Lampset Informations

Desk lights and study lamps are an important accessory in the home these days and more so in the library or study areas which require the correct visual conditions for carrying out focused work.

Ensuring you have sufficient lighting fixtures is important in an age where increasing numbers of the working population have the option to work from home. Even if it is only for one day a week, it has become more important than ever to ensure that the working environment at home is optimal.

Working, as many of us do these days, in front of our computer for long stretches of time is taxing on our eyes and if we do not have sufficient lighting to aid us we run the risk of suffering from eyestrain, glare, dry eyes and headaches.

In the study or if part a room is used for work, then the most important requirement is to have effective task lighting in place. And effective task lighting does not mean an excess of lighting. It is vital to ensure there is a correct balance between the task lighting which is focused on the working area, such as the desk, as well as the general lighting used to light the room.

Adjustable table lamps are extremely useful because they can be pulled and directed at whichever height and angle is most effective for the worker. As well as having a portable lighting fixture, such as a reading lamp, it might be an idea to also incorporate low-voltage downlights that are recessed into the ceiling, over the desk area. These are highly effective because they would throw general light over the working area only, keeping it separate from the other areas in the room.

Desk lamps are very adaptable and so are lamps fixed to nearby shelves above the desk, as these provide effective task lighting and the beam of light from these can also be adjusted as wished.

With regard to the general lighting, it is better to use an uplighter rather than a central ceiling-mounted lighting fixture. This is because light from the uplighter will be diffused, being directed upwards, and hence will not cause problems from light reflecting from the computer monitor. This is a common problem with working areas which have computers and downlighting is used.

Further ideas to transform your study into a wonderful and efficient working environment is to use a row of dimmable downlighters for your shelves. Most studys will have storage for books and ideally this will be in the form of shelving. This can be enhanced by making it look attractive and using dimmable downlighters positioned a little way in front of the shelves is a way of bringing more light into your working area whilst at the same time gently highlighting the books on the shelf.

Generally, with a little creative thought it is possible to transform your nondescript working area into a warm and well-lit place which is conducive to productive work.

Simply by using a variety of light sources such as adjustable desk lamps, hanging pendant lighting and free-standing uplighters, you can revolutionize your study area.

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Lauren Tyler writes exclusivey for LampLightWorld.com

Go rustic with genuine rawhide lamp shades, the easiest way to develop a country or rustic style. Even if your current lamps and furniture are more traditional, create a warm western or southwest atmosphere in any room.

Rawhide replacement lamp shades and table lamp shades will set the tone of your space and bring the warm country or rustic flavor that creates such a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

Rawhide chandelier lamp shades can create a natural focal point for your room and draw elements together as the eye finds rawhide table lamp shades and floor lamp shades around the room. Mini lamp shades or clip on lamp shades are also perfect for a candelabra style lamp or wall sconce.

If you have a unique lamp that requires a special shade, rawhide lamp shades can be custom fitted to meet your specific needs. Rawhide lampshades are perfect for a log home or cabin as well as country, ranch or rustic decor. There is no substitute for genuine rawhide “raw hide” lamp shades for southwestern lamps, antler lamps, wall sconces, chandeliers and home lighting and rustic western lamps. Rawhide shades for rustic lighting compliment cottage, lodge style, rustic chic and rustic furniture like nothing else can.

Buy Only Genuine Rawhide Lamp Shades

Genuine rawhide shades are affordable and redily available on the internet, so don’t settle for faux or immitation shades. Genuine rawhide lamp shades are made by hand with old world craftsmanship. Skilled leather workers with years of experience carefully form and lace each shade with genuine rawhide. Rawhide lamp shades are crafted with sturdy welded frames. Premium quality goatskin rawhides are the desired hides because of their strength and translucency. Each hide is hand stretched, slowly sun dried, then hand stitched to add a sense of rustic beauty. When a lamp is turned on with a quality rawhide lamp shade in place, its translucent character comes to life. The shade allows light to emanate from within to create a natural atmosphere. Stretched rawhide lamp shades are works of art that will make a dramatic affect on your room and furnishings.

Southwest style rawhide lamp shades are made with bleached rawhide for a consistent color tone. A light creamy tan color, they are perfect for southwestern décor and compliment other southwestern elements such as pottery, carved wooden bowls, Indian rugs and rustic furniture. Their light color opens up a room and provides excellent light and texture. They are excellent for table lamps, sconces and chandeliers, log homes, cabins and cottages.

Western style rawhide lamp shades are wonderful accessories for western lamps and décor. Made with natural dark rawhide, they are a unique dark charcoal or smoked brown color and create a dark warm glow. Western rawhide varies more in tone from one hide to another with natural light and dark coloring visible in the hide. Western lampshades are perfect for log homes and cabins as well as ranch or lodge styles, complimenting dark wood tables, leather furniture, tack, floor lamps and cowboy accessories.

Country Style rawhide lamp shades are very unique, hosting rich warm colors and grain pattern. Using the same hides as southwestern or western, color is added to dye the rawhide to a variety of colors, the most popular being dark brown, red and green. Called country lamp shades because of their color, they actually look great with southwest and western decor as well as any country or rustic setting. Dark and rustic by day, they are warm and rich by night.

Order your own rawhide lamp shades today and enjoy creating your rustic space. You may freely reprint this article with active links to http://www.missiondelrey.com or for information email: info@missiondelrey.com

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Mission Del Rey creates rawhide lamp shades & rustic lamps. Others articles of interest are available on their website. This article may be freely reprinted with active link included.

Antler lamps are one of the most beautiful accessories available for western décor. So much more than a lighting fixture, antler lamps bring life to your room. If you have a cabin or mountain home, the rustic character of antlers with their beautiful shapes and variety of natural color will give your space the distinctive western look you desire.

Ranch owners as well as those building modern log homes have recognized antler lamps for years as the must have lighting to complete their rustic home look. Because of the smooth curves of antler lamps and chandeliers there is a natural beauty inherent in the antlers themselves that compliments perfectly any type of southwestern or western furniture. There is a dynamic with antler lamps that seems to pull every element together and firmly ground the room as a sophisticated rustic space. Antler lamps have a magic about them that seems to add balance and focus.

Antler lamps also compliment many other rustic elements for rustic décor. In the Northwest or “north woods” style antlers may be added to snow shoes and complimented with rawhide lamp shades to fashion fabulous wall sconces. The light wood and rawhide lacing of the shoe along with the leather binding and hand stitched shade with its warm glow make a perfect harmony. Weather you prefer to compliment your antler lamp with southwestern light rawhide shades or western style dark rawhide lampshades, the choice is yours and the result will be stunning.

Small antler chandeliers may be made from white tail deer antlers while large chandeliers may have several tiers of huge elk antlers. Weather your space is large or small an antler chandelier will bring the old west home. In Jackson Hole, WY the town square is adorned with antler arches made from Elk antlers that are shed each spring. It is truly unique and you can capture the same spirit in your special area.

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Craig Chambers, is the President of Mission Del Rey, an Arizona non profit organization preserving the Tarahumara Indians through traditional skills, antler lamps with rawhide lamp shades and other hand crafts. For further information or questions please write to info@missiondelrey.com

Painted lamp shades bring out the best in Native American home decor and are definitely the way to go in rustic lighting. The designer style they enhance in your home will have your friends talking about your beautiful designer look long after they leave. In fact, I like these southwestern shades so much that I often give them as gifts to friends and family. These lamp shades are a unique way to enhance interesting southwest or Native style in your interior design and create a look that is definitely amazing.

From elaborate portrayals of Native Indians and beautiful mountain terrain, to detailed paintings of dry desert landscape and Indian dwellings, you will definitely be pleased with how these hand made lamp shades enhance your home’s Native American design and style. The thing I like most about decorating with leather lamp shades or giving them as gifts, are the variations in colors and options to choose from.

You can decide between beautiful paintings on dyed pigskin suede lamp shades that come in red, green, black, gold, wine, brown or natural, or find a painting you like on a rustic rawhide shade in a light or dark tone. No matter which you choose, you will definitely find one to match your color palette and your decorating needs. The beautiful handiwork of the hand-stitched lacing on the leather lamp shade adds beautiful charm and authentic Native design to your rustic cabin or country home.

Trying to simply create rustic style in a room in your home? The greatest thing about painted lamp shades is that they look just as wonderful in an office, den, bedroom, living room and wherever else you want to incorporate southwestern design. The best thing about painted lamp shades is that they are a relatively easy way to change your home lighting or makeover a home without having to spend a fortune or make a lot of changes. Use painted lamp shades on unique rustic style home lighting fixtures such as wrought iron or antler lamps to enhance a true rugged mountain look, or simply change the shade on the regular style lamps that you are already using to create western design.

Often used on floor lamps for illuminating large rooms or for table lamps and desk lamps, painted lamp shades are great for using anywhere you wish to create a splash of color with rustic flare. You will be fascinate to see how easily a lamp shade can adjust the design of the entire room and bring rustic style decorating to life in your home. Use painted leather lamp shades with other country or rustic style items for authentic rustic design. Painted lamp shades look great when used with Native American blankets and throws, pueblo ladders, Native drums, or Indian baskets and pottery.

These incredible shades are hard to buy in traditional stores where southwestern decor accessories are sold, but you can find them online. If you enjoy the pueblo style houses typical throughout the southwest, or are simply looking for a way to bring color and rustic flare to your interior decorating, try incorporating the unique art of painted lamp shades.

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Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and offers free information online about choosing painted lamp shades for rustic style decorating. For more information visit http://www.missiondelrey.com

There is nothing like rawhide lamp shades with their hand stitching and warm tone to make your room the rustic display of southwest style you’re looking for. The main features of a western or southwestern living room that brings it life is the lighting and lampshades used along with a few other elements. If it is a rustic look you are after, the character of natural rawhide will add that look and feel with rustic charm. Many people go over board when all that is really needed are a few classic focal points in the room and you will be amazed by what a difference rawhide lampshades make.

If you are starting from scratch, you are in for a lot of fun shopping for the various new pieces you will use, but it is also not necessary. Many styles that may exist in your home décor now may work just fine with southwest style or western tradition. Your lamps will probably work fine if your budget won’t allow a complete change. Remember it is the rustic rawhide lamp shade that will catch the eye and make the difference between modern and rustic or country style.

Rawhide color should be considered as you make the transformation to the look you want. For southwest style it is best to use light colored rawhide shades where as western decorating looks very nice with dark rawhide. For country décor, either works well and you can even use dyed rawhide shades which are specially suited to arts and crafts style. If you decide to go with southwest or western shades you should use the same style throughout the room for consistency. In a country or more colorful setting you can actually mix the dyed colors or red, green and brown rawhide within the same room. Consider both floor lamps and table or desk lamps with rawhide lamp shades to carry the eye across the room at different levels to tie the theme together. Using rawhide shades in this way will add an interesting appeal.

As with any style, lighting sets the mood so use individual lamps rather than a single overhead light. Then, alter the look of the lighting by using different wattage bulbs in different areas, or use dimmers to achieve the warm soft look so popular in cottages, cabins and log homes. And remember, your rustic lamps will naturally set focal points in the room so use a rawhide lamp and shade wherever light is needed for function. By doing this your rustic room will have a rich natural character that sets the stage for the wonderful southwest rugs, western runners or Indian area rugs and throws as well as other elements you introduce.

You will enjoy experimenting with your lamps and because rawhide lamp shades are natural, each one is unique and can add to your rustic room in a special way as it filters light in varying degrees. Your family and friends will appreciate the rich look and you will enjoy a simple, comfortable quality of life everyday with handcrafted rawhide lamp shades.

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Mission Del Rey is preserving the culture of the Tarahumara Indians through traditional skills, through rawhide lamp shades, rustic lamps and accessories. www.missiondelrey.com

Rawhide lamp shades since the 1930’s have been synonymous with western Lighting. When you consider the elements that make up rustic decorating, western rawhide lamp shades are still at the forefront. Over the years, rawhide has played an integral part not only for rustic lampshades but numerous other accessories as well. Since the 1990’s rawhide lamp shades have been experiencing a resurgence in popularity as new designers and home owners alike discover their high quality handcrafted look. For any rustic den, family room, living room or bedroom as well as ranch, cabin or country style, rawhide is here to stay. The use of rawhide shades with antler lamps and chandeliers continues to lead the way and set the standard for log homes and rustic style.

Predominant in ranching, cowboy and Native American lifestyles rawhide has always been a most basic material. The difference between leather and rawhide is that leather is tanned which softens and preserves the hide. Rawhide however is not tanned but animal hide that has been scraped and dehaired. Remaining in its original state, “raw hide” is stiff and hard when dried but supple and pliable when wet. Lamp shades made of rawhide are functional because they take advantage if this natural characteristic. When rawhide is wet, it has the consistency of a pasta noodle that can be wrapped around a lamp shade frame. As the rawhide shade dries, the hide also tightens stretching the rawhide tight. Because rawhide lamp shades use untanned hide it is translucent allowing light to pass through.

Very strong when dried, rawhide lamp shades can last for years. To protect and preserve your rawhide shade regular conditioning works with the rawhide’s natural character to help keep it supple and avoid cracking. In the area of southwest or southwestern décor, rawhide is also used for covering rustic lamps, picture frames and mirrors. Unique jewelry is even made by artists using rawhide. In the same way, rawhide lamp shades also express artistic craftsmanship. Matching or contrasting rawhide lace is used to hand stitch the rawhide to the lampshade frame for a truly unique handcrafted piece that will win compliments from all who view its special combination of natural and creative beauty. Goat skin rawhide shades can also be made using rich colors such as charcoal, brown, red and green as well as traditional cream to work with any room.

Western rawhide lamp shades are mainly made using cow hide, sheep skin and goat skin. The thinnest being goat skin is the rawhide of choice that allows dark rustic western rawhide lamp shades to be created that still allow light to show through. For a classic western look, hand scrapped rawhide is much better than commercially processed rawhide. The difference is that commercial rawhide is processed using chemicals and machines. Rawhide shades made using this processed hide are very clean and clear but lack character. It is the primitive hand scrapping and cleaning process that leaves behind a decorative layer that yields a rustic and decorative look unique to each individual shade. For western lighting rawhide lamp shades are a natural choice and combined with rustic home furnishings and western art make a winning ensemble.

Along with genuine rawhide lamp shades, other great accompaniments to transform your room to classic western style are hand woven wool rugs, floor runners and table runners boasting rich red, black and grey as well as Indian rugs with bold dark blue, hunter green and earth tones. Place Native pottery, and wooden bowls or kiva ladders in strategic places and the warm and masculine western feel will be fabulous. The overall rustic or western look of your space and each of these ingredients is enriched and drawn together by the use of hand laced rawhide lamp shades. info@missiondelrey.com

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Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey, a leading producer of rawhide lamp shades for western, southwest and country decor.

The unique look of rawhide lamp shades for kitchens and country decorating has been popular since the end of the great depression when women first began to look at their homes in ways other than utilitarian. This was the case with not only kitchens, but living rooms and later family rooms and dens as well. What is also now called southwest décor and western style as well as ranch style came naturally as the designs sprung from the use of everyday items. The same was true with country style homes. As the wealthier class began to have second homes called country homes, the working class began to use the same techniques in their homes too.

As lanterns and oil lamps gave way to the first rustic lamps it was rawhide that was one of the first chosen materials to serve as a shade. If you like the handcrafted work and style of a bygone area, the rustic texture and color tones of natural rawhide will definitely be part of what you want to incorporate into your country kitchen. There are also a few other elements that will help you create the country style look.

For a country kitchen consider the natural look of wood. It’s best to keep with a primitive or rustic style. Rough edges and uneven surfaces are desirable. If you have a large kitchen, darker woods can be used whereas lighter tones are better for smaller areas. Rawhide lamp shades should be used in any area where a table lamp or desk lamp would be placed. Depending on the layout of your kitchen, a floor lamp may also be utilized. One fabulous feature of rawhide shades is that they are available in light or dark as well as colors to fit your particular color palette.

As you use rawhide lamp shades and rustic wood furniture you will be delighted to see the dramatic impact they make. With these two elements in place the back drop will be set. Now, there are a few other things to consider that will bring the kitchen to life. Along with rawhide, lamps and rough wood furniture pieces in the kitchen, the single largest contributors to a country kitchen are area rugs. Not the machine made versions but real hand woven wool rugs with their rich colors and wonderful textures. This is where you can really shine. You have complete control at this point.

Play it safe with earth tones of tan, cream and rust or be bold and use a rich orange, red, blue or green. If you would like to have a western kitchen flavor just add dark red with grey, black and white. If you feel like a southwest kitchen, choose a southwest rug with a turquoise background or accents. Different patterns can be used around the space if the same color schemes are used. The great thing about wool weavings is they are so versatile. Not only great on the floor, they also make perfect wall hangings because they are of tapestry quality. Place a long narrow wool table runner or a small woven rug on your table as a centerpiece base. Carry the theme to floor runners in hallways, in front of the counter or behind an island. It’s hard to go wrong because woven wool rugs add so much to the overall design with the hand hewn wood and hand laced rawhide shades.

By now your room is coming alive and looking great. It just needs some accessories to give it the “wow” factor and pull the whole thing together. One of the best types of accessory is Indian pottery. Use clay vases on the table or counter with dried flowers or eucalyptus. Native American pottery is perfect for the look because it is usually hand coiled and more primitive in appearance. Place it around the room and use pitcher and bowl sets or painted dishes to set the table atmosphere. Add to the homey feel with hand carved wooden dough bowls, a primitive log ladder or wrought iron. As you will see, all of these elements build on each other for a wonderful country kitchen and with a few variations on color you can also include elements of western style or southwestern decor.

As you consider adding rawhide lamp shades to your kitchen, along with the other design elements, it may not be necessary to buy new lamps. Rustic lamps are desirable but it is the leather lampshades that make the difference. You may be able to use lamps you already have. It’s amazing what a transformation is made with rawhide lamp shades.

The Dragonfly Tiffany Lamp is one of Louis Tiffany’s best known works and perhaps represents him at the height of his creative genius. Even if Tiffany had spent his entire life designing and creating the lamps that he is best known for, the Dragonfly Tiffany lamp would still be a crowing jewel in his portfolio. The truly amazing thing about Louis Tiffany is that his infamous Dragonfly Tiffany lamp and all of his lamps were representative of but one facet of his wide-ranging and prolific career.

Born the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, a prominent and respected jewelry retailer, Louis Tiffany had all of the advantages. Rather than be dwarfed by his father’s shadow and success, Louis Tiffany set out to leave his own indelible mark upon the world. This he did, time and time again. First as an artist where he gained prominence crafting unique and coveted mosaics. Then, he began concentrating on home décor and made a mark in the world of interior design with clients like Samuel Clemens and the White House. He next turned to glass as a way to bring beauty into the home and world and began designing stained glass windows for churches and ultimately businesses and private citizens. Then, inspiration seemed to strike and he began using the scraps from his stained glass window creations to make his infamous lampshades.

Thus, creations such as the Dragonfly Tiffany lamp were just the culmination of a lifelong obsession with bringing beauty into the world and they began as scraps of opalescent glass! And yet, there is nothing that is second-hand about the Dragonfly Tiffany lamp or any of Tiffany’s famed lampshades. Each and every lamp produced by Tiffany and his stable of designers was a unique piece of artwork. At a time when the rest of the world was racing forward with industrialization and attempting to mass produce anything and everything, Tiffany created pieces like the Dragonfly Tiffany lamp in sheer defiance of all conventions of the day.

What is truly interesting about the Dragonfly Tiffany lamp is the theme of the lamp itself. One of Tiffany’s greatest pieces was inspired by, and paid homage to, a bug! Influenced by Japanese art and a lifelong fascination with horticulture, Tiffany turned to Nature for inspiration at the very moment the world was determined to conquer and defy it. Perhaps lamps like the Dragonfly Tiffany lamp were so popular because people were tired of the sterile, scientific nature of the mass produced world. If Tiffany was not tired of his world, he at the very least was determined to bring some beauty back into it and pieces like the Dragonfly Tiffany style lamp with their themes taken directly from Nature do just that.

And here we are, stepping across the threshold into a new millennium and poised to complete the work began by the industrialists in the 19th and 20th centuries. For perhaps the very same reasons that people first fell in love with Tiffany’s Dragonfly Tiffany style lamp and other glass art creations, his work is once again bringing beauty into our homes and giving us a retreat from the sterile world. There are manufacturers of high quality Tiffany reproductions such as Dale Tiffany and Meyda Tiffany who use the same processes as the master himself to make one-of-a-kind pieces of art for your home, just like the Dragonfly Tiffany style lamp—and the world thanks these companies for bringing some beauty back into our homes!

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Pamela Tice is the owner of numerous lighting and home decor websites including http://www.tiffany-lamps-store.com. Her store offers product and information about Tiffany Table Lamps and beautiful Tiffany Lighting as well as stained glass windows and fireplace screens that add beauty and richness to your home.

Rawhide lamp shades are what can turn your bedroom into a designed showplace of southwest style. By accessorizing your bedroom with rawhide shades you are infusing the key elements of the decorating process. It is the natural character of rawhide that captures the essence of southwestern design and adds the rustic beauty to your room. With just a few changes to your lamps and lampshades you too will find the warm inviting feel of a southwestern bedroom.

You might be surprised to find how many different types or styles work with southwest design. For example, you might find that you already have all the lamps you need and the addition of rawhide lamp shades makes them work perfectly. By displaying them differently with rustic shades, many lamps can be transformed from traditional to rustic style. It’s not so much the lamp as it is the shade that displays the rustic texture you want. Get creative with an old lamp by adding rawhide shades and watch the room come to life.

It is best to match your rawhide lamp shades in your bedroom by color. For southwest style bedroom lighting, a light bleached rawhide shade is the color of choice. Draw your bedroom together with rawhide floor lamp shades that match the shades on your bedside lamps and any table lampshades that you might have in the room. Different heights and diameters of rawhide shades are also very attractive and add an interesting sense of drama to the room.

Lighting is a key element in the bedroom. You will want to bee able to change the mood of the room. For romantic times you may want to use subtle lighting, but you will also want bright lighting for dressing. Most bedrooms are under lighted, or poorly lighted by using one overhead light. This causes a lot of glare and doesn’t have the mood creating properties of individual lamps. By using several different lamps in your bedroom, you can create focal points in different areas of the room for different moods, and use higher and lower wattage bulbs to set the right intensity of light. Natural rawhide lamp shades create an ambiance that will coordinate the southwest theme that you want to create.

Weather you use your existing lamps or purchase new rustic lamps for your bedroom, the key to having the correct look in the bedroom is to layer the lighting. In other words, create lighting zones that give you the ability to create areas of light that are suited to a specific function. One great trick to enhance your new or newly created rustic lamps is to use a dimmer switch. Because rawhide lamp shades are a natural product, different lighting moods can be set by allowing more or less light to filter through the rawhide. Another nice idea is to use remote controls, timers and automatic switches to turn light on or off in certain areas.

Bedroom lighting is important and rawhide lamp shades will add a quality of life through a beautiful warm atmosphere that you will enjoy day after day. And along with that also comes the function that allows lighting to serve you better. Lighting affects us on many levels and natural rawhide lamp shades will help you create the harmonious and peaceful bedroom that you need.

You can use lamps with rawhide shades in many locations around your bedroom, beside the bed, on a desk, as floor lamps and indirect lighting. Remember to use separate controls for reading lamps and to place the lamps so the light is projected from behind the reader to eliminate glare and shadowing.

Rawhide lamp shades will work miracles on your rustic bedroom makeover. We have been discussing southwest style, but rawhide shades are also available in dark western hide for ranch or lodge décor and in unique colors for country décor. Each type of rawhide has its own special lighting characteristics. So weather you want to lighten your bedroom, darken it, or add rustic color, you will find inspiration in hand crafted rawhide lamp shades.

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Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey, offering authentic Indian hand crafts, rawhide lamp shades, rustic lamps and southwest home furnishing accessories.

Rawhide lamp shades add just the right western decorating touch you need for a rustic make over. For many people, western or southwest decorating is something that they love but don’t have an idea of how to bring into their own home. For some reason it seems like it is not possible to bring the old west home. Or perhaps the question is; where do I begin with rustic decorating?

In reality, adding rustic flavor to your home with rawhide lamp shades is easy, functional and doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With the introduction of just a few key elements any home can have the western ranch look, the rustic appeal of a cabin or the warm feel of a southwest pueblo style. Home decorating with rawhide lamp shades can make any room come alive with rustic cowboy style. You don’t even have to have every piece in place to begin a dramatic affect. Just add a few touches around your home as you can to create a great new look.

Rawhide lamp shades will set the focal points around the room and give you the foundation necessary to add other elements. Vintage lamps make a great statement but you can also us wrought iron lamps. If your budget allows, use antler lamps and chandeliers for one of the most classic looks in western lodge and home decor. You can also make your own lamps from drift wood or pottery. But, if you can’t add new lamps, chances are that rawhide shades will work with your existing lamps too. Lampshades made of stretched rawhide will really add to that cowboy feel even with traditional lamps. The most important thing is to keep the design functional.

Along with rustic lighting and the warm glow of rawhide lampshades around the room, add style and color with woven Indian style area rugs. If you already have hardwood floors, you will be well on your way to a great western feel. But a wooden floor while beautiful can have a cold empty feel. Using colorful hand woven wool rugs, table runners and place mats will warm the room and heighten the western theme. And if you have wall to wall carpeting, the wool southwest rugs will work perfectly to transform your decor. Be on the look out for Navajo rugs and weavings or at least reproductions of classic Native American patterns. Try some on the wall too as tapestries for a rich full look.

With rustic lamps, rawhide lamp shades and floor and walls adorned, look at the windows. If possible leave them uncovered. If you don’t already have rustic wood trimmed windows, try adding a rough wood plank across the top to give to affect of a wood beam like used in southwestern pueblos. If you have to use window treatments for privacy, try a wooden valance with simple straight panel curtains.

Finish with other rustic elements like wrought iron and wood accessories. Think about door knobs or cabinet and drawer pulls in western styles and some log furniture pieces. Other unique accessories will be stoneware and painted Indian pottery. And, one of the most basic techniques to add color and texture is to place a western throw blanket over the back of a chair or end of a couch. Rawhide lamp shades work especially well in the bedroom along with southwest bedspreads. Lay a cowhide down as a rug and your new western look will be complete.

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Craig Chambers is an expert on rawhide lamp shades who has written numerous articles. Visit Mission Del Rey for more information and ideas for rustic southwest and western decorating. http://www.missiondelrey.com