Use a yardstick or tape measure. Round lamp shades are measured top, bottom and side. Squares, rectangles and ovals are all measured: (top width X top length)X(bottom width X bottom length)X side (ie..a standard oval would be (6x9)(9x12)x12). All tops and bottoms are measured by their diameters (NEVER circumferences). After you have measured the top, bottom and side, turn your lamp shade upside down, and measure the distance up to the washer in the center of the top ring. In most shades, this measurement is usually 3/4". Sometimes the washer is flush with the top of the lamp shade. In large shades, the washer is often recessed several inches down. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEASUREMENT! This measurement, which is called the recess, determines whether the lamp shade fits correctly on your lamp, or whether it sits down too low or up too high.

This is the only thing we can't do here on the Net. Most shades that we sell are generally about the same size & shape of the original shade. So all you have to do is find the style, size and color of shade you want and that's all there is to it.

We stock so many different styles of shades that it would take hundreds of pages to really show you all of them. So what we will do here is show you the BASIC styles in BASIC fabrics in BASIC sizes. We also carry tiffany and Victorian styles. We do custom recovers, too.

We hope this very brief essay on shades will help you to make a proper decision on your choice of a shade. Of course, as always, you can E-mail us any questions or just call us for a faster answer.

FOR ALL SHADES:
Use a clean soft cloth or a vacuum brush to dust the lampshade inside and outside.

FOR SILK SHADES ONLY

Fill a deep washtub or bathtub with enough warm water to cover the shade. Add Dreft or Ivory Snow detergent ONLY. Use suds on a soft brush or towel and gently in a circular motion rub any spots lightly. Then dip the whole shade up and down in the tub.

When the water gets dirty, change to clean sudsy water. Wash the shade a second time. To rinse the shade, dip it up and down through two or three changes of clean water. Don't worry if the cloth stretches and sags while it is wet. It will tighten up for a snug fit when it gets dry.

To dry a soft back shade, first blow dry the frame wires (top/bottom/sides) with a hair dryer. The faster you dry the shade the better. After the frame parts are dry hang it from a clothesline outdoors to drip dry. It is recommended that you wash your shades on a HOT day.

FOR HARDBACK SHADES

We don't recommend washing HARDBACK SHADES but if you must, Put 1/4 cup mild detergent into a bowl. Add just enough warm water to make it wet. Whip this mixture with an egg beater or an electric mixer to make stiff "dry" suds that look like whipped cream.

Put some of the thick suds on a cloth or sponge. Use this to wash the shade, inside and outside. The binding around the edge is glued on, don't rub it or let it get very wet. Rinse the shade right away by going over it with a clean damp cloth. Then wipe it dry. If the lamp has a reflector bowl, take this out and wash it like a dish. Use warm suds and warm rinse water.

There are four different types of basic lighting applications. Each type of lighting serves different purposes or achieves different effects. The type of lamp or fixture that you choose, or even the lampshade, determines the effect that you will create in a given area of a room.

Ambient lighting: Ambient light is the light all around us. Outdoors, sunlight diffused through the clouds is the ambient light of day. Indoors, ambient light can come from several sources. Fluorescent, halogen or incandescent recessed lights in the ceiling cast light directly downward and outward. Halogen floor lamps shine their bright light up at the ceiling, which then reflects the light throughout the room. Wallwashers cast their light against the wall, which in turn provide ambient light without creating a glare. Table lamps with translucent lampshades cast soft light in a room. Ambient lighting is the basic background of light for almost every room in the home, especially the kitchen, living and family rooms. In many applications, it is desirable to have the major ambient light source dimmable.

Accent lighting: Accent lighting allows you to highlight and accentuate certain areas or objects in a given room. Low voltage halogen spotlights, including track lighting, as well as properly conceived landscape lights, are excellent applications of accent lighting. Picture lights focus attention on wall paintings of interest, "up-lights," or cans of light on the floor shining upward, illuminate plants and sculptures. Strip lights can highlight a tray ceiling, a mantel or stairs. Dining and living rooms, along with entrance foyers and other areas of special architectural interest, benefit most from accent lighting.

Task lighting: Task lighting may be the most overlooked, yet most important, type of lighting application in our homes and workplaces. Good task lighting makes work easier on the eyes, prevents headaches, makes cooking more enjoyable, and allows the individual to better concentrate on the job at hand. Task lights focus light in a particular direction or area, without casting any glare. Halogen and hi-intensity desk lamps, table lamps with opaque lamp shades, and spotlights with reflective coatings are examples of task lighting applications.

Decorative lighting: Decorative lighting serves little purpose other than to look pretty. Tiffany lamps are a wonderful example, as they cast little ambient light, accent nothing around them, and make poor task lights. But they are so beautiful! A magnificent crystal chandelier in the foyer may provide some ambient light, true, but it is more of a statement than a source of light. Decorative lights combine with other accessories to give an overall "feel" to a room.