Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-10
IDEAS FOR LAMP SHADES
Some Of the Latest Wrinkles and PRETTY
Effects Exploited
All the Lights in Any One Room
Should Follow q General
Color Scheme.

From Harper's Bazar
The proper shading Of artificial lights
has become an all-important question to
modern Nhousekeepers. Neither the hang
lngs at their windows nor the coverings for
their walls occasion them more ANXIETY
Ihere are many reasons for this. Color,
and what 1t means in the life of a house
hold, is being more and more understood
and the fact that a bad light, besides de-
stroying ones eyesight, may also destroy
ones room, has finally forced itself upon
the general mind Even those not "sensi-
tive to color can be made to understand
how great the difference in some lights is
by trying simple experiment. Go sud
denly from room in which there is
green shade on the gas burner into a room
In which the glass globe is white, and at
first 1t VIII seem that the second room is
| flooded with yellow-pink light that is al
most dazzling. The green glass of the first
room has absorbed all the yellow rays. Yet
ordinarily white light takes all the color
out of room and spoils one hung with
delicate tones. old-fashioned bellies used
nothing but candles, their light being more
becoming than any other.
The aim, then, of the manufacturer or de-
slgner or any shade is to produce with gas,
lamp or electric light the softest and clear
est tones. those that will not destroy the
color of room, aff1ict the eyes or clash
with the general scheme. To accomplish
this they study to produce shade which
will look as well by day as by night and
which, for all its beauty of color and de-
sign, will not prevent the lights coming
through with clear and steady radiance.
This is done by a choice of materials and
by many and careful experiments, and the
success OF certain women in New York,
who make the designing of lamp shades
their profession, has been due to the fact
that they neglected none of these points.
Present fashion demands that all the
lamps or lights in any room shall follow
one general scheme in both color and de-
sign. Variety is lent simply by the differ
ence in sizes. Thus, If there is one empire
shade on lamp all the lights must be
shaded by empire shades and all must re-
produce the same coiors and tones. The
mixing of two or three fashions and Pc
RODS in shades is as bad as the mixing of
fashions anywhere else. In the country,
where lamp on the table is often neces-
sary, larger lamp goes in the center and
the small candle lamps at the four corners
are made to ma tch.
The empire shade still holds its own, al
though the panel shade is already for
mddabie rival, making rapid strides in pop
ular favor The empire shade sold in this
country differs somewhat from that sold
In Paris. Thus the French shade is more
like bandbox with the two ends knocked
out: Ours have more of a slope They are
per. chintz and cretonne. They are paint
ed in a raised gold or bronze paste in con-
ventionalzed but intricate designs, and
decorated with jewels. Or they are alto
colors with roses and other flowers. Again,
they have pictures set in them, framed by
paillettes and jewels. They are trimmed
with ruchings of silk. a snarrow band OF
gilt or even a ruching of crinkled paper
The designs are often most elaborate
There will be painted scroll or a painted
line of the shade. Then at intervals a pic
ture, sometimes painted. sometimes only IN
black and white, will be set in, this pic
ture framed in jewels, braids or paillettes
m IS ara oil hro 1cht
together with discretion and used with good
taste, or else the effect would become both
bizarre and ugly.
When the empire shade is made of silk
it is finely pleated on the wires top and
bottom and the edges are finished with a
ruching of silk to match. The silk can be
white, pink, yellow or cream. Red is sell
dom used.
When cretonne is used the empire
shade it is put on straight or fulled, the
owner prefers. A narrow braid finishes it
at the top and bottom. Sometimes a fringe
is used.
The panel shade, which is the latest IA
Vorite, is made of a series of four, six or
eight panels the may be. fastened
together and fitted on a frame. The panels
are wider at the bottom than at the top,
being pyramidal in form: but the top is
is most carefully designed and becomes
finished composition in itself. Thus in the
center there will be picture, generally OF
some court scene. This is framed with a
braid makes outer frame to the pic
ture, the four corners being balanced bows |
of gilt braid sewed fiat. The panel itself |
Is also outlined in braid, and a fringe falls
from the bottom. Paillettes and jewels are |
woven in the pattern at times. Yet with |
all this variety of material the general eff |
feet is one of quiet elegance, so perfectly |
are all the parts blended. The impression
given is that Of old tapestry or rich bro |
cade.
For candle lamps the shades are smaller. |
Some that are both rich and beautiful are |
made of white silk, each panel being COW |
cred with a carefully elaborated design |
worked out in gold braid. The panels are |
outlined in gold braid and finished with a |
aids being sometimes interviewer with the |
gold. The shades may be pure white and !
the fringe Of crystal.
An Indian silk is sometimes used on these |
Nanels, SO that oriental look is given to |
the shade. In fact there is almost no limit |
to be placed on the varieties possible when |
the rules laid down in another paragraph |
shade, however, must have well-balanced !
and carefully elaborated design. SO that |
each panel is a perfect composition in it |
self The picture which forms the center |
of each panel may be painted a repro |
duction, and encrcled, like those on the |
empire Shades by border Of jewels, pail |
lettes. embroidery or braid. Eight panels !
orally used for the candle lamps. Few |
shades more beautiful. The center pic |
ture is not always a necessity.
Glass globes are longer in fashion. !
Shades made altogether of flowers are not |
seen in the best houses, though the shade |
made of silk petals has lost none of its |
popularity. These petals may be of a deli |