They were pretty and simple designed in the photo.  The actual lamp is beautiful, the photo did not display the way the base of the lamp catches the light an kind of shines.  The lamp shades are white but when you turn the light on the lamp shade has a very soft glow that diffuses the harsh lite and makes it softer and makes that base shine even more.  The picture was good, but did not do real justice to how beautiful this lamp really is.