like excellent lighting, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find something that can change lighting fixtures as lampshades do. While its importance can’t be denied, finding an appropriate one to match your lamp is crucial.
To get the interior design right, you must consider various factors, from the size and shape to the overall pattern and style. To that end, here are a few considerations to keep in mind when buying a lampshade.
Decide on Pattern and Colour
They say you must never judge a book by its cover. However, when it comes to lampshades, aesthetics is an integral element. After all, it still needs to represent your style and match the area and the decor where it’ll be placed.
If it doesn’t, the living space will look off. Thus, it makes sense to decide on its colour and pattern first, if any. Then, be sure it reflects your home, so everything remains cohesive and consistent. The more it blends in with the space, the better it will look.
Consider the Material
Beyond choosing the colour and whether to go for pleated, smooth, or patterned lampshades , you need to consider the material that it’s made out of. After all, it will determine how much light will filter through the lampshade.
So think about what you’ll be using the light fixture for. Are you looking to set the mood of the living space or highlight any specific objects? Or will it serve a more functional purpose, like giving you enough light to read? The answers to these questions will help you narrow down your search.
Don’t Forget the Lamp’s Base
Lampshades come in various shapes. Because of the importance of aesthetics, you need to consider the fixture’s base to match the shade. For example, a lamp with a broad base means that the shade has to have the exact dimensions or be a little bigger.
The same goes with the shape—it’s a rule of thumb to ensure both the base and shade have similar proportions. If they’re different, chances are that it won’t look right.
Safety Is a Must
One thing that gets frequently overlooked when people pick lampshades is safety. They forget to check if the shade sits around the bulb a reasonable distance away.
Bulbs will emit heat, after all. And if the lampshade is too close, there’s a chance that it could burn and cause a fire. So be sure that the shade you pick has sufficient space between it and the bulb.
It may sound like a minor detail, but you’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it’ll make.
Conclusion
There’s more to buying a lampshade than people give it credit, and it’s easy to get confused because of the sheer number of available options.
Thankfully, by considering safety, proportions, material, and the look of the lampshade, you’ll make things easier on yourself and spend on one best suited for your lighting fixture.
