For as long as I can remember, lampshades and I have not seen eye to eye. No matter where I look, online or in the flesh, I can never seem to find a lampshade I like. Either the shape is too pyramidal, or the covering is wrong, or the proportions don't work. Whatever happened to the good old fashioned cylinder shade? That is much more my style.
The lamp base and shade above are from the 1950s and it sits on the Other Side of my bed.
Pretty much impossible to match, but I have found this shade, from Vixen, which I think contrasts reasonably well. I know it is strange to have non matching lamps but Someone is very attached to his light, and it isn't going anywhere.
The third lampshade is for my daughter's room. I had foolishly bought her an Ikea lamp a few months ago which threw off very little light (the squinting gave it away). We had another 1950's base hanging around, so I bought a shade in a shape I liked and covered it with this butterfly fabric.
If you cut and measure carefully it is quite easy to recover shades using a spray fabric glue. I haven't quite mastered how to make it neat on the inside. In the end I just folded it around and kept it in place with white masking tape. It doesn't look so great in there, but my daughter doesn't mind.
If you look closely you can see a pile of 1970's Enid Blyton hardback books, which I found in March in a second hand bookstall. The Naughtiest Girl in the School, the Faraway Tree and so on. I was so excited to find the ones just like those I had.
11 comments:
The lamps are gorgeous! I am suitably impressed by your shade making skills and the butterfly fabric is divine. I also love that the bedside lamps don't match, much more interesting!
Jane, they all look terrific. The DIY is fantastic and the Vixen one is divine. But I have a soft spot for the flower pot lamp! And matching lamps doesn't matter if they are as interesting as the ones you have.
I love your lamps Jane, and all the more so because they don't 'match'. Your daughter's butterfly lamp is just lovely!!! ~ Tina x
All look lovely. I have such a problem with sourcing lamps too.. and, sadly, Beacon lighting is about the best we can do 'round here.
I LOVE the flower pot first lamp. So quirky and fun. And am quite OK with mismatching lamps. I recently pulled out all my old books too. My oldest has devoured all the Famous Five and Secret Seven, while Eva is besotted with Milly Molly Mandy. I've quite enjoyed rereading them again too!
Dear Jane
That flowerpot lamp is fabulous!! and very 50's.. you know I lived in an apartment once that had that mustard colour carpet.. all through.. at first I thought it would kill me.. haha.. but learned to love it.. especially with bottle green rich burgundy..
So... thank you so much for your kind birthday wish... and the comment over at Ange's.. haha good thing you didn't tell me yourself!! haha.. Have a great evening.. xxx Julie
The mismatched lamps are grand - matching furniture, accessories, or indeed anything is to some extent a lost opportunity. They make an interesting and individual pair. And the butterfly shade is lovely. But most of all I love how everyone has a neat, reassuring heap of reading material to put the lamps to good use.
Adorable butterfly lampshade...your daughter's room is so cute. I have a hard time with lamps too. My shades are always crooked and misshapen. Yours look pretty good though. Love the botanical shade as well. Do hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.
I so agree with you about having a hard time finding good lampshades...I feel the same way! And I've had that low-light Ikea experience one too many times as well. Your lamps look fantastic, as usual your DIY abilities amaze me. I kind of like the mismatched lamps myself...
Dear Jane,
I much prefer the mis-matched lampshades. So much more individual that everything being matchy-matchy !! I don't like everything even and 'just so'.
When I was a child, Enid Blyton was my avourite and I can remember reading 'The Naughtiest Girl in the School '. Such beautiful, innocent books.I love the look of your daughter's bedroom. ...as I'm sure she does. XXXX
I'm stopping over from Count it all Joy and you had me at lamp! I love lamps and I can't get enough. I think I am obsessed with lamps like some ladies are obsessed with shoes. I am loving your 1950's lamp and the floral lampshade is fantastic!
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