Month: January 2018

  • Valentine gift guide

    Valentine gift guide

    I’m not really a great advocate of Valentine’s day, but it comes at the time of year when things are a little dull and grey so I thought I’d take this opportunity to showcase a few of the things I have made in the studio which would make nice gifts and are bright and colourful, for loved ones any time of the year.

    A simple card can say be enough. For the first time ever I’ve made special Valentine cards, a rose which I find incredibly difficult to paint and I’ve encased them in a love heart cut out. I don’t know what came over me!

    If you want me to them to post them directly to your Valentine simply select gift and write the message in the comment section at check out.

    These lights are currently available and come in a presentation box, a little more extravagant as a gift but something that will give joy for years.

    I paint on the silk in my studio in Donegal, the silk is steamed and then I make them into shades using UPVC which is flame tested and makes the shades fire resistant.

    A local wood turner also from Ramelton, Co Donegal makes my wooden bases; I love how the turned bases are different every time, a little bit like my paintings.

    Just before Christmas I made a few lamp shades with the paintings of some of the botanicals used to make my favourite sprit gin. I’m so happy that gin is currently fashionable, especially after a recent trip to Edinburgh we had to seek refuge from the sleet, ending up in a fab gin bar with 150 gins on the menu. What an afternoon. Anyway I have been collecting my attractive gin bottles for a number of years and have made lamp bases out of the empties  This gin themed lamp one is currently available on line and would make a lovely gift for a fellow gin lover like me.

    For many years I have been painting silk scarves and evening bags, I don’t make as many as I used to as I got distracted with lighting and lampshades. I painted a few of these last year and they sold out. The delicate pink petals on an ivory background with my ever popular dragonfly motif suitable for weddings and confirmations seemed really on trend.

    On my website I have a selection of gift items which I change regularly to take the hassle out of gift buying. If you choose gift on check out I will gift wrap it and send it directly to your recipient with a complimentary gift card.

    To share the love if you use the code LOVE18 at checkout you will receive a 10% discount, valid until the 14th February 2018.

    Well from someone who’s not a big fan of the Valentines day I always think

    “Yes Valentine’s day is all well and good but it’s better to let our loved ones know every day how much they mean to us”

     

  • How to choose the right size lampshade.

    How to choose the right size lampshade.

    You have decided on where you want to put your new shade, picked a design and now for the tricky part. Size it really does matter, when talking to customers about ordering or commissioning a shade most of the time is taken up with deciding the size of a shade. In this blog I want to pass on a few tips which come from experience of making lots of shades for the ceiling and standard and table lamps.

    Let’s start with table shades

    Keeping everything in proportion is vital so your lamp isn’t dwarfed by a giant shade or unbalanced by a small one

    Lampshades have 2 important measurements, the diameter of the shade and the height. Normally in a shop you only get to choose the diameter of the shade you purchase but when you buy from a bespoke lamp shade maker you can also specify the height.

    Should you be in a dilemma when your lamp is in between two sizes of lampshade, choose the larger of the two as proportionally it sits better and distributes more light.
    The perfect sized lampshade should hide the fittings underneath without encroaching upon the lamp base itself.

    Bear in mind where you will be positioning your lamp in the room; will there be plenty of space around it, or will it be in close proximity to a wall, a piece of furniture or placed near the path of frequent footfall?
    If so, it makes sense to choose one with a narrow profile and pair it with an equally narrow shade, then it’s less likely to get damaged, people often choose one of my table lights if this is the case.

    Around the garden silk shade

     

    As a rule of thumb, a lampshade should be a similar width to the height of the lamp base, the lampshade should be wider than the widest section of the lamp base and the height of the shade should be approx.  2/3 height of the lamp base.

    Very thin lamp bases such as candlestick bases are very forgiving and the size of the shade is more flexible, pebble shaped lamp bases look great if you match the diameter of the shade with the diameter and the base.

    Cottage garden collection

    Ceiling shades

    Generally I don’t make lampshades for the ceiling any smaller than 30cm in diameter and this is for practical reasons. Lights are there to give out light and lampshades need to diffuse the light, too small a ceiling shade won’t give out much light. There are a few exceptions; in my own very long narrow landing I have 3 ceiling shades all matching which are 25cm diameter shades. It looks fine, (I’d photograph it but as my small children have turned that area into a Lego workshop, I am not able).

    My favourite size for a moderate room (16m square) is at least a 35cm diameter with a height of 24cm.

    If I’m making a shade for a bedroom a diffuser is a nice touch as it reduces the glare of the bulb.

    Choosing the right size of ceiling shade is much more a matter of choice than choosing a table lamp shade as you are not tied to issues of proportion, do bear in mind  that you have enough head height below the shade and be willing to lengthen or shorten the ceiling pendant flex if necessary.

    Ceiling shade diffuser

    Standard lampshades

    I’ve made many standard lamp shades and really the size only depends on the height of the base. The diameter of the shade should be about twice that of the widest part of the base and the height should be about 40% of the whole lamp base height.

    Shade carrier

    Ensure that is you are using it for reading or close up work that the diameter is wide enough for you to sit under the shade. Sometimes I make shades with a shade carrier and duplex rings, this allows a shade to hang lower over the lamp base and cover the lamp holder. If you would like more information about ordering lampshades please contact me or to see my FAQ’S.

    Garden collection

     

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  • Give your home a 2018 makeover

    Give your home a 2018 makeover

    Welcome to my blog where I will write about my current work and projects as a textile artist and specialist lampshade maker and lighting designer based in County Donegal Ireland. Where I hand paint silk in a shed in my garden to make my home interior pieces.

    The New Year when the purse strings have tightened, and the days are dull and cold it’s time to think about adding a few special home accessories to bring your home back to life. Changing lampshades, lighting and cushions can be a cost effective way to really spice up your rooms.

    A hallway can be made magnificent with a tiered hand painted silk light hanging as a statement piece. You can order one here 

    Currently this shade is available in 24 different designs but if you are wanting something bespoke please just contact me. I work with customers to hand paint a design which is exact to your requirements and also with interior designers to ensure your clients have something unique and a really special.

    You can also have these shades in a variety of single tiered ceiling pendants and also for table lights and standard lamps. I  have taken my most popular designs and eco printed them onto bamboo fabric to make a digital print version of my hand made shades, which is affordable and environmentally sustainable.

    If you sign up to my newsletter you will receive a 10% discount to spend on-line, over the phone or at my studio which is open to the public, please phone ahead 074 9152418.

     

     

    “Hi Karen. The shade is gorgeous, thank you very much. I have it hanging on the landing and it looks great. It will encourage me to keep the landing tidy! Thanks again. Ann”

    Soft furnishings can completely transform your room. I make hand painted silk cushions and printed cotton cushions. I also make a series of hand painted silk table runners which are multi purpose and available in my current 24 designs or as a bespoke commissions.These silk cushions made from hand painted silk are backed with vintage velvet on the back and filled with duck down for the ultimate in luxury.

    They are all hand washable and sparkle with the vibrant colours used in the silk painting.

    The silk table runners are used to dress a dining table, the end of a bed or hanging on the wall. Their multi use makes them the ultimate accessory for the home.

     

    Hand painted silk table light

    Last year my range of silk and print table lights was my most popular item for the home. The silk version comes on a hand made wooden base, all made in Ramelton, Co Donegal and my print versions come on a metal tripod base. Available in a range of shapes and designs. All my work is currently shipped free to the UK and Ireland.