Victorian Lamp Shades
Buy the best victorian lamp shades selected and recommended by interior designers. By Vanessa Weber.
Romantic, traditional, and elegant, Victorian lamp shades always bring a regal touch to the living room or bedroom. Their flared silhouettes and braided trims soften tableside vignettes, while their mesh-like shades offer a dreamy glow of light. While some have patterns reminiscent of Victorian-era fabrics, others are offered in solid colors that will fit different aesthetic styles. Take a look at these antique-inspired lampshades selected by our design experts.
Victorian 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.
Bring the beauty and elegance of Victorian-style lighting to your home with the use of an exquisite Victorian beaded lamp shade. The shades available online are perfect for collectors who are new to the glamour of the years passed. They're also great for people who have already enjoyed opulent décor pieces.
Maybe your living space is missing a special piece that'll tie the entire setting together. Perhaps you're looking for a room accessory that will liven up your drab space with an elegant touch. Regardless of what your decorating desires are, a Victorian beaded lamp shape will achieve the old-world look that you may be after.
Allow our simple guide to take you through the whole process of buying a vintage lamp shade. Our tips will help you choose the color, fabric, and style that is right for you and your space.
In general, the shape of a shade follows a lamp's contour. Although it's not a fixed rule, it holds true most of the time. For instance, the base is oval with curves; the best Victorian shade shape for you is oval with curves. For a straight base, the Victorian shade that's best paired with it is one that has lots of edges and angles.
For bottom-heavy Victorian lamps, they can appear lighter if you add cone-shaped Victorian shades on top. Square lamps, on the other hand, can take square Victorian lamp shades; while round bases take round shades.
When shopping for a Victorian beaded lamp shade, you need to factor in the details of the shade.
- Fluted shades project elegance and seem refined and traditional.
- Pleats are more for a homey and casual look.
- A bell shade offers a chameleon and highly adaptable look. It's capable of fitting various décor schemes.
- As for scalloped edges, they imply a gracious, yet relaxed mood that is perfect for bedrooms.
Victorian shades can be white or colored. If you want to let most of the light go through your shade, then you'll be better off with a shade that has a light color. It'll be best at illuminating the entire room.
Colored shades direct light down, which can be useful when you are adding pools of light and drama to a room. A colored Victorian lamp shade is great if you're after a piece that's sophisticated. You can match different shade colors within a space if are adventurous and you want visual excitement. The one thing that you should remember is to NEVER blend a shade's color to wall treatments in the background.
Sit the shade right next to the base you will be using. The shade that's best for you is the one that is shorter than the base. A shade that's of the proper height only shows an inch of your lamp's neck. Avoid choosing the shade that won't cover the underpinnings of a socket.
Remember, when your lamp base is decorative, a plain shade will work best. If the base is not detailed, a splashier and fancier shade will be the better option.