Lamp Shades, what is the point

[PupInAPram]

I started taking lamp shades off ceiling lights today to get rid of dust. I realised I much prefer the light and look of a bare light fitting. I mean really, what's the point of lamp shades? They gather dust and block some of the light from the bulb. I've put all the (admittedly very old) shades in the bin. They may never be replaced. Aibu: yes it's nutso to live in a house with no lamp shades, no - you may start a new trend.

@HollowTalk

Exactly what *@Laiste* says. It looks really awful, as though you have a crap landlord and are there temporarily. It looks institutional. Just dust the shade ffs. You're not suddenly in fashion if you just have a 100watt bayonet bulb in it!

I am absolutely not going for in fashion. Just concerned that I may give out 'weirdo with no sense of what is normal', by mistake.

It depends. Sometimes it's okay, but in other situations, I find that a bare bulb actually doesn't seem to light as well. The light seems not to spread as far. Maybe I'm imagining it!

Yup, you'd defo be giving out 'weirdo with no sense of what is normal'. If you don't want shades then replace with proper light fittings that don't need shades. Your house though so do what you think looks good - be a good conversation opener when you have visitors.

I guess it depends how ugly your lamp shades are? Maybe it's time to get some new ones if you prefer bare bulbs to your old ones.

I think if you like it then why not? I hate lampshades, but do have some on some of my lights, I also hate cleaning them. Then again I hate cleaning most things to be fair.

Ceiling lights are for decorative purposes only in this household. I don't know how people can handle the harsh bright lights. My neighbours have theirs on all the time and their lounge looks like an interrogation room. Lamps all the way here.

I’ve never read a thread where I’ve identified the OP as a psychopath so easily

My DH's family like their bedrooms like operating theatres. I think it is awful and prefer softer ambiant lighting. Nothing is as unromantic as knowing every wrinkle or bit of cellulite is on show.

The ceiling light, aka the big light, isn’t there to be turned on! The lampshade is there because ceilings look weird and naked without them, but you don’t actually use the big light. You use many many side lamps and flit about in splendid gloom. So YABU because the bare bulb look does not do what a ceiling light is supposed to do, viz, look attractive on the ceiling.

Lampshades have a place for table lamps when you want reduced light but I hate them on ceiling lights as they obscure the light as you say, much prefer a proper light fitting.

@FoggySpecs 😆

Oh no who wants stare at bright light? Stopped going in my local Starbucks cave because all their lights were like this it was awful.

In the 20 years I've known BiL, his lounge has never been finished with attractive light fittings or soft furnishings. It's a plain room and although he clearly lives with it happily, it's a really uncomfortable place to visit because it feels so echoey and incomplete.

Bare bulbs can be very uncomfortable. They leave me with green light marks across my vision/ when I close my eyes.

Just the bulb on a wire doesn't look good.

There are so many options nowadays!! How about something like this? You'll still have all the light from the bulb

Bare bulbs give that "waiting room at the probation office" vibe

@ShirleyPhallus

I’ve never read a thread where I’ve identified the OP as a psychopath so easily

Crikey. I'm a psychopath? I wasn't expecting that 🤔

I don't have any lamp shades, its all ceiling lights, flush throughout the house

Opposite opinion to seemingly everyone here, I think lampshades and lightshades look very dated and grannylike. We got rid of all ceiling lights and just have standing lamps which do not need ugly shades due to their design.

Oversize light bulb hanging over wood and metal table in large space = trendy industrial look
Normal bare bulb dangling from ordinary white ceiling = drug den/dodgy landlord /slightly creepy man who may or may not have psychotic tendencies

Bare bulbs look like you're in a 1980s student house but modern lightbulbs are rubbish in terms of actual light even if they do produce 0.000015% less carbon. So yabu aesthetically but yanbu in terms of being able to see.

It's just personal preference. I like bare bulbs. We have daylight bulbs throughout the house and the difference is amazing! I don't think I'd ever go back to shades or normal yellow glowing bulbs.

I've never cleaned a lampshade.

@VanGoghsDog not in my normally weekly cleaning routine, but it being Christmas and all.....

I am absolutely not going for in fashion. Just concerned that I may give out 'weirdo with no sense of what is normal', by mistake
More like ‘men I went home with in my youth who had bare bulbs, no loo roll and only one pillow, often a raw pillow at that’.

As an aside, instead of cleaning lampshades because it’s Christmas, have you tried a really strong G&T and half a tin of quality street?

@stuntbubbles yes to the quality street, no to the G&T. Sadly with each year that passes, I have less and less tolerance to alcohol. Shame as a nice icy G&T was one of my life's great pleasures. At least now I've ditched the shades, I won't need to worry about how dusty they are 😂