Mid-Century Lamp Shades
Buy the best mid-century lamp shades selected and recommended by interior designers. By Vanessa Weber.
Update the style of your home on a budget by simply replacing your table, floor, and wall lamp covers with mid-century lamp shades. Chic and retro, these pieces have their inherent nostalgic appeal that is loved by almost everyone. From neutral hues to artsy, bright-colored ones, you won’t run out of options to make your home stylish. So take a peek at our designers’ choices of mcm lampshade that will give your interiors a mid-mod vibe.
Mid-Century Lamp Shades
Buying Guide
Vanessa Weber
Interior Design Expert
Vanessa is a New York-based designer specializing in architectural lighting. Whether you are planning an event, want to illuminate your backyard retreat or simply need advice on what lamp to purchase for your bedroom, Vanessa will be more than happy to share her knowledge and expertise.
Lamp shades are an important part of interior décor. They provide the ambient lighting needed to bring out the beauty of your interior. In addition to this, the designs of these shades can be breathtaking. There are many different types of shades but if you’re looking for something unique, going for medieval designs can be a great idea. But there are some important factors to keep in mind.
The main reason why most people buy mid-century lamp shade designs is for the décor value that they bring. In that case, as you shop around, make sure you pick shades that match your existing interior. And not just the color only, even the size of your shade can determine how it fits into the décor in the spaces available at home.
There are a few rules that can help you pick the right size.
- Make sure the shade’s height is at most 3/4 of the base. The width of the shade too needs to be bigger than the base.
- The shade also needs to be a little raised so that the base can be visible. Mid-century lamp shade bases do have a beauty of their own and they need to come out.
Mid-century lamp shades may also come in different types but mostly, the distinguishing factors are often based on the light diffusion capabilities.
Here are some of the common options:
- Collie Shade Designs - The coolie shade is wide at the cone. The base also has a larger diameter compared to the top. The light from the lamp will come from beneath the lamp shade. The sitting areas will be brighter while the ceilings will be dimmer.
- Empire Shade Designs - The empire shade design is perfectly cone-shaped. However, it lacks the dramatic effect that comes with the collie shade. The light in the empire designs is also redirected downwards but you will get a bigger glow on your ceilings too.
- Drum Shades - The drum shades are cylindrical in nature. They’re going to diffuse light equally from the bottom and at the top. This means they offer the best lighting among the three options we have covered here.
Lamp shades do have a number of unique elements. First, there’s the hardback. This is the plastic backing that’s found inside the shade which is designed to hold the shade into place. The shades also have a lining on the outside for aesthetic purposes. The lining is perhaps the most visible element of the shade. However, it’s important to note that all decorative aspects of the lamp shade are called trim. This may include things like the material used, the gallery, overall finish etc. The gallery is simply the decorative band that’s found at the bottom of the shade. The design varies from one shade to another.