Tiffany, the creative force of this enterprise, employed hundreds of master craftsmen and designers. Tiffany Studios produced thousands of lamps in hundreds of designs. Tiffany adapted his glass tiffany lamp shades from his world famous stained-glass window designs, making the connecting lead rods that surround each piece of glass an integral part of his artistic composition.

Deciding he could produce his exquisite stained-glass windows in miniature form to serve as lampshades for the new filament bulb of Thomas Edison. This bulb would beautifully illuminate the stained glass, night or day. In the 1890’s demand for stained glass windows in America was fuelled by religious energy together with an increasingly large and wealthy middle class. This wealthy middle class wanted to purchase items to adorn their homes with beautiful objects. His legacy is best seen today in the huge interest and development of work in stained glass items of all types. Tiffany made his most impressive mark on the art scene by designing stained glass windows, lamps, mosaics and other fine decorative jewelry.

Today, tiffany lamp shades are available in many sizes, styles and quality of materials. By adding a tiffany styled lamp shade you can create an elegant feature in a room. There are many types to choose from: tiffany floor lamps, tiffany accent lamps, tiffany desk lamps and tiffany swag lamps.

Home crafters have found many hours of pleasure in creating their own handmade tiffany lamp shades. The skills required are substantial – but there are numerous resources on line in right in your community to help you learn this fascinating craft. The satisfaction of designing and then cutting out the glass, along with the detailed assembly process can lead to much personal joy and sense of accomplishment.

Clearly, the modern home decorator has many ways to use the tiffany lamp shades. Many rooms are set up as special purpose – home theater, pool/billiard, nursery, dining and etc. Each of these can have custom tiffany lamp shades to further enhance the theme of the room. You can easily have your favorite sports team logo, or for children lamps in the shape of ladybugs or butterflies. These long lasting and beautiful items can become family heirlooms and be passed down through the generations.

Below are examples of the types of tiffany lamp shades you can get:

SHADE BEIGE STAINED GLASS TIFFANY for Electric Aurora Signature Scented Candle Warmer Burner Table Lamp

Tiffany table lamp 3 lights glass lighted base victorian design shade

Tiffany-Style Ariel Shade Table Lamp

Dollhouse Miniature Tiffany Table Lamp

So what exactly is a swag lamp? It is a lamp that hangs by a chain and is positioned to hang from the ceiling structure by this chain. Usually it is equipped with a 15 foot cord and plugs into a standard electrical outlet. The versatility is the ability to position the lamp exactly where it works best – without taking up any floor space or desk/table-top space. They are also one of the best reading lights available and can be positioned ideally to put the light right where you want it. In today’s homes with wide open floor plans this is especially useful.

One well known use of swag lights is over pool or billiard tables. These are very easy to position for the best lighting of the table surface. This creates the feel of a relaxed environment that invites sports enthusiasts and friends to your billiard space. You can find swag lamp shades with logos from all your favorite sports teams and beverages. There are even many tiffany style shades for these pendant lights.

Most times the lamps are turned on or off with an inline switch. This is great if you are close to the position of the switch, however more and more people are equipping their lights with remote controls. This is major improvement in convenience and perhaps accounts for the dramatic increase in the popularity of swag lamps.

Think off your lighting needs in new ways – do not be bound by the traditional table lamp or desk lamp. If you could put a light any where would that be? No longer is it necessary to just think of expensive to install in ceiling ‘can’ lights for your accent lighting. Another benefit is the ability to change the light location after you redecorate or move the furniture around. This is extremely expensive and difficult to do with in ceiling ‘can’ lights. They work great near the end of a sofa, behind or beside a chair, over a dining or game table, in a corner, beside or over a bed, over a night stand, over or beside a desk, etc.

They style of your light can be small and elegant to large and neon like. You choose what works best for your decor and tastes. Swag lamps are truly a decorator’s best friend!

Here are a few examples of the variety of styles available:

Tiffany Glass Swag Plug-In Style Chandelier

Pretty in Pink Swag Style Plug-In Mini Chandelier

Dallas Cowboys Three 40″ Shade Lamp

Notre Dame Fighting Irish 14″ Tiffany Style Swag Lamp

Accent lamps are frequently used as decorative lighting or to illuminate small, cozy areas, such as your craft table, nursery or desk. They can also create a colorful or subtle ambient glow near bookcases or hobby collections or in an unused corner of a room. These lamps are a simple and affordable way to change the look and décor of a room. Every spot from the living room end tables to the reading corner to the bedroom nightstand to the nursery could be a potential location for an accent lamp. Accent lighting fixtures are a great means to give just a little light and some character to your room. That bare space on your shelf will just come to life with well placed light.

Decorating with accent lamps gives the look and feel of a professionally decorated home. Your home is your statement to the world and everyone wants the feel a cozy yet exquisite place to call home. Decorative lamps should fit in with the style of the room. That doesn’t mean they have to match perfectly, though. Shade materials can range from, linen, silk, paper, luminescent mica, vinyl, Tiffany and ornamental stained and cut glass. The shade on an accent lamp should extend to cover about three-quarters of the base and should be wider than the base. Shades can be made of almost any material, but the most common are glass silk, cotton, linen, and paper.

Prices do range from as low as $25 and go up to $600 to $1000. The median range for these accent table lamps are between $100 and $250. Prices can range from as low as $25 and go up to $1000.

Table lamps come with beautiful accents such as fabric fringe, beaded fringe, or pull switches. There are fabric shades or glass shades from which to choose.

The styles of these lamps really can accent home décor. So many styles exist that you will be overwhelmed trying to decide (this is a good problem!). Some of the styles are: Traditional – representing simple and a more casual living; Contemporary-Modern – Bold colors hard angles and simple straight lines; Tiffany-Stained Glass – Originated from the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany and inspired by the Arts and Craft Movement with free form, or geometric designs with beautiful colors; Art Deco – stepped forms, sweeping curves made from inlaid wood, aluminum or stainless steel; Williamsburg – representing a style from Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia in the 17^th and 18^th centuries often made of shiny brass; Asian – incorporating an influence from China, Japan, Korea and other Asian nations; and a style called whimsical – using many very different designs to bring about a unique feel. Some of these can be accent lamps shaped like butterflies or ladybugs and made from stained glass. Or even in this category you would find the traditional LAVA lamp from the 1960’s – yes, they are still made and popular!

This web site will look at a few of the more popular style of accent lamp in great detail – be sure to check out the other pages here!