Lampshades, one of the most preferred lighting products, also stand out as the most stylish complements of home decoration. So, what exactly is a lampshade? What are the types of lampshades? What are the most important points to consider before choosing a lampshade for your home?
As the Doğtaş family, the address of style and harmony in homes, today we are addressing the answers to all these questions on our blog page, where we shed light on many important details about decoration. By reading our article to the end, you can learn many unknown facts about lampshades, which, besides adding elegance to homes, are among the most commonly seen lighting products in places due to their area of use.
If you wish, let's not keep our esteemed readers waiting and start by finding an answer to the question of what is a lampshade…
Lampshades, which we have seen sometimes at the bedside, sometimes on consoles in the living and sitting rooms, are among the most important complements of decorative elegance.
Being a decorative accessory as well as being influential in lighting spaces, the question of what is a lampshade can be answered as a lighting product that helps the light emanating from the source to be reflected in a specific area.
When looking at the etymology of the word "lampshade," it is observed that this word comes from the French word "abat-jour". The combination of the words "abat" (to dim) and "jour" (light) forms "abat-jour," which is expressed in Turkish as "lamp shield".
Due to the surrounding section, lampshades, also known as shaded lamps, spread light not in a harsh and direct manner but softly, helping the lighting in the environment to be dimmer.
Depending on its design, lampshades can give spaces a vintage or modern appearance, and their use dates back to a very old period in history. Lampshades have been used in European countries since the 17th century and today are chosen by people with different personal tastes worldwide.
In past centuries, due to the lack of technological advancement, lampshades were produced by wrapping the lamp only with materials like thick paper, fabric, or wicker; by the 19th century, they became designed in different forms.
At the beginning of the 19th century, copper lampshades hung from ceilings were in vogue, whereas, in the 1930s, conical lampshades replaced copper ones. By the mid-19th century, cylindrical lampshades production had started, thus making lampshades not only a lighting product but also a decorative element in homes.
Today, besides being used on nightstands, dressers, and consoles, lampshades can also be produced to hang on the wall or to be floor-standing with a stand.
By answering the question of what is a lampshade, we have briefly touched on the history and features of lampshades. So, how should you choose the right lampshade for your living spaces? What should you pay attention to before choosing a lampshade?
Let's explore the answers to these questions together…
Bedroom decoration, living room decoration, or any other room's decoration in the house may seem like furniture forms the main elements, but accessories and lighting products also play a crucial role in altering the atmosphere of a space.
So, what should you consider when selecting the most suitable lampshade models for your home? Here’s the answer!
Just as with the selection of other furniture for your home, when choosing a lampshade, you should ensure it will complement the general ambiance of the house. In this sense, focus on the colors in your home and avoid choosing lampshade models in disparate colors.
If your home decoration is modern, cylinder-shaped and colorful lampshades might be ideal for your room. On the other hand, if you prefer that the lampshades stand out in your room's decoration, accordingly, you might lean towards lampshade models in dark colors.
If you need ideas on how to combine colors while decorating your home, you can get inspiration from our article How Should Color Harmony Be in Home Decoration?.
Another point to consider when choosing a lampshade is where in the house it will be placed. If your space is not very large, we recommend opting for alternatives that are functionally beneficial and add decorative richness to your room instead of large and space-consuming models.
For example, if you have a small bedroom and the nightstand or dresser in your room isn’t very large, a massive lampshade might create a distracting visual. You will likely find the ambiance created by smaller lampshade models more satisfactory.
On the other hand, floor lampshade models can be a good alternative for larger living rooms and bedrooms.
For tips on organizing dressers, you can check out our content titled What is a Dresser and What is It Used For?.
While personal tastes and expectations may vary in many aspects, it’s crucial that design elements form complementary components. In this sense, when choosing a lampshade, just as with other accessories, you should focus not only on the details but evaluate the product as a whole.
If you are truly looking for a chic lampshade for your home, we advise you to be mindful that both its base and shade should complement each other. Minimalist-designed bases will create harmony with colorful, shiny, or patterned shades.
As mentioned earlier in our article, lampshades are preferred not only as a lighting product but also as a decoration product. Despite this, due to their functional features, lampshades are among the ideal lighting products in home decoration.
Even if you perceive the lampshades in your home as decorative items, we recommend not overlooking their functional features and obtaining maximum efficiency from the light they emit.
If you want the light emitted by the lampshades to be more dominant, you can choose lighter tones in home decoration.
In our content, where we've examined the question of what is a lampshade, we listed the recommendations we believe will help you in choosing a lampshade. So, after selecting the lampshade model suitable for your meticulously designed home decoration, are you aware of what you should pay attention to in its usage?
A few small tips can aid you both in your lampshade choice and usage…
By cleaning it with the right products, you can use it without wear for many years.
While we’re at it, let’s underline that you can also choose Doğtaş for trendy floor lamp models.
As the Doğtaş family, which combines homes with elegance, in this article, we answered the question of what is a lampshade and listed tips that we believe will help you in selecting and using lampshades.
Finally, we highly recommend checking Doğtaş’s lighting products category for not only lampshades but also floor lamps, pendant lights, and other lighting products.
Don't forget to visit Doğtaş Blog frequently for other blog articles we prepare concerning decoration!