My return to and finding new uses for the small drum lampshades have sparked fresh creativity and renewed interest.
Currently the empire and coolie (more correctly conical) style of lampshade is all the rage. This created my dilemma, as fewer people were buying the drum shades, especially in the small sizes that I make. And I had made a lot to experiment and sharpen my practice of adding more decorative elements to them like the metal upholstery studs as I’ve always loved that classic look.
But, this week I set on a spree to rediscover what the styling options were for the plethora of small 15cm drum lampshades that I have in store (not all are in the online shop).
Hey presto. I managed to include them in some snazzy shelf styling with the squat lamp-bases, I have.. This was a fabulous eureka moment as I realised how if I gave it more thought I could design a set even more in keeping with office decor vibe with the marble and very inky colours and swirls that I like to use. Yes another design inspiration point.
I later re-listed some small drum lampshades on Etsy this week and already people are liking the new take on the small drum lampshade, I’ve created.
They’re perfect for bookshelf styling, or home office staging. I realised the small drum lampshade is sober and understated and doesn’t seek to take over a scene as much as an empire or conical shape, does. As a top tip, I would save the empire and conical shape and their extravagant scalloped edge cousin to style more isolated independent surfaces such as a small table or a reception desk. But leave the quietly confident small drum shapes to more appropriately professionally enhance your library bookshelf, especially if it is on camera.
Besides you cannot fit a tall conical or empire on an average lamp-base into a normal bookshelf. And if you did have a small empire lampshade it wouldn’t look as good on a squat flat lamp-base. It looks ugly. It would look like your small pet stole the lampshade and was running around wearing it as a hat. The small empires are better on a taller lampbase see image below.
I discovered why there is such cognitive dissonance around the shape of a lampshade and positioning of lamps and staging of office decor as well as styling of library shelves. No it’s not because of the popular instagram hashtag shelfie or shelfiesunday.
The new domain of Neuroesthetics a branch of aesthetics (a talk I listened to this week) tells us how our brains our wired to naturally be awed by the beautiful and how beautiful, intriguing art and decor has a role to play in bringing people together through the communication it triggers.
