Maurice Robertson, principal of The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co , has had a lifetime’s association with antique porcelain and pottery,with his commercial experience spaning a period of 40 years,including as a valuer to the Australian Government’s Incentive to the Arts Scheme. His long experience with antique ceramics and glass also includes dealing with leading museums and numerous international private collections. He has extended his ceramics expertise into the quality table lamps seen on the company’s site, he is well known to local and international interior designers who have included many of his table lamps in their projects and has also supplied items of national interest to the official Sydney residence of the Australian Prime Minister.
Your beautiful lamp sits in just the right corner in your favourite room providing a welcome glow each evening. It may have once belonged to mother or that of a favourite aunt or perhaps you spent years hunting through antique shops? But as elegant as the lamp base is, the shade has never been entirely suited. It’s seen better days & the style could be more sympathetic. Sooner or later it’s going to have to be replaced.
As all discerning decorators know, finding the right lamp base is hard enough, but finding the right lamp shade can be easier said than done! So how do you complete the look with the perfect shade?
The first thing to remember is to take your time. This is a lamp shade after all – not emergency surgery! Consulting an experienced, custom shade maker will cut through months of fruitless searching however in an age where fewer women sew, finding a skilled lamp shade maker, capable of a producing a professional look, can be tricky. Bespoke lampshade making may be a specialist area but once you have your shade maker, the process can begin.
Ask to see photos of previous lampshade work and samples of what you can expect. Close enough isn’t good enough when it comes to quality decorating. Providing pictures of the room your lamp will live in and the furniture on which it will stand is very helpful. Perhaps you can offer swatches of fabric or photos of lampshades you admire. Your lampshade maker probably isn’t psychic and these will assist in effectively conveying your ideas!
Size & proportion are very important so take your lamp base along and the old lampshade due for retirement. It will come in handy to show what you do and don’t like about the old shade. It’s true that there are a few rules regarding proportion, but in the end, your eye will tell you the most pleasing size and shape for your base and the rule book may well be tossed out.
A good shade maker should also have a selection of lamp shades in different shapes, sizes & colours. Try a few on, even those you may not normally be drawn to. Stand back and appraise your lamp thoughtfully, you may discover an exciting new look that you previously wouldn’t have considered!
When it comes to lampshades, silk or linen is the choice of fabrics. These textiles lend themselves beautifully to shade making with a vast selection of colours to choose from. Silk is a particularly fascinating material. Light, delicate, soft & luxurious, yet strong enough to hold a man’s weight in a parachute descent, making it perfect for stretched designs & linings requiring tension!
Once fabric has been decided, there are so many different shade treatments to choose from. Plain stretched, knife, box or pinch pleats, gathering, crosshatching, ruffling & piping effects are just some, not to mention the stunning array of passementerie available. Crown this with a wide selection of finials in every shape & material & your lampshade project transforms into a work of art!
With the design settled it’s important to ensure your new lampshade will actually sit on your lamp! Lampshade frame fittings need to suit according to which country your lamp originates. What fits in the US is different from the UK & Australia, with Europe having yet another fitting of its own! Vive la difference! Your shade will be unusable if it does not have the right attachment. This should be no problem for a professional shade maker who will be able to advise & supply a shade with the correct fitting.
You should now be provided with a timely and detailed written quote. One of a kind, custom made work using superior materials obviously costs somewhat more than a mass produced article. Lampshade making of this calibre is labour intensive & can be somewhat wasteful as many styles will only be successful with fabric cut on the bias. Materials such as silk, passementerie, finials & frames all need to be specially ordered, (with frame making being another specialist area in itself!)
A good shade maker should be busy. If they inspire confidence and you admire their work, then it’s worth the wait! Even so, expect to be provided with an estimated date of delivery and receive progress reports at appropriate intervals, just so you know your order has not been forgotten.
Expect to pay for what you get and think of all those weeks and months trudging from store to store looking for the perfect shade, only to come home empty handed. Don’t forget this is a long term investment that will pay off every time you admire your creation!
The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co custom makes superior lampshades in silk & linen to order. They also offer a superb selection of quality antique lamps with lamps being shipped ready wired for the U.S, the U.K and Australia.
For more information you are invited to visit their web site at -:
© The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co 2009
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
Easy Ways to Transform Your Home for Winter
By: Adam Singleton | 30/12/2009Decorating tips for transforming your home to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for winter.
Laminate Tiles Flooring - An Exposure to Design Imagination
By: Marcony Damn | 30/12/2009Laminate tiles flooring always enable the users to give a life to their imagination they have thought of adorning their homes or offices. This type of flooring is able to create a soothing environment in the place providing it with an attractive and superior look.
Adorn your bathroom with exquisite bathroom tiles
By: mathewhogard | 30/12/2009Apart from decorating the bedrooms and kitchens homeowners is now also giving priority to decorate the bathroom area. Hence, they are literally paying any amount to make their bathrooms look beauteous.
How to Repair Vertical and Venetian Blinds
By: Aja Klenna | 30/12/2009Venetian and vertical blinds are popular window treatment options because they offer any increment of light control with the turn of a wand. Blinds come in a variety of colors and finishes and can be made of wood, fabric, metal or plastic.
Area Rug Savvy: Choosing the Perfect Rug for Your Living Room
By: Aja Klenna | 30/12/2009An area rug adds a crucial level of style to a room. Even if you like sleek modern style with dark wood floors, an area rug will add warmth, color and design to your living room. Use it to define a conversation area and pull all the colors of your room together. You can use an area rug over neutral carpet to add more color and style to a room; this can help 'cozy up' a larger carpeted living space.
How to Remove Stains on Carpet
By: Aja Klenna | 30/12/2009Getting a stain on your carpeting can be disheartening, but you'll be relieved to know that most stains can be removed by using the correct procedures and products. The sooner you treat a spill or accident, the better your chances that you will reduce damage and be able to successfully remove the stain. When you purchase new carpet, cleaning instructions are often included and you would be wise to file this information where you can easily refer to it as soon as a mishap occurs.
10 Ways to Refresh Your Bathroom without Remodeling
By: Aja Klenna | 30/12/2009Bathroom remodels look inviting once they're finished and as long as someone else is doing the work. But what if you don't have the money, time or energy to replace bathroom fixtures or flooring, add a tile backsplash or even paint the walls, but you'd like to give your bath a little pick-me-up? Pick and choose from among these 10 bathroom refreshers.
How to Design an Idyllic English Country Kitchen
By: Aja Klenna | 30/12/2009The eternally charming English countryside is the inspiration for a warm, cozy kitchen done in English country style. Imagine an English stonewall cottage with flower gardens outside the backdoor while reveling in the warmth of a cup of tea by the kitchen hearth, or imagine a more formal kitchen of a traditional English country estate full of natural materials like cherry wood, marble and stainless steel. Either way, comfort, warmth and a welcoming ambiance are the order of the day.
Antiques - Are There Really Bones In Bone China?
By: Maurice Robertson | 08/12/2009 | AntiquesWhen we speak of bone china, does it ever raise the question, however fleetingly, I wonder if this cup I’m drinking from actually has bones in it? The short answer is yes. But we can’t leave it there, so on to the long answer …
Antiques - What Does Soft Paste Porcelain Mean?
By: Maurice Robertson | 30/11/2009 | EducationEvery niche subject has its specific, descriptive words, its recognised terminology. These are words of international understanding, conveying a clear picture of the object being described. In the world of antiques this is extremely important, particularly when the object is not able to be seen and handled by the person receiving...
Antique Lamps – Blue and White Is Always Right!
By: Maurice Robertson | 07/11/2009 | Interior DesignThe display of blue and white is traditionally regarded as best seen against a yellow background. Yellow not only compliments both the blue prints, but also the white of the earthenware or porcelain. These combine to produce a beautiful display. When a blue and white antique lamp is added, the look is really dazzling!
Behind Every Good Lamp is A Good Lamp Shade!
By: Maurice Robertson | 25/10/2009 | Interior DesignAs all discerning decorators know, finding the right lamp base is hard enough, but finding the right lamp shade can be easier said than done! So how do you complete the look with the perfect shade?
Antique Lamps - A Lamp With a Message!
By: Maurice Robertson | 29/09/2009 | Home ImprovementWe have all heard about the "message in a bottle". Here we look at an antique lamp with an ancient message! The story of Siddhartha's transformation into the Lord Buddha, meaning "one who has awakened", is well known to both the East as well as the West, with a growing Western...
Antiques - What’s In a Word?
By: Maurice Robertson | 26/09/2009 | AntiquesWithin my subject of antique ceramics, porcelain and pottery, I have noticed a consistent confusion over a particular group of ceramic terms. These include the terms, “soft paste” and “hard paste” porcelain.
Art as an Allegorical Figure
By: Maurice Robertson | 13/09/2009 | Art & EntertainmentMankind has always been attracted to beauty. At no time through the long passage of history has humanity not been expressed through art. In every corner of the world, in every society, known as civilized or uncivilized, art, as an expression of that society, has flowered. We can still look with admiration...
Antique Lamps – A Lamp with a Message!
By: Maurice Robertson | 07/09/2009 | Interior DesignWe have all heard about the “message in a bottle”. Here we look at an antique lamp with an ancient message!