Accentuate Your Ambiance: How to Add Accent Trim to a Lampshade
While simplicity has its merits in interior design, there's no denying the appeal of adding a touch of creative flair. Lampshades, while practical decor items, also present the perfect opportunity to showcase your unique style. By incorporating accent trim, you can elevate a mundane lampshade to a captivating design element.
In this post, we will show you how you can take a lampshade from “functional” to “mesmerizing” in a few simple steps. Infuse your own style into your living space and make a lasting impression with a dazzling, delightful design element.
How To Add Accent Trim to a Lampshade
You can add accent trim to a shade in six simple steps:
1. Gather Your Materials
The supplies you’ll need for this project are:
- A lampshade
- Accent trim
- Scissors
- Adhesive
- Measuring tape or ruler
Tip: Ensure your adhesive is suitable for your lampshade material and accent trim to ensure a strong, long-lasting bond.
2. Prepare the Lampshade
Remove the shade from its base and place it on a clean, flat surface. Ensure the lampshade is free of dust or debris. If you have a fabric lampshade, lightly steam it or use fabric wrinkle release spray to remove wrinkles or creases.
3. Measure & Cut the Trim
Determine the length of trim required to go around the shade’s circumference, adding a few extra inches to ensure you have enough for a clean finish. Mark the required length on the trim using your measuring tape or ruler. Then, carefully cut the trim using the scissors, ensuring a straight, clean edge.
Tip: Double-check your measurements before cutting the trim to ensure it will fit snugly around the lampshade without being too tight or leaving gaps.
4. Apply the Adhesive
Grab your adhesive and apply it to the backside of the trim or directly to the lampshade. Start with a small section of the shade and apply a thin, even layer of adhesive along the bottom edge.
Tip: We suggest using hot glue guns, fabric glue, or double-sided tape for adhesive. If using a hot glue gun, work quickly but carefully to avoid excessive heat that could damage the lampshade or cause the glue to dry too fast.
Bonus tip: If you're using a glue gun, work in small sections to prevent the glue from drying before you attach the trim.
5. Attach the Trim
Align the trim's cut edge with the lampshade's bottom edge. Press the trim firmly against the adhesive to ensure proper adherence. Slowly and carefully work your way around the lampshade, attaching the trim section by section. If you're working with a fabric trim, you may need to stretch or pull the material slightly to maintain tension as you work.
6. Add Finishing Touches
You can create a bespoke shade that reflects your style by including embellishments and embroidery alongside the accent trim. For instance, add small fabric flowers, decorative buttons, or intricate embroidery patterns.
Tip: When adding embellishments or embroidery, test the placement and arrangement on a small section of the trim before committing to the final design to ensure you're satisfied with the overall look.
Additional Ideas for Personalizing a Lampshade With Trim
Exploring Trim Materials: While there is an array of trim materials available, don't limit yourself to conventional choices. Consider using materials like ribbons, lace, beads, or repurposed fabric scraps to add texture, visual interest, and whimsy to your lampshade. If there’s a material you’re unfamiliar with or need professional help to apply to your shade, check out our Customers Own Material program. We have extensive experience working with various fabrics to help our customers bring their designs to life.
Mixing & Matching: You can mix and match different trim materials to create a one-of-a-kind design. Experiment with combining textures, colors, and widths to create a captivating contrast or harmonious blend.
Alternative Placement: While the traditional placement for accent trim is along the bottom edge of the lampshade, consider alternative placement ideas for a distinctive look. For example, wrap trim around the top edge, create vertical stripes or form intricate patterns along the sides.
Theme-inspired Designs: Let your lampshade tell a story by designing it around a specific theme. Whether it's a coastal-inspired trim for a tropical ambiance or a vintage lace trim for a classic touch, thematic designs elevate your lampshade to a new level of cohesiveness and charm. If you want to personalize your theme further, we can help you craft a customized lampshade from top to bottom with quality materials.
Select Your Own Colors: If you want more customization options that help you tap into your creativity, get one of these colorable lampshades and add an accent trim to them.
Why Add Accent Trim to a Lampshade?
There are several reasons to transform a lampshade with accent trim:
- Enhanced Aesthetics: Adding accent trim to a lampshade elevates its aesthetics and turns it into a unique decor piece.
- Upcycling: Accent trim is the perfect (and cost-effective) way to upcycle and reinvigorate an old shade.
- Visual Interest: Adding trim to a shade adds visual interest, depth, subtle elegance, and dimension to decor.
- Coordinate an Overall Design: You can coordinate an overall design with lampshade accent trim that matches the colors, patterns, or textures of other decor items, such as curtains or rugs, for a cohesive look.
Accentuate Your Interior Design With Lampshade Accent Trim
Just because a lampshade already looks great doesn’t mean you can’t improve on it. Accent trim is that final brushstroke on a canvas that turns a decor item into a masterpiece. With a few materials and some creativity, your lampshade will shine as a testament to your discerning taste and desire to elevate the every day into the extraordinary. If you need professional help with customizing your shade, Lux is here to bring your vision to life.
