The most versatile of lamp shade styles, a drum lamp shade is symmetric and cylindrical, perfectly round and with identical top and bottom openings. Due to a drum lamp shade’s clean lines, geometric shape and versatile aesthetic, these lamp shades create a crisp and modern look and can suit a variety of interior decorative themes. Drum lamp shades can also be used on everything from table lamps or desk lamps, to ceiling lights or floor lights – a truly versatile choice.
Drum lamp shades are a long-term favorite at Lamp Shade Solution and consistently one of our bestselling styles. In this blog, we describe why these lamp shades never go out of style and share our top picks from our catalog.
Range of Choice
Drum lamp shades are now available in an enormous range of sizes, colors, fabrics, and finishes. The choice of drum lamp shades is greater than any other style you can find. This vast choice is a result of significant demand for this lamp shade style – lamp shade producers have recognized this popularity and so over the years have created drum lamp shades in just about every fabric, color, and size. A quick search on the web will show just how many different variations of drum lamp shades there are available (drum lamp shades are also the most searched lamp shade on the internet!).
We stock a varied collection of drum lamp shades within our collection which you can view here.
Floor to Ceiling
From floor to ceiling, drum lamp shades will suit just about any lighting type. Table lamps, floor lights, and ceiling lights can all be paired with a round, drum lamp shade.
Table Lamps: we recommend opting for a geometric style lamp base to complement the shape of a drum lamp shade. Both square bases and round bases suit, in particular exact, symmetrical spherical or square. This will offset the accurate form of the drum lamp shade and give a balanced look. An eye-level lamp shade is a great place to show off lamp shade details – try matching a table lamp with our Regular Drum Pleated Lamp Shade which features rows of decorative surface pleats.
Floor Lamps: drum lamp shades work well with a wide range of floor lamps. You could accessories a vertical lamp with a dramatic shade (using in either bright color, luxe fabric or size) to create a striking focal point in a room. A simple floor lamp can be instantly transformed by pairing with a wide drum lamp shade; choose a solid color for extra impact, such as our Gold Lined Black Retro Drum Lamp Shade.
Ceiling Lights: there aren’t many rules to using a drum lamp shade on a ceiling light (unless you need to keep plenty of room underneath for clearance and so that visitors don’t bang their head!). Wide drum lamp shades can create a striking feature when placed above a dining table or used as a central focal point in a room. Conversely, smaller lamp shades can be just as attention-grabbing and suit vibrant colors or even printed fabrics. Our Hardback Retro Drum Lamp Shade is available in a wide range of fabrics and sizes from 8” to 13” – suitable for any space.
Our drum lamp shade collection also features square drum shades or rectangle drum shades, a variety of colors and a choice of soft backed or hardbacked styles.
Finally, You Might Not Know…
Although drum lamp shades might look perfectly symmetrical to the eye, there is, in fact, a minor difference in-between the top and bottom rims (although it’s impossible to see using the naked eye). This is to balance the overall shape, making the shade appear correctly aligned. The top rim is always slightly smaller - if both edges were made to precisely the same size, then the top would appear marginally wider, as if tapered and broader at the top.
Our exquisite lamp shades will always include a tiny difference in-between the two circumferences so that the drum lamp shade appears perfectly balanced.
Click here to explore more drum lamp shade styles from our collection.
