What lampshade fitting do I need?
If you are here reading this article, then perhaps you have already spent considerable time in choosing colours, style and patterns for your lamp shade.
That's quite fun, right? It certainly is, but there is still one more detail: the fitting. Sometimes so obvious, but sometimes oh so confusing! However, you have nothing to worry about. We have created a comprehensive guide which can help you step by step select the right fitting for your light shade.
Before we go any further, let us clarify that this guide is not intended to cover every single existing lampshade fitting. Lampshades are used in many different countries and they often cross borders bringing into the new country a type of fitting that is not always very common locally.
The purpose of this guide is to help you better understand the types of lampshade fittings we supply, so you can select the right one for your needs.
When browsing lamp shades on our website, you will be given 3 options to select from the Fitting menu:
- Pendant
- Table/Floor Lamp
- Harp Lamp (USA)
Let's take a closer look at each one of these options.
Pendant
As the name suggests, this type of fitting is suitable for ceiling pendant lamp shades. You will choose this fitting for all lampshades that will be hanging from the ceiling.
This type of fitting is also suitable for certain floor lamps which have an arch. These floor lamps have an arm from where the lampshade hangs exactly as in the ceiling pendant. Therefore, you will need to select the pendant fitting if you need a lamp shade for an arch style floor lamp. In both cases the fitting of the lampshade is at the top as well as the bulb, which is facing downwards.
The pendant fitting is made for UK or EU attachments, as described below.
When you receive your pendant lampshade, the central part where the fitting is located will look like this:
The fitting has an aperture of 29mm (roughly 1.14 inches), which is compatible with the following bulbs:
Table/Floor Lamp
This fitting option is intended for both table lamps and floor lamps.
The lampshade's fitting is at the bottom of the lampshade and the bulb is at the bottom of the lampshade, facing upwards.
As explained above in the ceiling pendant section, the aperture of the fitting is 29mm (1.14 inches), which can be increased to 40mm (1.57 inches) by removing the reducer ring
The type of bulbs compatible with this fitting remain the same:
Harp Lamp (USA)
The harp fitting is mostly used in the USA, however it is sometimes used in the UK and EU. It is also called spider fitting or finial fitting.
These kind of lampshades are used with table lamps or floor lamps which have a harp structure and a finial at the top that secures the lampshade in place.
The harp and finial are usually supplied with the lamp base, but can also be replaced to adapt the harp to the various lampshade heights and provide the lamp base with a more decorative finial feature.
When ordering a harp fitting lampshade you will receive the lamp shade only (without harp and finial), as per the sample picture below:
The harp fitting has an aperture of only 10mm, it sits at the top of the lampshade. The bulb instead is fixed to the lamp base at the bottom and is facing upwards.
Other fittings that you might encounter are candle clip, UNO fitting, duplex fitting, etc.....If the explanations we have provided so far don't seem to describe the type of lamp that you have, then please get in touch so we can help you understand the type of lampshade fitting you need.
To help simplify the process of establishing your lampshades' fitting, we have created for you a handy lamp shade fitting flowchart and easy recap that you can download for free here on from the below link.
We really hope that this guide will make it much easier to shop the right lampshade fitting for ceiling pendants, for your floor lamps and for your table lamps. However, if you are still unsure, then please feel free to contact us.
