talk to me about lighting

[SarkyPants]

Having finally repainted all of downstairs I can now justify replacing all of our tatty lampshades.

Should I just get easy-fit ordinary lampshades or is it worth investing in new light fittings? Are the latter hard to fit?

I'm most confused about the one the living room where the current shades are useless because the bulb shows from below when we are on the sofa. I need something to reduce the glare. Similarly in the downstair toilet you can see the bulb from below.

I've seen some beautiful shades online, but I'm not sure that they are practical in terms of giving the room the best light. And this seems more important than the prettinmess of the shade IYSWIM.

Any suggstions on style, shops etc?

[SarkyPants]

Anyone?

[ATouchOfStuffing]

Hi!

I would try with a new shade first and if you still aren't happy go for new fittings. There are some good ones on Amazon and even BHS (!) but it sounds as though you know what you want already?

[Potterer]

I inherited my living room lights, they are those goblet ones where the main stem comes down and then the arms curve and go back up. It means the bulbs are concealed from below.

Something like this

or like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?start=125&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1097&bih=567&tbm=isch&tbnid=QhhRT_0bV224IM:&imgrefurl=www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary/ceiling-lighting&docid=GbD0u50SEONh-M&imgurl=st.houzz.com/fimgs/b28116c70023ab77_4938-w548-h206-b1-p10--contemporary-ceiling-lighting.jpg&w=548&h=206&ei=OvQlUcapEcWt0QWvnYDYCw&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,i:88&iact=rc&dur=2655&sig=109607027754493980800&page=9&tbnh=132&tbnw=300&ndsp=17&tx=145&ty=73" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">this

In our dining room we have a massive ball shaped light from Ikea with only a small hole at the bottom (my then 8 year old put this together) here

[PigletJohn]

when the bulb is visible, it looks better if you have a Globe lamp, or at least one with a pearl envelope.

Energy-saving stick lamps, being quite small, look brighter when they are not obscured by a shade, but versions are available with a pear cover at much the same price.

[SarkyPants]

Thanks all.

I'm thinking of ordering these (for living room and hall). Any thoughts?

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-easy-to-fit-libby-ceiling-shade-natural/p150734

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-easy-to-fit-jasmina-ceiling-shade/p149365

[ATouchOfStuffing]

I have one similar to the first link but doubled, IYKNWM and the second link is similar to the ones in BHS I liked when I posted before:
www.bhs.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=1&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=34096&storeId=13077&productId=7172248&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=766491&parent_categoryId=765991&pageSize=40
They also do a more circular one. I know BHS is a bit, er... naff, but I actually always look at their lighting for some reason as it seems to be a good rnge most years.

[ATouchOfStuffing]

Could you try them without removing price tag etc and take them back if no good?

[SarkyPants]

Thanks.
Will give them a try.

[LilMissSunshine9]

Next has some nice shades you might want to check out: www.next.co.uk/shop/productaffiliation-lighting/category-ceilinglights-type-pendantsandshades-cnt-200

If you like ceiling lights and pendants I find Overstock has a fantastic range

www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Chandeliers-Pendants/34/subcat.html?TID=TN:RD:Chand

[RoganJosh]

In terms of giving the best light you may not want to use your overhead light at all, just lamps. Bhs have some lovely bases and lampshades at the moment. Dunelm mill is cheap and can be good too. I'd also try supermarkets.