The Elegance of Large Empire Lamp Shades

A dramatic style statement can be made with oversized empire lampshade designs. Ranging from 50cm in diameter and above, these lampshades feature a distinctive tapered shape inspired by French Empire interior fashions. Combining luxury with practical lighting, large empire shades create an ambiance of sophistication. We explore everything you need to know about decorating with these striking fixtures.

From regal estates to prestigious hotels, big empire lamp covers lend an air of splendor. Their generous proportions suit grand rooms with high ceilings, making an impact in entryways, living spaces, and dining areas. Large empire lampshades allow the use of bigger lightbulbs and fixtures to illuminate spacious interiors. Glamorous, eye-catching centers of attention, these shades bring timeless elegance wherever they hang.

History and Origin of the Empire Lamp Shade Style

As the name suggests, the empire shade takes inspiration from French Empire style. This design movement flourished during the early 19th century Napoleonic era in Europe. Marked by Roman and Greek influences, furniture and decor from the Empire period featured ornate motifs and references to ancient history.

Inspiration from French Empire Period Design

Interiors included Egyptian imagery, military symbols, laurel wreaths, and other Greco-Roman decorative elements. The female figure feature prominently, represented through goddesses and muses. Design hallmarks also encompassed architectural shapes, geometric patterns, and references to conquests and victories.

In furnishings, French Empire style preferred bold silhouettes for larger pieces. The chief characteristics seen in the original antique empire lamps remain staples today. Tapered shades with metallic ornamentation and carved embellishments defined the imperial lighting of the age.

Association with Opulence and Grandeur

This lavish aesthetic made the Empire style synonymous with the very peak of luxury. The period design came to represent wealth, power and the utmost taste. Today, interior experts at top establishments appreciate Empire style as the "quintessential expression of magnificence." This mystique and splendor carry over into modern empire lampshade selections.

Contemporary oversized empire lampshades retain the drama and extravagance of the early 19th century originals. Grander than classical Roman shades, big Empire lamp covers amplify spacious settings with their commanding proportions. These majestic centerpieces lend palatial beauty to lounge areas, libraries, and sophisticated dining spaces.

Benefits of Oversized Empire Lampshades

While making an impressive visual impact, large Empire shades also serve practical lighting purposes. Here are some of the advantages these substantial-sized lampshades offer:

Make a Bold Visual Statement

With their magnificent silhouettes based on antiquity, plus intricate metallic accents, big Empire lampshades attract awed attention. The renowned design houses understand the essence of these shades to craft a "scene-stealing statement piece."

Often reaching diameters exceeding 50cm, plus equally sizable heights, oversized Empire shades dominate decors. Visible from a distance, these commanding fixtures become conversation pieces. They immediately establish the intended refined, upscale ambiance of a well-appointed room.

Complement Grand, Spacious Rooms

The proportions of extra large Empire lamp covers suit the expansive dimensions of sizeable spaces. Areas with high ceilings, lengthy sightlines, and abundant floor area provide the perfect backdrop. Empire shades of smaller statures would look undersized and out of scale.

For grand salons and entrance halls, the monumental Empire lampshade pillars the setting majestically. In lofty lounge spaces and master bedroom retreats, the oversized Empire light source ascends to an artistic focal point.

Allow Use of Large Lightbulbs and Fixtures

With their wide-ranging dimensions, big empire shade designs accommodate more sizable lightbulbs and fittings. Shades with reduced dimensions would fail to cover the substantial lights needed for large spaces. However, with their extensive diameters, plus tailored heights, oversized empire lampshades expertly envelope the necessary lighting equipment.

For example, in a voluminous hotel lobby the expanse requires abundant illumination. Oversized empire lampshades enabled the deployment of custom 3-footNickel Table Lamps. Together theXXL empire shade and tall, powerful bulb produce sufficient yet focused light.

Tips for Decorating with Extra Large Empire Shades

To harness their full decor impact, certain considerations apply when showcasing overscale empire lampshades:

Choose Proportionate Lighting Fixtures

Empire lamp shades with their distinctive outline serve as the piece de resistance. Select matching lighting bases and fittings sized in-scale. Table or floor lamps of slim silhouettes visually recede to let the shade star. For pendant fixtures, lightweight metallic frames suspend the shade without distraction.

Select Statement Hanging Light Fittings

To elevate focal drama consider suspension fittings styled like sconces, chandeliers or candlestick lamps. More elaborate scrollwork metalwork, crystals, or candelabra details contribute added allure. This couples the bold Empire shade with equally eye-catching pendant hardware.

Combine with Other Ornate Interior Styles

Layer textures and patterns characteristic of French decor alongside the commanding Empire lamp. Baroque mirror frames, moody landscape paintings, tufted lounge seating, and glossy hardwood floors reinforce the aristocratic extravagance. Avoid contemporary or minimalist backdrops to not detract from the Empire fixture's domineering magnificence.

Best Places to Utilize Big Empire Lamp Covers

Certain well-scaled settings provide the perfect platforms to exhibit the grandiose proportions of oversized Empire lampshades. Here are prime locations to install these commanding fixtures:

Entry Foyers and Hallways

Greet guests with a sense of splendor by hanging a monumental Empire pendant as the first interior feature to capture attention. On an accent table or console, an Empire floor lamp establishes an elegant hallway vignette leading to formal living areas. The shade conveys the stately characteristics ahead.

Master Bedrooms and Living Spaces

Empire lamp shades supply both beauty and ample task lighting over seating nooks or next to armchairs. On either side of a bedstead or above a sofa, symmetrical Empire table lamps balance the arrangement. The fabulously sized shades define these retreats for reading or conversation with magistral grace.

Dining and Banquet Halls

Define mealtime ambiance with an artistic Empire lampshade installation. Gathered at the table bathed in the lamp's focused yet abundant glow creates appealing interplay of shadows and radiance. Visual splendor then partners the culinary palette for an overall immersive epicurean experience evoking palace halls of earlier eras.

Shop Top Brands for Superior Large Empire Shades

Many leading interior design houses offer glamorous overscale Empire lamp shade choices employing premium materials for unmatched artistry. Here are noteworthy brands to visit for acquiring outstanding large Empire-style shades:

Arteriors

This trendsetting brand continually reinterprets historical designs through original concepts. Sculptural Iconic lighting represents the core of the Arteriors collections. Among their fabric shade options, the tapered Empire profiles exhibit global inspirations from Moorish to Egyptian motifs.

Robert Abbey

Dedicated to handcrafted lighting sculptures, Robert Abbey infuses imagination into classical forms. Select Empire offerings interpret the style on a grandly exaggerated scale. Characteristic metal embellishments encircle the perimeter of the impressive shades.

Hudson Valley Lighting

Known for signature shade shapes, Hudson Valley Lighting includes the "Dickens" Empire range. With intricate details and complex silhouettes, sizes extend to 72 inches tall by 26 inches wide. The extreme oversizing reinforces the brand's dedication to bold design statements..