A hand made lamp shade is a shade made entirely by a craftsman using little or no mechanised help at all. The lampshade is a reflection of the idea and design in the artists mind transformed into a real object of beauty and elegance. Hand made lampshades are special because they can be customised as per the buyers requirement. It is not subject to limitations inherent of machine made lampshades. These shades are not produced on mass scale. They are limited edition limited number lampshades. Every lampshade takes time to finish. Since every step involved in the making of a hand made lampshade is totally craftsman dependant it is a slow but detailed process. A machine made shade needs all the painting and embellishments done beforehand. The fabric is pre-cut and the machine just fits the fabric in place. The human touch is missing as these shades come with little customization. Even the color and design on the fabric is selected for fit and finish. It is akin to a car on an assembly line.
A handmade lampshade is nearly 100% hand made. Even the wire frame is hand beaten and welded. The shapes are a result of deft and delicate use of steel wire and hammer. Such shapes are unsuitable for mass production. The entire process is quite interesting to watch. It involves a sketch of the lampshade, then a wire frame structure is created. If it looks good the individual elements are cut and welded together. The frame is then hand painted and dried. The fabric which is to cover the shade is cut as per the design. Small mobiles and frills are added to the shade. Then the cloth is hand stitched along the frame Most shades made in this way are double layered. There is a silk lining inside and the fabric goes outside. The entire frame remains hidden which adds to the beauty of the lampshade. Such a shade can be customized further as per the layout of the place with tapestry, flowers and ribbons. Small dolls and bells too can be added which would move and tinkle with the breeze.
A handmade lampshade fitted on a porcelain vase, a wooden pedestal looks very elegant and adds glamour to the room. Such handmade shades are in great demand all the time.
All this labor adds to the cost but sourcing from India negates this cost as labor is cheaper here and customization for European as well American homes is easily done. So you have a unique handmade lampshade for a slight premium over machine made lamp shades.
Therefore a handmade lampshade will definitely add beauty and grace to a dull room and also help highlight the artistic sense of the host.
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