As part of the job, I spend a lot of time tracking trends and talking with designers and homeowners to see what they’re loving and what’s on their radar.
Often, the trends that resonate most with homeowners are subtler – they don’t belong to any “-core,” like cottagecore or meadowcore. Instead, the trends that stick are the small choices experts make again and again because they bring everyday charm and sophistication.
One such small-but-mighty designer choice has been all over my Instagram feed over the last year, and it’s finally time we discuss it. Not only does this simple, affordable swap bring whimsy, but it also makes any room feel more polished. To get to the bottom of this burgeoning trend, I turned to top designers for their expertise. Below, I’m sharing what the swap is, why it’s trending, and how designers recommend using it in your own home.
What is the swap?
This designer-approved swap is relatively simple and inexpensive. All you need to do is switch your boring, comes-with-the-base, plain white lampshade for a designer-loved, patterned lampshade. Lampshades with personality make store-bought bases and fixtures look custom, delivering a high-end look for less.
Is it trending?
Absolutely! While it’s hard to trace the trend to a single influence, the popularity of patterned lampshades is heavily linked to the rise of maximalist interior design over the past six years.
While maximalism takes many forms, there is a classically country approach that homeowners and designers alike have been favouring. Dubbed “modern primitive” by husband-and-wife design team Tara Mancini and Percy Bright in an interview with Country Living earlier this year, this "substyle" celebrates craftsmanship and colour. As the style gains momentum, Tara predicts we’ll see “more stencilling, hand-painting, one-of-a-kind, pattern-heavy, rich interiors.”
This love of pattern is central to the lampshade trend, and its recent resurgence goes beyond just an appreciation for color and visual texture – it’s a “return to comfort,” says designer Grace Mitchell. Noted, Country Living columnist and vintage lover Paula Sutton agrees, saying, “there is something luxurious, traditional, and comforting about a room filled with pattern.”
How designers do it
Designers have just one rule when picking patterned lampshades: follow the palette already in place.
Prettied-up shades should be the finishing touch that brings a room together, not a statement on its own. Look to other textiles – upholstery, pillows, blankets – and play off their colours. Below, I’m sharing a few of my favourite designer examples showing exactly how you can use a patterned lampshade to complete the look.
How to style it – our favourite examples
Pretty in pairs
Designer Cameron Ruppert doubled down on pattern with this pair of lampshades that play nicely off the upholstery palette.
Make a single statement
There is, of course, the more digestible option of just using one patterned shade in a room already full of pattern, like designer Katie Rosenfield did here in a coastal house. If this is the route you plan to go, consider a pleated shade for even more visual texture.
Pick painterly shades
While this trend predominantly focuses on patterned lampshades made from fabric, don’t overlook wallpaper-covered or painted shades. In designer Jennifer Hunter’s farmhouse, a pair of hand-painted lampshades add whimsical charm.
Patterned lampshade edit
Pooky Lighting Straight empire lampshade
Navy Tapered Chevron Shade - Large
Ditsy Floral Easy Fit Ruffle Lamp Shade
Bonnie Cotton Lampshade, Large, Red Stripe
Red Scalloped Pleated Lamp Shade
Anna Logan is the Deputy Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything you’ve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When she’s not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram.
