Welcome to Uptown Lamps & Shades. Come in and see our extensive selection of lamps, lampshades & accessories!!

 
Choosing a new Shade
 
You can change the look and feel of any room with a simple change of a lamp shade on your table lamp, floor lamp or chandelier! Use this guide to help choose the style, fabric and color that's right for you.

Ready for a Change?

Don't settle for an exact replacement shade for your lamp! Most lamps can look great with a number of different shade shapes and styles. 

Starting

Looking for a change in style of your room. A new shade can help you accomplish that goal. A new shade can change the look of your favorite lamp; change to classy or simple, bigger or smaller, traditional to contemporary style while adding new drama, flair or elegance to your decor.
 

What’s in the Shape?

In general, a shade’s shape should follow the contour of a lamp. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it holds true in most cases.

So, for example, if the base has curves, go with a curved shade shape. If a base is straight, choose a shade with straight edges, even if they’re angled.

Some other shape rules-of-thumb to consider:

bullet Bottom-heavy lamps can be made to appear lighter by the addition of cone-shaped shades on top.
bullet Square lamps take square shades, round lamps take round.
bullet Lamps that incorporate round and square elements can take a square shade or a modified square shade.

Rule 4: Shapes Part 2 - Look at the Details

bullet The way a shade is shaped can also be a factor.
bullet Fluted shades say elegant, refined and traditional.
bullet Pleats are more casual and homey.
bullet Scalloped edges imply a relaxed, gracious mood that’ perfect for bedrooms.
bullet A bell shade is a highly adaptable, chameleon look, capable of fitting in a wide range of décor schemes.

Rule 5: Color

Shades have traditionally been white, simply because they let the most light through and are the most functional at illuminating an entire room.

But color definitely has a role. Black or colored shades direct more light down, adding drama and pools of light throughout a room for a sophisticated lighting statement. Or you could mix and match shade colors in a room for added visual excitement, or choose colors that don’t blend into the background wall treatments.

Some color tips by lamp base type:
 

bullet Crystal Bases work best with white shades.
bullet Polished Brass demands white while...
bullet Antique Brass looks better with off-white or cream.
bullet Porcelain or Ceramic Patterns – try a shade that picks up a subtle background color in the base pattern. Taupe has long been one of our top selling colors.
bullet Wood and Iron can be matched with just about anything, but for a more contemporary look go white or try a fabric earth tone.
bullet Color on Color – try a gold shade on a gold lamp, red on red and so on for visual punch and pizzazz!

Rule 6: Fabric

A shade’s fabric can blend in with a room décor or boldly stand out, depending on the design statement you are trying to make. But there are some tips to keep in mind.

Silk shades look best in formal rooms or intimate bedroom settings. By contrast, linen, parchment and textured looks have a more casual, rustic feel that’s well suited for family rooms or dens. Hand-sewn or hand-painted shades add intimacy and softness to a room scene.

Rule 7: Accents

A new trend is toward crystal beaded accents or trim, which lend additional sparkle and brightness to a room. Depending on the base and the level of decoration, such shades can be casual comfy to tre chic!

Other shades accents include fabric trim, colored glass tassels, leather trim and
even feathers.

Rule 8: Proportion

Set a shade next to a base. Ideally, the shade should be 2 to 3 inches shorter than the base. A shade is at the proper height when just a half inch of the lamp neck (the part of the base just below the socket) is showing. Avoid choosing a shade that fails to cover the socket’s underpinnings.

And remember that when the lamp base is highly decorative, keep the shade plain. When a base is plain and unornamented you can safely add a fancier, splashier shade and still keep an eye-pleasing lamp / shade proportion.
 

Rule 9: Rules Are Made to Be Broken!

Trust your own eye and personal tastes. After all, you have to live with and be pleased with your décor choices. If it works for you, go with it.

Need help choosing a shade that’s right for you? Contact us for design ideas and product recommendations.

 
Instant Makeover - a new Shade!
 
Coordinating a new shade to an existing base is fairly easy. The right shade can provide a new look to freshen up old furnishings or match a new paint color. Just follow a few simple guidelines:

MeasurementMeasure for size
First, you must measure your existing lampshade before shopping for a new shade: the top diameter; the bottom diameter; the vertical height; and the vertical slant.

A. Measure Top Diameter
B. Measure Bottom Diameter
C. Measure Vertical Slant
D. Measure Vertical Height

Shade vs. Lamp
The height of the shade should be roughly 3/4 the height of the base, and the shade's width should extend past the widest part of the lamp base. Make sure that any new shade extends down far enough to cover all the electrical fittings and the base of the socket.

Shapes
Try looking for a shade that echoes some shape or curve of the lamp base. For example, an urn-shaped lamp can be matched with a flared shade that repeats the basic outline of the lamp base. Similarly, a square, mission-styled base would work well with a rectangular or square-shaped shade.

Harps and Risers
These bits of hardware allow you to easily adjust the shade position for a perfect fit. Harps are the metal frames that attach to the lamp base saddle and hold the shade in place. They can be used to greatly raise the height of a shade.

Harps come in one inch increments beginning at 7" and continuing up to 12", and come in light or heavyweight units, depending on the size and weight of your shade. They cost around $1.99 a unit.

Risers screw onto the harps and can be used to minutely adjust the shade, allowing you to adjust a shade to just the right fit. They come in 1/2 inch, 1 ½" and 2" increments, and generally cost around a dollar.

Types of Fittings
Spider Uno Clipon
Spider Uno Clip-on
Spiders are used with a shade harps. These are most common in table and floor lamps. Uno is a fitting seen on smaller table or bedside lamps and swing arms. Clip-on is a specialty fitting seen on smaller accent lamps and chandeliers.
Getting the Right Look
Once you've determined the basic shape size and shape of shade you'd like to go for, you can narrow your search down to find the perfect match.

Bring your lamp base into Uptown Lamps & Shades.
We are happy to help you find the perfect shade!

 
Lighting To Read By


Where do you like to read? Is it on a cushy armchair in your den? Propped up in bed on a mound of pillows? Or lounging on your favorite sofa? Wherever you like to curl up with a favorite book, all that reading can exhaust the eyes if you don’t have the perfect reading lighting.

Reading, writing and other visually intensive work requires lots of light that is bright as well as focused. That's why task lighting is specific to home work zones such as kitchen countertops, desks, craft tables and reading chairs - anywhere that someone who is doing a job needs sharp, non-shadowed light. Task lighting such as reading light is not meant to illuminate the entire room - only a work or reading surface.

Another factor to consider is that, as we get older, our eyes demand more light to read by. Studies have shown that people in their 60's need 80% more light for reading than people in their 20's. This increased need for light is due to the need to compensate for the reduced ability of the iris to open wide.

So what is the perfect light for reading? No matter what your personal lamp style, experts say that halogen and fluorescent bulbs generally do a better job of illuminating reading material than normal incandescent bulbs. Halogen bulbs produce a whiter light that is perfect for reading and the sharp white light ensures good page illumination. A common complaint about fluorescent lighting is that it gives off a greenish blue light. Today’s fluorescent bulbs and tubes are available in a wide range of colors, plus they use up to 80% less energy and last 20 times longer.

Experts also say that books and other printed material should sit between 14 and 18 inches away from your eyes. Books nearer or farther can tire the eyes. Readers who are right-handed should position the light hitting the text on their left hand side, and vice versa. This prevents page-turning hands from casting shadows across the reading material. Readers should also avoid sitting up with a book in their laps or reading sideways in bed without changing positions. In both cases, the neck is in a flexed position, which can lead to both neck and eye strain.

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