Lighting & Lamp Shades: A Guide to Mood and Style

How to choose the right lamp shade

A lamp shade is one of a room’s most important accessories. Much like your window treatments, sofa cushions or rug, lamp shades should bring interest and personality to the space, contributing to a welcoming and polished final look.

Your chosen lamp shade must work well with the base or pendant, as well as tying in with the rest of the decor. For table lamps, the shade should sit in a position that makes it easy to operate the switch. For ceiling lights, the lamp shade should hang at both a practical and aesthetically pleasing level. And of course, it goes without saying that you should go for lamp shades with the correct diameter for your fixture.

There are no set rules for the size and shape of your lamp shades, but it’s a good idea to try out a variety of options before making your decision. You could do this by experimenting with other shades throughout your home, or by taking a picture of your room and using a photo editing tool to test out different shades.

Using light in interior design

For many of us, creating our perfect home interior is a process that can take hours and hours of hard work. We can muse upon different colour combinations, which fabrics will work best, and whether we want joyful patterns or something more classic – however – without good light, it’s all for nothing.

Light essentially falls into two categories: natural and artificial. Natural light streams through your windows from the sun, while artificial light can flood a space instantly with the flick of a switch. Both play a crucial role in how your home feels, and selecting the right lamp shade can help you make the most of artificial light.

Artificial lighting isn’t just practical; it’s a way to enrich your space. Statement lighting can highlight your décor, bring attention to key areas, and add excitement to your interiors. Choosing the right lamp shade helps soften glare, control the direction of light, and introduce colour, pattern, or metallic accents into your room. By thoughtfully selecting shades that complement your décor and match your desired atmosphere, you can transform the mood of any space, from energising and vibrant to calm and intimate.

How Can Your Lamp Shades Set the Mood in a Room?

The lamp shades you choose can dramatically affect the atmosphere of a room. Different colours, materials, and light diffusion levels work together to create specific moods:

For a Relaxing, Cosy Mood: Opt for warm-toned lamp shades in cream, soft orange, or brown. These colours cast a warm glow that’s perfect for bedrooms and living rooms where you want to unwind. Textured fabrics diffuse light gently, avoiding harsh brightness.

For an Energising, Creative Space: Choose vibrant lamp shades in yellow, orange, or multicoloured patterns for home offices and creative studios. Brighter colours stimulate energy and focus, while metallic inners in copper or gold add sparkle and inspiration.

For a Calm, Serene Atmosphere: Select grey lamp shades or cool-toned shades in blue or green. These colours promote tranquility and work beautifully in bedrooms, bathrooms, and reading nooks. Pair with dimmer switches for ultimate control over your ambient lighting.

For Drama and Sophistication: Black, deep teal, or metallic lamp shades create striking focal points in dining rooms and contemporary living spaces. These bold choices add personality and make a confident design statement while controlling light intensity.

Window Dressings That Improve Statement Lighting

Statement lighting isn’t limited to lamp shades. Innovative window furnishings can also enhance how light moves through a space. 

Natural lighting – privacy vs light

Within the realms of interior design, there is often a total compromise you have to accept between light and privacy. Take curtains for example, to enjoy light you have to open them and sacrifice most, if not all of your privacy. Likewise, if you want to be private, you then have to compromise on the levels of natural light you can enjoy. Not all window dressings work this way however, there are some that let light filter into your rooms without opening your space to the outside world.

Enjoy the light with Day & Night blinds

One of the best examples of finding harmony between light and privacy are Day and Night blinds. Also known as ‘Zebra blinds,’ these chic window furnishings feature alternating strips of fabric that slide against each other, allowing you to change between a block colour – for full closure and privacy – and stripes that softly filter the light and views from outside. Take advantage of sophisticated design and excellent functionality, in a range of elegant colours.

Illuminate your space with Illusion blinds

Illusion blinds provide an outstanding solution for revelling in natural light. The combination of soft and sheer Voile fabrics provides a delicate textured effect that allows natural light to elegantly filter into a space while retaining a view to the outside. Illusion blinds are innovative and functional too. With a simple twist of the wand, the two-fabrics come together, balancing your need to provide your home with airy light or complete privacy and security.

Wonderful wooden blinds

Wooden blinds are a classic choice for users looking to enjoy light and privacy. With almost any other window furnishing you have to block all the light to keep prying eyes out of your home. With wooden Venetian blinds however, you can angle and position the slats while still allowing light to filter in from outside. Moreover, to ensure we protect the environment, the woods we use to craft our wooden blinds are sourced from responsibly managed forests.