Lamp Shades - The Complete Guide
We always use lampshades with our light fixtures (except of some specific cases like indirect lighting, strip LED lighting, or decorative lights made in a shape of a retro light bulb). Lamp shades have many advantages, such as:
- The main purpose of lamp shades is to protect the eyes of the people in a room since the light of uncovered bulb is too bright and irritating.
- Lampshade can aim the ray of light to the needed direction - to illuminate working area or highlight some art work.
- The lamp shade itself is a decorative item, very important for the whole interior design. People most often are choosing lampshades for their decorative purposes, sometimes even neglecting other significant features and characteristics.
- Lamp shades conduct heat away from the light bulb. This is especially important when incandescent bulbs are used, because in this case almost 90% of electric power is turned into heat.
- Lampshade can add a desirable color accent to the overall theme of the interior.
- It can reflect or diffuse light, thus making it possible to vary the ambience in a room.
There is a widest range of different lamp shades in stores all around the United States. The process of shopping for the perfect piece for your room can be overwhelming, while knowing the main types and styles of lampshades can really narrow the choice. So first let's take a look at the main types of lamp shades.