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Lampshade Style Guide - Scalloped Lampshades

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  • 4 min read

There’s something effortlessly charming about a scalloped lampshade. With its soft curves and decorative edge, this distinctive style has quietly moved from traditional interiors into contemporary homes, proving its versatility and enduring appeal.


In this Lampshade Style Guide, we’ll explore where the scalloped lampshade originated, how it evolved into a modern design staple and how to recreate this look yourself, using Dannells products. From inspiration to practical tips, this guide will help you confidently incorporate scalloped lampshades into your home.





Basic History

The scalloped lampshade is a decorative motif that has been seem on textiles, ceramics, and architecture throughout history. The 18th century Rococo period in Europe featured curves, symmetry and playful detailing, and the scalloped style evolved from here. Later, in the 19th century Victorian Decorative Arts period, lampshades were made from fabric, glass and parchment.

Lampshade edges were frequently shaped or scalloped and were often decorated with fringing.

 

By the early 1900s, scalloped edges appeared in more refined and artistic lighting, influenced by Art Nouveau, in which flowing lines, organic shapes and handcrafted detail were influences. An example of this is the infamous Tiffany Lamps, whose glass lamps featured different edged patterns, some which were undulating, echoing the scalloped style.

 

In more recent history, scalloped lampshade shapes have been both in favour – in the 60’s and 70’s they became almost a default ‘homey look’– and out of favour – think the 80s when clean lines and sharp edges dominated homewares.

 

Today, Scalloped lampshades have become popular once again, as interiors move towards softer, playful, and more nostalgic interiors combined with a renewed interest in more traditional craft and detail.




Style Description

The Scalloped Lampshade Style is all about gentle, repetitive curves, whether it be in the lampshade frame shape or the a scalloped detail on the lampshade body. Both offer a decorative silhouette which moves away from the more rigid lines of everyday lampshade shapes.

 

Modern interior design often pairs softer fabrics with scalloped shapes, such as pastel cottons, stripes, ditsy prints and natural materials like hessian and linens, but as with all handmade lampshades, it’s all about the bespoke fabric you want to use!



 

Advantages and Uses

Using a scalloped shape is a great vehicle for changing the way light disperses from your lampshade, as the soft curves create a more diffused and ambient light, creating a warmer and more atmospheric glow.

 

Bringing texture to your space, a scalloped shade adds softness, making this lampshade style ideal for bedrooms, living areas, reading corners and nooks where you want to achieve a relaxed and informal look.

 

The Scalloped Shaped Ring Set speaks for itself, offering immediate character making it perfect for brightening up a plain lamp base, whilst a Scalloped Edge Self Adhesive Lamphade Panel, works well with either minimalist or maximalist interiors - the addition of a trim along the edge, bring an even more playful element and a way to draw the yet to the scalloped shape.


 



Dannells Products for Making Scalloped Look Lampshades

Use our hard and soft lampshade making materials, to achieve the scalloped lampshade in three different ways:



Scalloped Lampshade Ring Set and Panel 

Featuring six scalloped curves, this ring set, and panel combination is available in our most popular sizes - 20cm, 30cm, and 40cm.


Materials you’ll need:

1 x 3 metre roll of 9mm Double-Sided Tape (for larger sizes you mayb need two - CHECK)

Covering of your choice - fabric




 

Scalloped Edge Self Adhesive Panels

Featuring a gentle scalloped edge and a classic empire shape, these panels are available in four sizes - small (12.5cm), medium (15cm), large (20cm) or Candle Clip Scalloped Edge Lampshade and can be made in paper, wallpaper, or fabric with a bias binding edge.


Materials you’ll need:

1 x Duplex Ring, either 12.5cm, 15cm or 20cm  or a Candle Clip Ring  

Shade Carrier or Spider Fitting (to fit Duplex Ring)

Covering of your choice - fabric, wallpaper or paper 


Check out our blog tutorials for making a Paper Scalloped Edge Lampshade or a Fabric Scalloped Edge Lampshade, including a bias binding trim.





With a single scallop at the bottom of a traditional bell style, this frame has a flat top and is available in a variety of diameters (bottom ring) from 6” to 22”, with different fittings, dependent on the frame size.

 

What you’ll need:

Covering of your choice - fabric  

 

Rather than buying individual materials why not buy our Scallop Lampshade Soft Shade Making Bundle - it contains everything you need to make a Soft Scallop Lampshade in one box. Simply add in your fabric and you are ready to start. 





Scalloped Lampshade Making Tips

Follow out expert tips on how to make our Scalloped Lampshade products:


Scalloped Lampshade Ring Set and Panel

Gently fold back the first crease so the fabric sides of the panel face each other. Repeat for all creases on the panel.




Scalloped Lampshade Ring Set and Panel

On each frame, find the join in the white coating. Place over each other to ensure they match and mark with a pencil.




Scalloped Edge Self Adhesive Panels

Due to the empire style, plain or non-directional all-over prints work best and note linear patterns will not remain straight. To check how your fabric or paper looks, roll your lampshade panel, hold with masking tape and wrap around your fabric.

 



Resources for Scalloped Lampshade Making


Feeling inspired to make your own Scalloped Lampshade? Take a look at our blog tutorials and YouTube shorts below to help you acheive your own bespoke lampshade look!














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