How to Choose the Best Lamp Shade

You cannot seem to find the perfect lamp shades. You’ve searched online for hours, asking Google to find you “the best lamp shade” or “affordable lamp shades near me.” All you’ve found are dozen of potential lamps, shades, and light bulbs. Know that you’re not alone.

Imagine walking into a lighting showroom in Eugene and finding the perfect indoor lighting for your home. No hard sales. No stress. Just lighting that fits your needs and illuminates whichever room you decide. How amazing would it be to find lamp shades that looked great and diffused light properly. Your light layering would be magical.

In this article, Brighter Homes Lighting in Eugene wants to show you how to choose the best lamp shade for your needs. It’s a straightforward process that you can do on your own. However, if you would like a custom experience, come into our showroom. Our experts will help you find what you need.

3 Tips to Choose a Lamp Shade

When choosing a lamp shade, it’s best to know what you want prior to arriving at the showroom. If you’re shopping online, pretend like your computer is the showroom, and you need to have a few notes recorded before searching the internet. We don’t want you to get overwhelmed.

#1. Start with the Base

While the base is not the most visible trait of a lamp shade. In fact, the base is a part of the lamp. It’s important you know your base shape so that you can find a complementary shade shape. For example, a round base looks best with a round or hexagonal shade.

#2. Measure Your Lamp

You want a lamp shade that fits your lamp perfectly. That’s why you want to measure the height and width of your lamp. These dimensions will inform the type of lamp shade you buy. Here are two lamp-to-shade ratios for you:

Shade height should be 40% of the lamp height.
Shade width should be twice the base width.

Remember that lamp placement in your home is also going to affect lamp shape. If your lamp is going in the hallway, you will probably want a narrower shade. If you have a lamp on a side table or bedside table, you can go with a thicker shade.

#3. Choose Your Material

What will your lamp be doing? Do you want ambient or accent lighting? Define how you will use the lamp, and then you will be able to choose a shade material that supports that use.

Translucent shades are great for adding ambient lighting.
Thicker, more opaque shades are usually the best for accent lighting.

Bonus Tip: The Best Tips for a Well-Lit Home

Brighter Homes Lighting Gallery

When you’re in need of indoor lighting, Brighter Homes Lighting Gallery is here for you. We offer a wide variety of lighting options, as well as shades and other hardware. You don’t have to shop online and hope you get the proper lamp. You can start with Brighter Homes, and get what you need the first time. Contact us today with any questions or visit our showroom to buy your lamp shades and more!