I interupt these Paris posts to bring you a disturbing little problem I came across recently in a popular local restaurant & bar. These large urn lamps (probably 5' tall) flank a banquet. The space itself is wonderful -however....those lampshades.....
Thats the lampshade you put in a stylish restaurant .... on THAT lamp? Seriously?A. The color matched nothing in the space.
B. These are your grandmas 1940s sad lampshades that MIGHT work on another lamp beautifully -just not these.
C. They are not only the wrong style, they are wrong in shape, form & scale.
How could they get it so wrong? I could see 2 styles of lampshades working here well: either a triangular shade (think 1980s or chinese hat) or a very large drum shade. What do you think -am I wrong here? Am I missing something? This ruined my meal!
Cat V lampshade emergency!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. That is a definite lampshade malfunction. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteYou MUST tell the owner! Save the day and get them a new lampshade in exchange for a free dinner!
ReplyDeleteOh and PS- Welcome Home!
I feel a drum would have been better. I'm sure the decorator was being archly ironic.
ReplyDeleteOr use a pendant lamp with a conical shade to bring the light down to where you need it. Those urns are better used as fountains in Texas.
ReplyDelete+Spencer
The Architectural Antique Review
An example of bad design spotted by a man with an excellent eye! Sadly probably not another customer noticed this discrepancy at all.
ReplyDeleteYikes. This would drive me nuts....
ReplyDeleteSurprised to see this sort of thing in Paris. I thought it only existed in fun houses at a carnival.
xx,
Samantha
You and Nick Olsen need to talk lampshades! Fugly, I think ,would be his comment. I think it must have been an ironic statement, that needed more oomph to carry it off. However, I fear a triangular shade on this lamp would look like Napoleon was waiting for dinner.
ReplyDeleteAAL - i'm flattered! These really bothered me beyond belief!
ReplyDeleteSam -these are in DC so perhaps less shocking then having them in paris!
Oh Horrors! these are def. granny's but not mine-she was of the moment and modern. I am surprised you could digest. Really. I agree with AAL, as expressed in my comments page on YOUR comments today! thanks for that, GT
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, I put barrel shades on almost everything.
ReplyDeleteLampshade nightmare! I don't even love the lamp there, I think it is distracting and a weird way to light a space and that probably was just thrown in to balance out some candlefoot needs. That would have made my dinner hard too!
ReplyDeleteLampshades: FAIL. I think I would have dined elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteBut then I can't stand crooked shades or artwork in hotels; I always straighten them.
LOL..sorry Stefan,I just can't stop laughing.
ReplyDeleteNever mind that perhaps the rest of your evening was great i.e. your dinner company,the food etc...what really stood out about the evening was those damn proportional incorrect granny looking shades. However, I can see why the shades would cause a disturbance to someone with a great eye. Great post.
Not sure about the overall style of the building but I am quite sure I am gonna get rid of the stupid lampshade if I was there.
ReplyDeleteCould the urn-like lamp go without a shade?
OMG, these are just NOT right!
ReplyDelete"Shandells" needs to see this...she could remedy the situation. A vintage wallpaper drum shade or a shade with a touch of trim... A round ball paper shade?
ReplyDeleteAnything but that....
No you are not wrong.
totally with you on this ... and the more you look at it, the more bothersome it becomes! one of those 'walk away' situations before you go right over and slip those shades off yourself!
ReplyDeletesorry for your 'ewww' experience ...
prairiegirl
Oh lord...I didn't realize they put you off dinner THAT much!
ReplyDelete