Tag Archives: antique

How to Decorate Safely With Vintage Floor Lamps

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Before you buy a floor lamp there are certain things that you might want to keep in mind. First of all you need to know that floor lamps were considered to be more dangerous than other lamps until the last decade or so when technology and good design helped fix some of the problems that made this style of lamp flawed in the first place.

For instance, historically, floor lamps have always been known to tip over. Nowadays there is a standard that contemporary floor lamps must meet call the UL “tipability” standard. This means that the floor lamp you are buying has a much heavier base and there is less danger of it falling over and landing, say, on a sofa cushion and setting it on fire.

Yet another feature of floor lamps that made them dangerous for years was the cords. The cords were made of cloth and easily caught fire with the slightest of power surges. Nowadays floor lamps are made with a plastic zip cord rather than the old cloth cords. The old cloth cords also used to fray and it was much easier for an animal or child to chew through them or get accidentally shocked just by touching it.

The fact that most antique lamps do not have a standardized non-tippable base or a safe electrical cord is why you are probably better off to buy a new floor lamp then one from an antique store. It is just safer. Yet another reason is that the very old floor lamps attached their lampshades through a wire clamp that was attached to the shade itself. This style of clamp for attaching light bulbs is also obsolete.

However if you do find the floor lamp of your dreams there is no reason why you can’t take it to an electrician or antique dealer to see what can be done to refurbish it. This is done all of the time to recycle old floor lamps. It is probably a good idea not to try and rewire an old lamp yourself unless you are an experienced electrician.

Although rewiring and old floor lamp is easy, making sure the base is stable is not. All it takes is one wild child or unruly dog to tip it over and you could have a fire on your hands.

Floor lamps come in an incredible number of styles nowadays including all of the retro looks that you would find in an antique store and all of the more contemporary styles. LampsPlus coupon codes has discount codes for LampsPlus which is a store with a huge selection. As you browse online to shop for floor lamps it is quite common to find them in every style imaginable including Mission, Seventies Retro, Tiffany, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts, Country, Late Victorian and Gas. You can also find modern Swedish styles that include shades shaped like upside down frying pans and large metallic mixing bowls. Nowadays they also come in every type of finish and shade including glass, porcelain and brushed metal.

How to Decorate With Wall Sconces

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There are almost as many styles of wall lights as there are eras in history. This is because wall lights, or sconces as they are also known provide a pleasing form of reflected light that can be quite romantic and that is also easy on the eyes. Sconces are generally mounted on a plaque against a wall giving the wall surface a bit of a halo effect that many people also find attractive. Sconces are great for where you need some light but not a great deal of light.

Here is a run down of some the different styles of wall lights that are available on the market.

Storybook Style: This is a beautiful style of sconce made out of cast iron or black metal that has a yellow shade and a soft candle shaped bulb inside. It is good for more antique decors and looks especially great outside on a wall in a laneway or as a porch light. It is reminiscent of the type of lighting that you would find in a Charles Dickens tale.

Craftsman Style: The Craftsman style of wall sconce is usually made out of black cast iron and is topped by a solid opaque white globe or variegated globe that is held out from the wall plaque like a trophy. These lights are very bright and excellent for dim hallways and outdoor use.

English Tudor Style: This style of wall light features a narrow pleated fluted lampshade that points downwards from the wall like a faucet. This type of sconce usually casts a dimmer light.

Sheffield Style: This ornamental style of wall sconce looks like the antlers with a light fixture dangling from each tip. The central plaque that holds the arms of the sconce is usually of a sunray or sunburst design. The shades are usually tulip shaped with a tiny flared rim.

Colonial Style: You can always tell a Colonial style sconce because it is projected forth off the wall by an iron S shaped hook from which the glass shade is suspended like the bud of a bluebell.

Art Deco Style: These elegant wall lights usually are shaped like the back of hand mirrors and hold the light bulb inside a frosted glass cup that is also usually engraved with elegant designs.

Art Deco Porcelain: This is a very rare look that originated in Miami South Beach that is made of pure white porcelain. Watch the 1950s movie “The Fountainhead” if you want to school yourself in what white porcelain Art Deco should look like. This type of lighting is quite bright and looks best on an Art Deco, modern or neo-modern style building.

Sometimes you can find one of these types of sconces as an original antique but you will have not problem finding companies that specialize in making retro versions of any of these styles both online and in stores. Don’t be afraid to buy a reproduction as many of them not only look exactly like the real thing but they also work better and have features that save energy.