Shades 101: Understanding Shade Materials & Types of Light Shades

Types of Lamp Shade Attachments & More

Lamp shades are more than just a functional solution to direct and diffuse light; they’re also a versatile way to express your personality, add a unique focal point, enhance ambience, and add visual texture to your space.

Are you wondering about the best way to choose a lampshade for your space? Learn more about light shade types, materials, and shapes in our detailed guide below; we hope you take away some inspo for upgrading your light fixtures!

Purpose

Choosing a light fixture shade is about more than just style — you also need to think about what your goals are for each room. You can explore both style and purpose once you better understand what each light shade type and material can do for you.

But before we get started, here are some questions to consider as you start choosing your next lighting project:

• What type of lighting does your room need? Decorative, ambient, task, or accent? You may need a mix of two or more, so choose shades to meet each. Ambient and task lighting require large, translucent shades, while decorative and accent lighting need opaque, colorful light shade types.

• Where will the lighting be in your room? Closer to your eye line, like on a table, or higher up in the space, like on a shelf? Your type of lamp shade attachment will need to be longer the further away it is from your line of vision.

• How high is the wattage of your light bulb? Because light bulbs come in various shades and brightness levels, determine your desired brightness throughout the space and whether larger shades can help you achieve the level you want. Larger shades will help disperse your light more widely.

Materials | Opacity & Diffusion

Light shades come in a variety of different materials that each have a unique effect on the beam of light coming from the light bulb. The opacity and finish of the material you choose will change the way the light shines. Some of the most common materials include:

• Glass: Glass shades are available in various levels of opaqueness, including completely clear, smoke, milk, and matte white. Some glass shades even come in beautiful colors, like pink, blue, and green. Each glass finish changes the way the light interacts with your space. Completely clear glass will let all the light from the bulb into your space unaltered. As your glass gets more opaque or colorful, it lets less light through and may tint it in different shades.

• Metal: Metal shades don’t let any light diffuse through the material. These shades are purely directional and can be used to shoot a beam of light exactly where you want it. This might be down, to illuminate a book you’re reading, upwards, to highlight a painting or piece of decor, or sideways, to more evenly light a long hallway.

• Fabric: Fabric shades provide a happy medium of diffusion between glass and metal. They’re only lightly opaque and generally come in neutral shades, like tan and beige. Fabric is the mid-century modern go-to design for light shade types.

• Natural & Woven: Palm, wicker, and straw lamp shades provide a natural element to your decor that prioritizes style over function. Depending on how tightly woven the material for your shade is, it may let through some light or no light. It’s best to use this light shade type as a boho accent for ambient and decorative lighting.

• Acrylic: Acrylic shades are very similar to glass, as they offer the same style of light diffusion depending on the finish. Acrylic is also available in the same finish styles as glass, including clear, milky, opaque, and colorful. The main difference between glass and acrylic types of lamp shade attachments is that acrylic is weather-resistant, fade-resistant, and scratch-resistant — making it better suited to outdoor applications.

Shapes

Now that you know the lampshade’s purpose and the material options best suited to your needs, we can talk a bit about proportion, shape, and scale. Some of the common shade shapes include bell, drum, hexagon, square, coolie, and empire. You can mix and match light shade types with base shapes to play with proportion and movement, even incorporating the shape of the table where you’re placing the lamp to add another element to the design.

Here’s a breakdown of each light shade type:

• Bell Shape: A timeless design that evokes Victorian vibes, this shape is best suited for traditional interior decor. It’s a classic choice that adds personality without being overwhelming.

• Drum Shape: Popular in mid-century modern homes, the drum is a spherical design that pairs best with geometric accents. It’s a popular shape to create with woven materials.

• Hexagon Shape: This light shade type is an unusual shape that imbues the lamp with a rustic, pastoral vibe that’s perfect for coastal grandma and cottagecore styles.

• Square Shape: Another classic silhouette, the square shape evokes the simple lines and geometric elements of minimalist, Scandinavian aesthetics.

• Empire Shape: Narrow at the top and wider at the bottom, the empire light shade type is a cone that can direct light for task and accent designs.

• Coolie Shape: A squatter version of the empire shape, coolie lampshades provide a contemporary look for any fixture.

Sizes & Surfaces

If you’re wondering how to size a shade specifically for a table lamp, here are two simple guidelines to help you out:

• The height of the light shade type must equal ⅔ of the base height.
• The shade width looks best when ½” wider on each side than the widest part of the lamp base.

Once you know the right size for your lampshade, you can move on to the surface of the types of lamp shade attachments. 

As we discussed in both the material and shape section, the silhouette of your shade will affect the lighting it produces. Consider the purpose of your lighting and choose a shape and finish that’s appropriate to your needs. Some simple solutions may include:

• Dark hues on a dense material (metal or natural) to project light from the top and bottom of a shade.
• Translucent hues on a lightweight material (glass or fabric) to provide powerful light from every angle.

You may likely also want to match your light shade type to the fabric, material, and color of your general decor. Look for styles that will work well with the rugs, furniture, curtains, and other essential features in your room.

Find Some Inspiration

Do you need a few more examples of how to use different light shade types in your space? Check out our gallery of Instagram favorites for inspiration!