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August 8th, 2010 - How to Measure a Lamp Shade



Lampshade height is measured on the slant, in a straight line from the top outside edge to the bottom outside edge. It's as if you're holding up a ruler or straight tape measure and holding it against the top and bottom outside edges, pulled straight. If the shade is a curved bell shade, ignore the curved surface and still measure in a straight line.

The reason for measuring the slant/diagonal height and not the actual vertical height is because the vertical height does not tell you the length of the actual side of the shade, which varies a lot depending on the shape of the shade (unless it's an exact drum or cylinder shade). A shade which measures 10" vertically could be any size on a diagonal. The slant height helps to include information about the diagonal size which gives a better overall impression of the size and shape of the lampshade.

We give our dimensions typically in the format of Top diameter, Bottom diamer, then Slant Height. These are measured in inches. The top measurement should in most cases be smaller than the bottom measurement except for drum/cylinder shades. Besides the slant height, the most telling measurement of most shades is the bottom diameter.

The taller your lamp is the larger the shade it needs. Most table lamps take a shade with a bottom diameter of 16" or less. Floor lamps take a shade with a bottom diameter of 16" or 18" or larger. Remember also that the shape of the shade influences the appearance of size and you're generally aiming for something that looks good in proportion to the lamp base.

You'll want to measure your table lamp's height from the bottom of the base up to just below the socket where the lightbulb sits. The basic rule of thumb is that the shade you choose should have a bottom diameter that's approximately equal to this height, to maintain a good proportion. For floor lamps the sizing is more difficult but generally a taller floor lamp needs a larger shade.

For even more useful information about choosing the right lampshade, try our Lampshade Buying Guide