How to Buy the Right Lampshade for Your Lamp

Size matters when choosing a lampshade.

Lampshades come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, widths and heights. When you purchase a new lampshade, it is possible to buy one that doesn't properly fit the base of your lamp. A lampshade that is too big or too small may cause weird shadows when the lamp is on, leave parts of the lamp hardware exposed, or even overwhelm the base of your lamp. Take notice of your lamp base before purchasing a new shade.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Measure the base of your lamp from the bottom to the top in inches. The top of the base is the spot where the bottom of the electrical socket is attached to the lamp base.

2. Choose a shade with a proper bottom diameter. Use the height of the lamp base in inches to determine the correct size. A shade for a lamp should have a bottom diameter within two inches of the lamp base height. For example, a lamp with a base height of 12 inches will look good with a lamp shade that has a bottom diameter from 10 inches to 14 inches.

3. Measure the height of your lamp harp in inches. The lamp harp is the metal wire that mounts under the lamp socket and supports the lampshade.

4. Choose a shade with a height that it is within 1/2 an inch of your harp height. For example, a lamp with a harp height of six inches should have a lampshade that has a height of 5 1/2 inches, 6 inches or 6 1/2 inches.

5. Choose a shade with a shape that complements your lamp base. Lampshades come in many shapes including round, oval, rectangular, hexagonal and square.

Tips & Warnings

• Choosing the shape of a lampshade is generally left up to personal preference. Some lamp bases look better with shades of certain shapes.

• If you are having a hard time finding a lampshade that works with your lamp, the harp may be adjustable.

References

• Antique Lamp Supply: 3 Simple steps for selecting the correct shape and size fabric shade for your lamp
• eBay: How to Buy the Correct Size Lamp Shade