Ace of Shades Lampshade Project #1

i love finding amazing craftsman on social media. I recently posted the addition of HK5corner feed on HKfamily5.com to you break the cycle of social media addiction. As I am still posting updates here and on our two platforms, Instagram & Facebook. Some day that might change to just posting to our family blog, which I fear may have to go back to password protected. AGAIN! That said, social media truly has helped me find so many amazing crafts people to work on fun projects for the last four years. In this new chapter, I stumbled across ACE OF SHADES on instagram, about 3 years ago and fell head over heels for the amazing talent that Ivy has manifested and shared with the world. Her eye and handy work creating vintage inspired lamp shades is amazing.

The possibilities are endless, and I just happen to have lamp bases that could use a new chapeau. Right off the bat, I thought of the black vase lamp that I got from my mom many moons ago. When I took the lamp home from my mom’s, we had already thrown out the tattered silk shade that was just as old as me. My mother inherited the lamp from her grandmother after she married in the late 60’s. The lamp actually has been passed to several generations. My great-grandmother inherited the lamp from her parents who passed away in 1945. Sadly my mother was born in 1947, which means she never met them, or had personal memories of the lamp in their SF flat. My grammie (my mother’s mother) had fond memories of the lamp in her childhood, when she would go to SF to spend weekends or vacations with her grandparents.

Fast forward to my mother’s childhood in the 50’s, and she too admired the lamp when she visited her grandmothers flat on Chestnut Street throughout her childhood. This lamp for all of my childhood lived initially in our front living room, and eventually my parents bedroom. What I have always loved about this lamp is the jade green glass buttons that circle the lamp base. The black ceramic base is in perfect condition and the brass footer and top have a perfect aged patina I plan to never touch.

About six months ago, I finally figured it was time to get the lamp base out of storage and start talking about commissioning a new shade for this over 100 year old lamp. I sent over photos of the lamp base to Ivy at Ace of Shades last summer. From there our conversation started picking up about the design process. Working with Ivy went smoothly. She asked for measurements, photos and questions about the direction I was leaning towards. She asked me to take a look her work and share a shade or two that I liked the details. I choose this gorgeous red lamp shade she made for her store. From the umbre silk to the red tones and burned out velvet. I was smitten. From there we talked about the over style and colors I would like her to use.

The look I wanted for the shade  was a chinoiserie style lamp shade. The exact suggestion was a 19th century opium den. The lamp is currently showcased in the sitting room, with it’s red and gold deco wallpaper and eventually some comfy velvet chairs in the room. The next step was looking over a catalog of shade frames to pick out a design that I liked. Ivy highlight the ones that worked best with the long neck of the lamp and the light position. I choose the marquee design because it would allow for the use of different fabric options and include a beaded trim.

As the holidays approached, I got an email from Ivy letting me know she put my shade in her queue to work on in the month of December. Right after New Years, I received an email from Ivy with the final product. I love this shade so much. She did have a little crisis in mid-December when the beaded trim she planned on using was on back order. She was quick to send me alternatives, but in the end, she found the exact trim through another vendor. I love the burned out velvet and pleated organza on the umbre green silk backing. I especially loved the change to the tassel. And how it mimics the jade buttons on the lamp base.

I think my mom would have loved seeing this piece in the sitting room all lit up. Is it her taste? absolutely not! Would it have been my great grandmother’s taste. Oh yes! I cannot wait to finish the room one day with the right furniture and truly enjoy sitting in it, especially in the cool months. I am already planning on having Ivy do three more shades for me. Two will replace the white shades on the sitting room sconces. And a second one for a Tiffany lamp base I bought at a auction several years ago. I love this shade and cannot wait to see her make more.