One of my newest decorating loves is a drum shade. I can remember more than 10 years ago, when I was trying to buy new lamps and couldn’t find much of anything that was traditional and reasonable. It seems like all the lamps I saw in the stores back then were still those ceramic jar type lamps (way before the iron and Tuscan look came in) or were wildly expensive and I ended up buying lamps from a decorator who had shows at her house. I spent around $100 each for a couple of lamps from her. And I still have those lamps, even though one of them was gold and I have since painted it to a bronze tone. Hard to get rid of lamps that you pay good money for and $100 back then was a lot of money to me (still is, as a matter of fact).
The ceramic fruit lamp above is still pretty to me, but I have had it for several years now and was ready for a more simple and clean look. I got this lamp at a really neat shop in Atlanta called Hill Street Warehouse and will try to sell it on Craigslist or anyone in Birmingham who might be interested, I’ll sell it for a good price.
Since then, I’ve found some of my favorite lamps at yardsales and still love them dearly too. But, I have replaced most all of my shades with drum shades. LOVE them! They can really update an older lamp and give it new life. Most of my old shades were bell shaped and very traditional looking. But, adding a drum shade will instantly update those older lamps.
I just found the lamp above at Homegoods recently for $39. It was just what I was looking for for this table and I love the simple and clean lines, along with the textured drum shade which is perfect with my wall color. 
The shade really got my attention, with it’s 2 tones of cream and gold and the texture is really neat too, almost like grasscloth. It’s much easier to find great looking lamps these days without spending a fortune.
This lamp on my black console table is a $5 yardsale find, but replacing the shade with a drum shade really updated it so much. I found this shade at JoAnn’s (they have 40% sales & coupons often too) a few years ago and liked it so much, I bought 2 of them and I’ll show you the other one too. It’s very textured like a heavy linen with black bands around the top and bottom.
This is also a new lamp from Homegoods, again at $39, it didn’t break the bank. This one has a simple gold colored drumshade and pairs well with the opposite one. You can see all 3 of these lamps are in my livingroom and they don’t match, but complement each other. That’s the key with mixing lamps. I do like a pair of lamps for a bedroom, but otherwise, I’d just as soon mix ’em up. 
This lamp was in the livingroom, but when I got the one above, I moved it into my guestroom and this is the 2nd shade that came from JoAnn’s. This lamp was my $100 spend (which in the design world is not a lot of money I know, for lamps, but I’m not one to spend hundreds on lamps) and I’ve had it many years now. I did a bronze finish on it to give it an updated look from the brassy gold it was.
Now, those of you who have been reading my blog forever, will remember this, my pride and joy yardsale find of $5 that I found 2 years ago, a vintage crystal lamp with black marble base. If you’re new here, you can read all about how I found the drum shade at a junk store and covered it in this yummy damask fabric, complete with a lampshade covering tutorial. I still love this lamp two years later!
These pretty lamps with drum shades in our master bedroom were a find last year, also from Homegoods and they were even on clearance, one I got for $18 and the mate, I had to hunt down at another store, for $25. Great bargains!
My very latest addition is downstairs in the den, where again I found a $39 bargain at Homegoods and decided to add a little more aqua to this space (that Turquoise bug has bitten me!) This is a great way to add some fresh color without going overboard. You’ll notice I added some pretty soft aqua pillows too, again from Homegoods. Those shabby aqua shutters really started something in there.
So, if you’re looking to update your Traditional look with something fresh, new, and a little more modern for the coming year, without spending a lot of money, look to drum shades to update your lamps. I’m so happy that there are stores out there like Homegoods (and no, they don’t pay me for this) who offer great looking lamps for such reasonable prices. That hasn’t always been the case. Even Walmart has a great looking large linen drum shade that is so pretty. Check them out too.
Drum shades = instant update to a fresh and more contemporary look! Ever evolving myself, I’m really enjoying bringing in a little more modern to my home, to mix with the Traditional that is near and dear to my heart.
How do you feel about drum shades? Yay or nay?
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The 5 winners (picked by Random.org) of A Woman Inspired online conference tickets are:
#3 – Mammy
#4 – Tina
#35 – Kim K.
#53 – Deb (It is what it Is)
#67 – Tanya
All of you should have received an email from me. Congrats! Just get back to me and I’ll get instructions to you later on how to log-in to the conference later this month. If you find out that you can’t use the ticket, please let me know so that I can pass it on to someone else.
Your lamps are beautiful! Thank you for sharing this, and linking back your old tutorial!
I am on a drum shade kick myself, as of late. . . . btw, I might be losing my mind. I thought you had planted that lamp in the second picture. And my first thought was, “what an interesting idea.” 🙂
Hi Rhoda
Not only you are very talented as interior decorator, but you also take great pictures. Sometimes it’s hard to take a nice picture at home without lighting like in a professional studio. Thanks for sharing pictures of your beautiful home. We also love neutral colours and dark brown furniture. We love how you used a round table in your dining room; very different and elegant. We have a similar table in our kitchen.
Blueloom from Canada