I ordered the brown and was surprised that they are much lighter than pictured.  They are a little more see-through and more champagne in color.  The shades are lighter than pictured, which was a concern when I decided to buy them.  They can be used easily in any room of the house and they are not at all dark.  They do not have three-way sockets - something I overlooked in the description.  Still, they are plenty bright and the light from the supplied bulbs is warm and cozy.