Restoration is a challenging service in any industry. Lampshades are different sizes, shapes, fabrics and finishes. These bell floor lamp shades were quite challenging and a learning experience. My patience was challenged from the start all the way to the day of shipping.
The rose colored shades are the original shades. They faded over time. As I tore them down, the fabric color underneath the trim was red.
Antique Red Bell Lampshades
The original red shades only had one cover. I know from experience that black or brown shades need to have two covers so they don’t appear transparent. I was using a very dark burgundy charmeuse silk for the new cover. The original fabric was dense and silk is a different texture but I still was not expecting to need more than one cover. However, with only one cover, when the shades were lit, they looked like lingerie. Since there are two of these shades, I covered one of them with a second cover and took a picture for customer approval. One cover allows light to come through the shade but two covers make the shade like a black out shade (no light coming through the shade).
Burgundy Silk Bell Lampshades, 2 fabric covers and 1 fabric cover
Burgundy Silk Lampshade with One Cover
After covering the shades with two covers and an ivory silk liner, I used a matching braid trim along the top and bottom. I trimmed the bottom with an additional old gold soutache to match the original gold trim that wraps around the valance of the shades. These are the shades without the valance. The charmeuse silk fabric is a beautiful rich finish, but they are not done yet!
Maroon Silk Bell Shades for Floor lLamps
The Valance. Charmeuse silk is a very soft fabric and does not crease well. To make the valance similar to the original out of the silk, I backed the fabric with a very light weight fusible pellon. Before applying the valance to the shades, I dyed the original valance trim to give it a more golden color, as it faded over time also.
Lampshade Vintage Valance Trim
A few months ago, I spent about a week on different fabrics and techniques to recreate a valance for myself, but I have not done them for a customer. So this was the first valance customer shade! I tacked the valance on the first shade with the shade in the upright position and wrapped the trim around the valance. I found it easier to turn the lampshade upside down and sew the valance. When I got to the second shade, I started with the shade upside down and tacked and sewed the valance.
I had spent a lot of time on restoring these shades. I was so happy with the finish and the the valances.
The evening I was packing the shades for shipping, I took finished shade pictures. It wasn’t until I took that picture that I realized the gold trim around the valances was going in different directions! I could not even believe it. It was like a left and right shade. I tried to ignore the obvious and continue to pack for shipping. The blunder happened when I turned the second shade upside down to tack and sew the valance.
Vintage Bell Lampshades with Valance Trim
I just couldn’t let these gorgeous shades go without correcting the obvious. I took a deep breathe, unwrapped one of the lampshades. Took the valance off and reversed the direction of the gold trim.
Vintage Burgundy Silk Bell Lampshades with Valance Trim
Lampshade Restoration LP (Lampshade Practitioner)