A lampshade is a cover placed over a light bulb to soften and direct the light. Without a lampshade, a bare bulb blazes harshly in all directions, making it uncomfortable to look at and casting sharp shadows. The shade diffuses the light, spreading it more gently around a room while protecting your eyes from glare.

Lampshades come in countless shapes, sizes, and materials. Some are made of fabric stretched over a wire frame, others of glass, paper, or plastic. A table lamp might have a cone-shaped shade that directs light downward for reading, while a floor lamp's shade might cast light upward toward the ceiling. The color and thickness of the shade affect the quality of light: a dark green shade creates dim, moody lighting, while a thin white shade keeps the room bright.

Interior designers pay careful attention to lampshades because they don't just control light, they also add style and personality to a room. A fringed Victorian lampshade creates a completely different feeling than a sleek modern cylindrical shade, even if both sit on identical lamps.