Lamp Shades

Drum Lamp Shades

If you’re looking for new lamp shades for your home you may have come across the term “drum lamp shades” in descriptions and not quite known what they are or how to use them so here is my guide to using them in your home.

What are Drum Lamp Shades?

A drum lamp shade is a shade which is cylindrical in nature, typically shaped like an oil drum with the same circumference at the top as at the bottom. You may also come across some shades which have a slightly smaller diameter at the top than the bottom that are still called drum shades. No matter, they are definitely not conical lamp shades where the diameter reduces sharply from a wide base to a much smaller gap at the top!

Drum lamp shade on floor lamp (Click image for details)

Drum lamp shade on floor lamp (Click image for details)

Are They Fashionable?

These lamp shades were very popular in the eighties and then went out of style but they are now making a big come back. Most work better with contemporary rooms than with traditional settings as the latter tend to suit conical and pagoda shapes better than plain cylindrical. Nevertheless if you get the right size shade in the right materials they can enhance traditional interiors too.

Why are They Popular?

A drum lampshade is useful in lighting your interior as they cast light both upwards through the relatively large gap at the top of the shade as well as downwards. Plus they fit well with our need for simple interiors and shapes. As these shades are simple to manufacture you will find many examples which are low in price too. If you choose cheap drum lamp shades in plain shades they are pretty simple to decorate and make unique with trimmings that will give you a designer lamp shade for very little cash.

What Sizes Are Available?

You can get drum shaped lamp shades in all sorts of sizes from very small, with a three inch diameter and six inch height (for fitting the top of a small slim candlestick base) to large drum lamp shades with a diameter of 18 inches or more which look great as pendant lights in contemporary apartments.

How to Choose a Drum Shade

The main thing to take into account is to determine the size of the lamp shade you need. In the previous example the tiny candle stick light would have looked ridiculous with a massive shade and the small shade would have looked out of proportion hanging from the ceiling. So think about what will best suit your situation. Also make sure that the lamp shade can be used on a base or hanging as a pendant (depending what you need it for). Many have interchangeable fittings but it is best to be on the safe side.

Then look at colors and patterns. A black drum lamp shade will look great in a monochromatic room scheme, a hot pink shade in a teenage girl’s bedroom with matching accessories and a neutral cream drum shade (or even one in raffia) in a natural color scheme. You should be able to find drum lamp shades in every color and pattern whether tartan or cow print if you look online! And if not drum lamp shades are relatively easy to cover. If you have a lime green rug you especially want to match up, for example, simply find a paper in a similar shade or one with lime green in the pattern and cover your shade.