Choosing the Right Light Shades for Your Home

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There are many different ways to decorate your home and choosing the right light shades for your lighting fixtures will help being any room together. Coming in an endless variety of styles and colors, light shades not only add style but function to your rooms, as the right lighting is necessary for kitchens, bedrooms, and living and dining rooms in order to be functional. Both retail and online stores offer a wide variety of modern and contemporary light shades, while small local lighting stores often offer lighting and light shades for a more antique feel to your home.

Light shades are typically utilized for table, reading, and accent lamps that add flair and function to your home. Light shades come in two forms: fabric and glass and there is no shortage of styles for you to choose from. Glass light shades come in stained glass, opal, iridescent, satin crystal, etched, and sandblasted. Glass light shades can be more expensive than fabric light shades because they are fragile and often antique. The Tiffany Company produced countless antique glass light shades in some of the most memorable designs.  Original Tiffany stained glass lamps can often fetch up to $500,000 at auction and are a popular collectors item. Glass light shades can be found in any lighting and home store and antique stores typically offer styles that you will not find in contemporary and modern lighting stores. Antique light shades are significantly more expensive but they are a must have for antique homes.

Fabric light shades may come in paper, burlap, silk, leather, velvet, or mica and they are often less expensive than glass. Many antique fabric light shades were ornamented with lace and fringes. There are, however, many carefully handmade shades that can often match or outdo the price of glass. Fabric shades come in countless styles, colors, and sizes and their durability makes them more functional than fragile glass light shades. While some fabric light shades are standard on less expensive lamps, many fabric shades are handmade antiques and are not only expensive but they are also collectibles. Fabric shades are often hand-woven, embroidered, or painted, making them a unique addition to any room. While not as fragile as glass, antique fabric light shades are less durable than contemporary shades and may be irreplaceable if damaged.

Choosing the right light shade for your lamps is a matter of taste and should match the style of your home. From antique, to contemporary, to modern, there are dozens of styles to choose from that will compliment the décor of your home. Antique homes benefit most from antique shades, including Victorian fabric shades to Tiffany-style glass and stained glass shades. While most lighting, home, and furniture stores will offer a large variety of lamps and shades to accompany them, it is wise to visit small local lighting stores if you are looking for something classical to fit the antique feel of your home.

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