COLUMN: Gail Mayhugh

DEAR GAIL: I've been looking for new lamps for my living room and like that stores now have mix-and-match lamps and shades. How do I go about selecting the right shade for a lamp? -- Nicole K.

DEAR NICOLE: It's nice that you now have a choice of putting together your own look, but matching up a lamp and a shade can be confusing.

First, check if the manufacturer provides any direction about the size of shade the lamp takes. Many of the mix-and-match lines will tell you what size to look for. If it doesn't, or if you're not buying them in the same store, make sure that you have the lamp with you when buying the shade. Just as it's important to have a dress with you when you're looking for matching shoes, a shade can make a lamp.

You also need to consider where you are placing it. Make sure the lamp and shade are properly scaled to the table or night stand they are sitting on. A shade shouldn't be so wide that the lamp has to sit on the table's edge to avoid hitting the wall.

Don't forget to consider the lamp's function. If it is going to be used for reading, a lighter colored shade is better because it will provide more light. Also, a shade that is wider at the bottom will give a broader spread of light.

As in all design, form follows function. Once, I found this lamp with a stainless steel shade. It would have looked great in my office, but it didn't give me enough light to see anything on my desk. Plus, the shade got extremely hot. It looked great but was not functional at all.

Next, look at the shape, style and size of the base and proportionally fit the shade to the lamp. The basic purpose of a shade is to hide the lamp's hardware and bulb to prevent glare. As a general rule, use the shape of the lamp's base as a guide for the shape of the shade. A round or octagonal base would look good with a round shade. A rectangular base would look best with a rectangular shade. And, a square base would take a square or round shape.

With the shape selected, you need to consider proper size and scale. That's why it's important to bring your lamp and try the shades on in the store. The bottom of the shade should be at least 1 1/2 to two times the diameter of the widest part of the lamp. Some lamps are wider in the middle than at the base, so check where your lamp is the widest.

It also is important to have adequate ventilation around the bulb. There should be at least an inch or two around the bulb. You can double-check the ventilation by leaving the lamp on for five minutes; if the shade is hot, it needs to be bigger for the wattage that you're using. Or, you can use a lower wattage bulb.

If you find the perfect shade but it is too short or too long, its height can be adjusted. You can buy a new shorter/longer harp or add a shade riser, which is a metal rod that comes in different sizes; it simply screws onto the top of the harp to elevate the shade. You can buy new harps and risers at lighting supply stores.

Finally, if you're at a lamp or home improvement store where you can plug in your lamp, you'll want to see how the shade looks when the lamp is on and off. The light coming through the shade can dramatically change its overall appearance and color.

Although a lamp's main characteristic is functional, it's also a decorative accessory. Make sure that you have an attractive and properly fitted shade.

Just as the fashion police like to point out handbags that are too big or too small for a person, or a hat that is so big it hides your face or so small that it looks more like a beanie, a shade should properly dress a lamp.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by e-mail to: gail@gmjinteriors.com. Or, mail to: 8170 S. Eastern Ave., Box 4-275, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.

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