A Belleek Castle Lamp Gets a Major Makeover: The Before & After

Welcome to the 453rd Metamorphosis Monday!

When I was in Ireland the last week of August, I visited the Belleek Pottery Factory. After a tour of the factory (see that tour HERE) we shopped inside the gift shop where I fell in love with this castle lamp and placed an order for one. The lamp would be built and delivered to my home in approximately 6-8 weeks.

While I was still in Irleand, I shared the items I purchased in a post, and someone mentioned in the comments that the lamp shade looked too big for the lamp. I thought perhaps it was just the angle from which the photo was taken since the lamp was up on a shelf.

 

Fast-forward four weeks, and the three Belleek pieces I had purchased during the trip, arrived early.

Belleck Pottery Lamp and Pottery

 

I decided to place the castle lamp here in my office where I could use and enjoy it each day. It would be a lovely reminder of the Ireland trip where I slept in castles and manor homes all across Ireland.

 

As mentioned in a previous post, when I placed the lamp on my desk, I thought it looked kinda squatty.

Lamp with Shade That's Too Large

 

It looked more like a mushroom than a lamp. Ummm…

Lamp Before Too Large Shade Replaced

 

Sitting at my desk across from the lamp, it bugged me that I couldn’t see the top part of the castle, one of the prettiest parts of the lamp. I thought a taller harp would help and ordered a couple in different sizes from Amazon.

Belleek Pottery Castle Lamp

 

In the meantime, Sandra who reads BNOTP, left a comment saying that she thought the problem could be fixed by adding a neck. Did you know lamps have necks? Me, neither! Sandra emailed over a few photos of some of the necks on her lamps. I really loved this one!

Decorative Neck on Lamp

 

On closer inspection, my lamp didn’t really have a neck at all. The bottom of the harp came right down to the top of the castle. When I realized the lamp needed more than what a taller harp could fix, I decided to take it to David, the owner of Flourish Designs. David not only repairs lamps, he designs and builds them.

Back of Belleek Pottery Castle Lamp

 

David confirmed that the lamp definitely needed a neck to raise it up so you could see the top of the castle. He explained that you always want to get the bottom of the harp and the socket up and away from the lamp itself so you can see and appreciate the lamp, especially when one is designed like this one.

We also decided to replace the cord. The electrical cord that came on the lamp was thick and a gaudy yellow color as seen in the photo below. David suggested a much thinner, clear cord that wouldn’t be very noticeable on or behind my desk.

Back of Belleek Pottery Castle Lamp

 

When I drove over to pick up the lamp on Friday, David wasn’t in his shop at that moment. His assistant located my lamp and brought it out. As we talked about the lamp, she told me she thought the existing shade was too big.

Umm, there it is was again–another person who though the shade looked too big. Now that the lamp had a new neck, I stood back and gave the lamp a critical look. I had to agree, the shade did look too big for the lamp. It overwhelmed the lamp, even with its taller neck.

Around that time David returned and he agreed that the shade was too large. He measured and the shade that had come with the lamp was 16 inches. He felt a 14 inch shade would look much better.

Another thing I didn’t like about the existing shade was how you could see all the metal ribs in full relief whenever the lamp was turned on.  I had noticed on my really nice shades at home, the ribs were never visible while the lamp was on, but often they were when I purchased inexpensive lamps in local discount stores.

David recommended a shade that he had just gotten in, a style I looked up online later that I think is called an Inverted Corner Oval or  French Oval.

Belleek Pottery Castle Lamp

 

Well, what do you think? The first thing I noticed when David placed the new shade on the lamp was how I now noticed the lamp itself, and not the shade. Before the shade was so big, it completely overwhelmed the lamp causing your eye to focus more on the shade.

Lamp Makeover with New Shade That Fits

 

David had to change out the harp because the neck he had used for the lamp was based on using the original, larger shade. After placing a slightly shorter harp on the lamp, this is how it looks now as I sit across from it in my office chair.

I googled and read about lamps and the info I found online said that you don’t want to see more than 1 inch of the neck on a lamp when sitting down. I think that’s about what you see now. If needed, I could have David change the neck out to a slightly shorter one since we went with a smaller shade, but I think this one works pretty well. What do you think?

Lamp with New Neck and New Shade

 

Looking up under the lampshade, here’s a closer view of the new neck.

Longer Neck for Lamp

 

So this lamp basically got a complete makeover. It got a skinnier, clear electrical cord, a neck (which it was missing entirely before) and a slightly smaller shade.

The new 14 inch shade is much better quality than the one that came with the lamp. When the lamp is on, the ribs inside the shade are totally hidden. Love that! It is absolutely amazing to me how a quality, properly fitting shade can completely transform a lamp.

Btw, the shade is looking a little whiter than the lamp in these photos, but in person it’s a great match to the color of the lamp.

Lamp After Shade Replaced with Smaller Shade

 

So, here’s a comparison–the Before and After. What do you think?

I really like how you can see the top of the castle now. When you’re standing near the desk, you can’t really see the neck at all, only the top of the castle. When you sit down, you can see about an inch of the neck. Before it didn’t really look like a castle with the top half hidden. Now with the top visible, you can see that it’s a castle.

I really feel like I’ve learned a lot about lamps, going through this process. When shopping for lamps in the future, I’ll definitely be looking more closely at the size/height of the shade and if the ribs are visible when the lamp is on. All those things are so important!

My recommendation is, if you find a lamp you love, but it doesn’t have a quality shade, plan to replace it and figure that additional cost into the purchase of the lamp. It really is worth it to replace an ill-fitting, poorly designed shade for a better quality one. And don’t forget the neck! lol

 

This is the finial that I’ve ordered for my castle lamp. I found this fierce dragon here: Dragon Finial. Once it arrives I’ll snap a photo and share how it looks. Every castle needs a dragon, right? Update: It looks like the dragon finial sold out from the seller where I purchased it. You’ll find others here: Dragon Finial.

 

Looking forward to all the great Before and Afters linked for this week’s Metamorphosis Monday!

Pssst: I post almost daily to Instagram. Follow Between Naps on the Porch on Instagram here: Between Naps On The Porch.

 

Metamorphosis Monday

Metamorphosis Monday is a party that’s all about Before and Afters. If you are participating in Met Monday, please link up using the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address.

To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top of your blog, into the “url” box for InLinkz.

In order to link up, you’ll need to include a link in your MM post back to the party so the other participants will have an opportunity to receive visits from your wonderful blog readers.

Please observe these few rules:

Please link up Before and After posts that are home, gardening, decorating, crafting, painting, sewing, cooking, fashion or DIY related.

Be sure to include a link back to the party in your post, so your readers will be able to find and visit the other bloggers who are participating.

Do not link up to the party if you’re doing so to promote or sell a product.

To those who are linking up: If you notice a shop or store linking up to sell products (yes, unfortunately that does happen) please let me know so I can remove their link from the party. No one wants to click a link expecting a Before and After, only to find a spam link to an online business/store.

*If a post is sponsored or a product was provided at no charge, it will be stated in post. Some links may be affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. *



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Comments

  1. What a difference changing the shade made! Looks great!

  2. Wow , what a difference the changes made to the overall appearance of the lamp! Very good decisions. And something I will be looking at in the future purchases of lamps.

  3. Nancy Vilela says

    The new shade is lovely but looks a bit top heavy to me.

  4. Edith Weldon says

    Oh my goodness, what a big difference, the before & after. I do love the new look & the dragon finial will be the cherry on the sundae!!
    Thanks for educating me as well as others in the lamp changes. I definitely would have not thought of adding a neck. Clearly David is a genius at what he does!!

  5. I could not really envision what you were saying about the castle top/neck/lampshade issue, until the photos. And just wow! Huge difference, and it was worth all the work to fix it–so much more irishness on display 😉 And I’ve learned a lot from this post too.

    • Thanks, Mia! I was so shocked at the difference when he placed that shade on the lamp in his shop. I’ve been going around my house now looking at all the shades with a more critical eye. lol

  6. Wow! That’s a very significant improvement! You’re right about the lamp looking squatty before! The new lampshade is much more elegant and in keeping with the beauty of the lamp. Enjoy your new lamp!

  7. Looks great….I would have gone with an even smaller shade, did you try several sizes on? I’ve never thought about seeing the ribs when the light is on. This probably explains why some shades are so expensive. I have a “thing” for lamps, and have made some of my own.

  8. Your lamp looks so pretty, what a difference it makes seeing the top of the castle! A wonderful momento from your trip Susan, you amaze me with your attention to the smallest details!

  9. I always read but rarely comment. But the lamp looks so much better. I probably spend days trying shades, changing harps when I get a new lamp. Now you can enjoy the whole lamp great.

  10. Beautiful transformation! It’s amazing what a few changes can do to change something beautiful into stunning.

  11. Susan….It boggles the mind that you had to go through all these hoops to correct this product. You would think people selling expensive lamps would consider these fine points of their product before placing on the market. I purchased online a very expensive lamp from a well known
    purveyor and was so disappointed when it came. Like you, I loved the base
    but could not believe the cheap shade and again, no neck. In fact the whole
    lamp “innards” were so wobbly I had to take to someone and have them
    replaced. From there I went shade shopping…still not happy and will wait until I can get to larger city and well known lamp restoration shop. Of course, all this is adding to the original cost. I still love the lamp and know
    eventually, I will get it straightened out. I do so appreciate your angst in
    the meantime. Your lamp is now perfection, like all the things you do.

  12. Sherry Stuifbergen says

    Yes, the lamp definitely shows up better. What a great resource, David is!
    Perhaps you need to take a picture and send it to the Belleek Pottery Factory. A quality company needs to know about the “small details” to enhance their product..like way-to-big shade, a lamp neck..and a quality lamp shade too.

  13. Yes, it looks much better! Send the makers a photo…they would surely sell more of them if they looked like your ‘after’ photo. The finial will be perfect.

  14. Oh, It looks so much better! And no, I didn’t know lamps have a neck! 😀 As usual, great info. thanks!

  15. This blog was so useful. I am a lamp shade critic and notice if shades need a new harp immediately but, I had never heard about a lamp neck. I am going around checking all my lamps now. LOL Really love your blog.

  16. Well, now, that made all the difference in the world! It looks so much better, and I love the finial you chose. Good job! We had some lamps I had won at auction, and the shades never did fit right (too much neck showing, lamp shades too small). My husband never used the light bc it blinded him, and I could never find the shades I liked. Finally found them last year, and am much happier. Shades can be prohibitively expensive. Been there and done that, too. 😉
    Thanks for hosting us, Susan. We’ve been changing our antique booth spaces again, so I’m sharing those again.
    (psst, I’ve checked out that Aran website, thank you).

  17. The lamp looks a great deal better! Sometimes we look at something and instinctively KNOW something isn’t right. What I love about you is you explore, dig, and research until you get something “just right!” Good job. Love your attention to details!

  18. Cindy Berge says

    Hi,

    I like the lamp makeover. I have remade several lamps in my home. I don’t thing people realize how easy it is to transform an old or odd lamp. Shades make a big difference. I have even spray painted ceramic lamps that I bought in thrift shoppes that were horrible colors. This a great post!

  19. Yes looks great. The shape of the lamp goes with the turrets on top of the castle. The dragon should set it off perfectly.

  20. Wow! What a difference! Much better. You can now see the whole lamp base which is the reason you bought it. Beautiful!

  21. Did you get a picture of the old shade with the new neck? Curious as to how the lamp looked. That is really a pretty shade, but you do see the castle first before you look at the shade and that’s what you were after. Nice!

    • No, I really wish I had thought to do that! When the old shade was on it with the new neck, you could see the top of the castle with no problem. So that part was a lot better. But once David and his assistant said the shade was too big for the lamp, I could totally see what they meant. It’s like when you know something isn’t right, but you can’t quite figure out what it is until someone points it out. But when it really hit me was when they removed the too-big shade and placed the other shade on. I felt like I was seeing the castle for the first time. I hadn’t realized how hard it was to focus on the prettiest part of the lamp (the castle) with that big shade in place. Your eye just naturally goes to the castle now, where as before you almost had to seek it out.

      • I agree! I came back to tell you and then I was looking through the pictures and look at the display lamp again. You can see the neck! I think they forgot the neck on your lamp!

  22. Good job!!! I almost always wind up buying new/different shades when I buy lamps and sometimes, depending on where I found the lamp, I re-wire them myself…super simple process….Your new treasure looks amazing. Nice to have David right there to help you get it all sorted out. Thanks for sharing your new beauty!

  23. talking about raising the bar! This lamp went from just a souvenir to a beauty you will love for years to come. Always look forward to see what you do next.

  24. Love it! It looks so much prettier now with the new shade and added neck. I’d never heard about them either. And I think your dragon finial will be the perfect topper.

  25. The castle lamp looks great now! So much better! The shade really made all the difference.

  26. Gayle Kesinger says

    What a great makeover. I am sure the Belleek Company would love to see what you have done. Also, great information to use in buying a lamp. Wish we had David in Dallas. Love your blog.

  27. What a great solution to the dilemma of the beautiful lamp….Great to have someone to make the fixes for you….Looks fantastic…and love the dragon finial…had a feeling that you were going to choose that one! …. Where is David located? Also, did you see the cover of Country Living this month…”your boots” (L. L. Bean) are on the over .. well at least in my area 🙂
    I know how they do change things a bit from region to region…

    • Thanks, Shirley! David has a shop in the very back of DuPre’s Antiques on the Marietta Square. He makes the most beautiful lamps! No, I hadn’t seen the magazine. lol I wonder why it took them so many years to bring those back. I really do love mine, so I’m sure they will sell like crazy!

  28. I did not recognize the fix for your new lamp. I especially love the new lamp shade. When you see many lamps they have a 60s look to them. They would be perfect for Rock Hudson/Doris Day’s house. My next shade will be French oval. 🙂

  29. Mary Boger says

    Perfect!! Waiting to see the dragon… The shade is
    awesome. Tfs….useful tips for future lamp projects.

  30. Amazing how much different the lamp looks now. Very expensive now. Which I’m sure it was when you purchased it, but the shade and inner workings sure weren’t adding to the look. David did a beautiful job.
    Can’t wait to see it with the new dragon finial. I love unique finials!

  31. Dawn Pinnataro says

    I totally love the new shade and the new neck! And can’t wait to see the dragon. I like the new shade shape much better than the original and I agree with you that the whole point is to be able to see it IS a castle. Very nice.

  32. Bravo! It looks totally charming, Susan. What a difference it made to change the shade and raise the it a bit. Love the dragon finial. You have a great eye for detail.

  33. Wow…what a difference. I have to say, you should get a designer’s fee from the company, because you have made their product shine.

  34. The new shade and neck are beautiful. I especially like how the gold neck matches the gold ring at the top of the castle. Very, very nice. I am sitting here at my dining room table and looking into my living room…my two end table lamps have necks….who knew! Not me! (They need new shades, though. I might have to work on that before Christmas) Have a great week.

  35. I have purchased some really neat lamps second-hand and tried to “make it right” by going to lamp stores and ordering this piece, then another piece. Each time the owner of the shop would say, “just bring it in and we can get everything right in just a few minutes”. So, I have learned like you did. The lamp looks gorgeous now! And size of the lamp shade the s perfect!

  36. Elizabeth Roderick says

    The shape of the new shade and the top of the castle, go together nicely. I agree with the others about sending a photo to the factory. It was beautiful before, now it is a knockout!

  37. Perfection! Now your lamp is indeed a show stopper. I brought home a set of Belleek Irish coffee mugs from our recent trip to Ireland. The weather today is perfect to have a cup and reminisce about our visit to the Emerald Isle.

  38. Wow! I liked the lamp the way it was, but, what an incredible make-over.

  39. rattlebridge farm says

    I love the tweaks to the lamp–so beautiful. Thanks for hosting!

  40. Speaking of necks that’s almost like the one I just had added to a lamp I recently purchased. I will send you a pic!!! David did a great job!! You will enjoy it in your office for sure!!!

  41. Aw Susan… who the heck knew there are necks! I will forever remember this lesson. Love it. I never thought of clear cords either. The black ones are a real distraction on my tables. To me, the shaping of the lampshade corresponds to the castle top ridges. I love finials. Makes a difference. Found one to match a reupholstered print for our antique chair. Just right.

  42. Wow, what a difference a neck and new shade made! Love how the lamp looks now and love that you can definitely see it is a castle. Love it! Hugs, Brenda

  43. I like the lamp better with your modifications. Good job!

  44. Wow – a great transformation. The “before” lamp looked kind of “dumpy”.

  45. Now you have a lampshade befitting the lamp! Looks so much better Susan! I have a favor to ask…you have a sumo thing that pops up regarding email subscribers…it blocks your beautiful pics…so, I press the ‘x’ and nothing happens…I do this 20 times, it just won’t go away. Is there a way you can alter something, so that sumo thing wouldn’t be so intrusive? (I already subscribe!). Thank you for listening! 😉

    • Sorry it’s doing that Donnamae. I wonder why the X isn’t closing it. I’ll check into that and see why it’s doing that.

    • Donnamae, I just emailed the folks at Sumo. While I’m waiting to hear back, what device are you reading on? Phone, tablet or desktop? They may ask me that. It should go away when you click on the X. Sorry it’s doing that.

  46. That is an amazing transformation! I clicked on the dragon finial, and it’s completely sold out. You must have caused a run on that item! One thought…have you considered setting the lamp on a dark base? With the white shutters and countertop, the white lamp and shade all blends into one white mass. It might just be a photographic thing and looks completely different in person though. Anyhow, I love the lamp transformation!

    • Oh, shoot. I just looked for it on Amazon and there’s one here, but it’s a little more expensive: http://amzn.to/2xNcxgF
      Mine just came in the mail and it looks so cute on the lamp!
      I know what you’re talking about Roxanne. I thought the same thing. I ordered an Irish Castles book a couple of weeks ago to put under it, and it came destroyed in the mail. The entire book was separated from the binding. I just ordered another one a few days ago and I think this may be it in today’s mail. I have a package, but haven’t opened it. I thought it might be cute sitting atop a book on Irish Castles. 🙂

    • Roxanne, one more thing I should have mentioned, when the shutters are open and you see the trees outside, it looks much better. But unfortunately, it’s hard to take photos with the shutters open from all the light coming in. So it does look better when the shutters are open…not sooo much white going on. lol

  47. Perfection! The new shade, the neck, and the new cord make your beautiful lamp absolutely gorgeous! What a beautiful reminder of a fabulous trip. Thanks for all the info and the knowledge you pass on to your readers.

  48. Well that certainly was an improvement! I love the new lampshade- great shape. Funny all my best quality lamps have all come with the clear/gold tone electrical cord and I kind of thought they were less noticeable than the brown cords. I never thought of them as gaudy but I guess that one that came with yours may be a bit more gold and large. I never thought about the neck part so I just looked at my lamps and realized they have them. I hadn’t thought about all the different parts a lamp could have.

  49. It looks much better! I, too, thought that lampshade was too big and too low.
    Was your lighting guy going for repeating the shape of the crenellations in the shade? In the old school way, except for a few exceptions, we were taught that the shade should repeat the shape of the base so as not to distract. But this looks nice. I’m sure you’re pleased, and what a great souvenir.

  50. Love the dragon finial!!! The lamp is perfect now, the shade and neck really made a difference!!! You were right to pursue the change!! Now, the book with the lamp on it sounds really nice and what a great memory for you.

    On the shade, I have a similar shade on a brass lamp in my living room. I love it because it is flat on 2 sides so the lamp can sit closer to the wall and be on a smaller table. Thanks for all the info….

    • Cleo, I always love that, too! I have that type lamp/shade on my hutch on the porch and it’s perfect since there’s not a lot of space on the hutch for a big shade. This style shade does work better on the desk because it sets further back on the desk and takes up very little space.

  51. omgosh! thank you, thank you, thank you susan. you are always a wealth of information no matter the subject. i love your thoroughness. the lamp looks 100% better. i agree with the folks above to show the factory. that lamp shade is everything. love the shape and perfect for the castle look. can’t wait to see it with the dragon. have a great week. xo- maryjo

  52. Love the shape of the new lamp shade!

  53. Thanks so much for the party each week!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

  54. the lamp itself is beautiful. The new shade I don’t like. I think it should have a rounded bottom to go with the rounded bottom of the lamp. Just my thoughts.

  55. Susan
    The re-do on the lamp looks perfect.
    Love the lamp also.
    Good choice.

  56. So, so much better! And, a neck! Who would have thought!

  57. Jane Franks says

    Hi Susan!

    Major improvement!! I LOVE the shade. It’s a lovely shade! I don’t agree with the comment about matching the round shade to the round bottom of the lamp. I think that would be monotonous. This gives it a fun look. It almost looks like the ramparts of a castle, itself and is going to look smashing with that dragon sitting on top! I didn’t know about necks either! That was just perfect to raise it up and see the top of the castle! And of course the clear cord is a great addition. Well done!!

    Your attention to detail and always knowing the right source to go to, is an inspiration! I’m getting ready to do a massive clean out this month because I have company coming in November, and I’ll use some of your tips!

    Thanks so much for this blog! Jane xo

    • Jane, right before I brought up the blog and read your comment, I had just done an experiment where I took a round shade from another lamp here in the office, and tried it on the Belleek lamp. That shade has pleats, which of course I wouldn’t use on this lamp, but it was a good way to see how a round shade that was around the correct size would have looked.
      You know what, I like this shade that David suggested better. A round shade would totally work, but I when i saw it on the lamp, it was boring…no personality at all. I thought the exact same thing that you just said, it was kind of boring, too much same-same. Though I never would have thought to look for a shade this shape, I’m glad David suggested it. So far he’s never steered me wrong. I hope he never retires! lol

  58. Jane Franks says

    One more thing. The entire “re-do” of the lamp, makes it look like the very high end piece it is, and a real collector’s piece. I was surprised that the Belleek company sent such a standard shade and used that rather garish yellow cord! But on the other hand, their artistry and expertise goes into the making of the ceramic piece itself. And that’s, of course, what you want. Jane

    • Jane, I so agree! David and I had that exact same conversation when I picked up the lamp. A beautiful Belleek piece definitely deserves a high-quality shade and a more elegant cord. He and I agreed that they really excel with their gorgeous pottery but could use a lamp expert for the lamp part of things. 🙂

      • Jane Franks says

        Well, if you ever wanted a job in Ireland, I bet they’d hire you!! I wonder if you could offer expertise from a distance? They do need an expert!! 🙂

  59. Becky Bixler says

    Yes, it’s the beautiful lamp you notice now instead of the shade!

  60. Loved your lamp story. Details make such a difference.
    I love the castle lamp.Yes, you should send them a link to your blog post.

  61. Ann Harrison says

    Very nice! I haven’t read all the comments, so please forgive if this is redundant. I wanted to point out that the shape of the new shade echoes the crenelated top of your lamp which really gives it a finished design. LOVE!.

  62. The lamp looks so much better, and I agree with the post above that the shape of the shade is much more in keeping with the style of the lamp. Vikki in VA.

  63. Lamps are so important and way too under-appreciated. I’m a picky lamp/lamp shade person myself lol. I think the neck on yours looks perfect. You can really see the parapet well. I wouldn’t go any shorter. The shade size is also perfect, and the shape is much more interesting. Guessing it saves some space there on the desk too. Not sure about the dragon finial though–to me it looks Asian as well as too dark for this lamp. Would be interested to see how it turns out.

    • Thanks, Caroline! He’s a little darker than I would probably like but all the dragon finials I found online were. Maybe one day I’ll come across one that’s a bit lighter. I kinda like how he contrasts against the shutters and lamp, though. You can see him on the lamp in the photos I just posted to the betweennapsontheporch Instagram.

      • Gotcha. The dragon is such a fun touch. And doesn’t seem too heavy or large in that pic. It’s just so pretty all lit up – I like how the shadows really bring out the texture of the castle.

        • I just found one a little bit ago on the Canada eBay and ordered him. He’s a shiny brass which would match the neck and brass on the lamp a bit better. I’m not sure I like his “pose” as much, though. lol I’ll see when he gets here. I’ll have to keep my eye out for dragon finials. A knight would be good, too. 🙂

          • Yay! Shiny brass was exactly what I was thinking. Good find! 🙂 Worth it to check the international eBay sites. (Dragon + castle could be a nod to Game of Thrones as well–best show ever!) Ooo yes a knight….or maybe a horse…or some kind of Celtic design. So fun.

  64. Such a beautiful lamp. It looks so much better with the addition of the neck and a properly sized shade. It would be a shame not to see the top of the castle. Looking forward to seeing a picture of it with the dragon finial.

  65. I love the lamp’s new look after it’s “re-do” The new shade suits the castle base and adds a lot to the lamp’s design.

    Candy S

  66. Love your lamp re-do, Susan, and I love that you picked it as a souvenir of your trip. I never heard of lamp necks, either. Looking forward to seeing it with the dragon finial!

  67. I love the changes to your beautiful castle lamp!
    Will you please send me contact information for David’s shop.
    I searched for it and couldn’t find it. I live in the Atlanta area and have a lamp, purchased in Europe, which is an unusual shape and needs rewiring.
    Thank you for sharing your lamp story.

  68. Incredible! I like your lamp so much more with its new shade and neck. I wish I could get a new neck (with no wrinkles) that easy! 🙂

  69. Let me just say-that David is a genius. I love the new look and can’t wait to see the dragon finial.

  70. The lamp looks perfect with its new parts. I am looking at my own lamps a little differently now that I know what to look for. Thanks for this inspiring post!

  71. Cyndi Raines says

    Great changes, I love that you can see all of the castle now. Maybe you could spray paint the current finial gold if you like him better than the recent order.

  72. IT LOOKS BETTER WITH THE LONGER NECK.

  73. charlotte A. Orr says

    what a difference all the changes made to the lamb! I love the new shade with that lamb beautiful shape. Lots of good info also.

  74. Susan, I think you did a remarkable job in improving its scale/design. It is definitely ‘a difference between day and night’ in improvement. That said; recall years ago changing out the shade on one of my favourite LRm table lamps to a ‘ cut corner square bell’ that IMO was a much better choice than its original. To conclude; though I’m notorious for DIY mixing chandelier parts, I have never given much thought to ‘the neck length’ on table lamps, so thank you for that lesson. -Brenda-
    P.S.: Also love your choice of finial … as the dragon is so appropriate.

  75. Doug Denny says

    Susan, as usual – PERFECTION!

  76. What a tasteful redo of new! You have such great taste and I applaud your having it the way you like! Anxious to see how that brass dragon finial works! A suggestion: if brass dragon doesn’t work, maybe a Celtic knot.

  77. You have such a great eye for detail. The lamp looks so much better now. One thing I did notice, was that in the picture of the lamp on the shelf in the store the shade looks higher than the one sent to you and shows the castle top better. Great improvement. I am sure I would have wanted to buy a lamp too! The other thing I would have watched for were some napkin rings. I have brought napkin rings home from many of my travels, small and of course I love setting tables!

  78. Great enhancement to the lamp. I actually purchased this same lamp at the Irish shop in Downtown Disney a few years ago. I, too have had issues with the shade–not only its size/shape, but also felt it was rather boring when the lamp is so adorable. I switched out my shade with a shade on a lamp I purchased in Williamsburg. Like your new shade, mine is now more angular in shape which I think works well with the castle. In the summer, I place a green wicker style shade on the lamp which matches the shamrocks. It is very cute and addds a pop of color. Initially, I looked at a fabric store for green cording to use to “pipe” the shade and add some color, but I didn’t find anything in the same green as the shamrocks on the castle. The dragon is a clever idea. Enjoy your new lamp!

  79. Elaine Woodford says

    Oh my goodness! What a huge difference your lamp makeover made. I LOVE the shade. I never heard about a lamp neck! I think we all learned a lot, and we won’t forget! I think pretty, quality shades are hard to find. But, you found the perfect shade. Amazing change! Congratulations!

    • Thanks, Elaine! You are so right, no one seems to include them with lamps anymore, you have to hunt down a good shade on your own these days.

  80. Hi Susan, I love your taste in all things “home”. I live in Scotland and like yourself, I love tartan. I have lots of touches here and there. I also have a tartan carpet in my hall and on the stairs, which gives the house a very cozy, welcoming feel. I lived in Ireland too for a while…what’s not to love☘️! I follow your page with much enjoyment. I am very interested in decor and home staging, so I just thought I’d throw my tuppenceworth into the mix! As I look at the pictures I feel that although the second shade is better than the first, it still doesn’t do the lamp justice. The base is round and quirky in style. Whereas the new lamp shade is the wrong shape and it’s also a classic design. I could visualise it with a smaller, round lampshade. So the two parts weren’t competing for attention…what’s more I think a green shade that was the same colour as the shamrocks would really make it pop. (and look more Irish) I feel the shade on it at the moment looks too sensible and sophisticated. Whereas it’s a novelty lamp. I notice you have wee green frogs in your office so it would tone in with them. Just a thought!
    You have fantastic taste in all you do. Not to mention all the fab books you recommend. Your features are like reading all my favourite magazines rolled into one. Cheers!

    • Thanks so much, Ellie! Appreciate your sweet words!]
      The tartan carpet in your hall and on the stairs sounds wonderful! I do so love tartan! When I was staying in Ballynahinch during my visit to Ireland, they had a plaid/tartan carpet in the halls and on the stairs and I really loved it!
      Thanks for your input on the shade…appreciate that!

  81. Whoa!! That lamp is a real STUNNER!!! Great update!! franki

  82. I know this Belleek Lamp redo is an old post but I have this Castle lamp. I just moved and my lampshade is nowhere to be found (among other items and yes I put in a claim). So I’m so interested in getting a shade like yours. Is the 14 inches the bottom measurement. I’ve been searching and found some that are 7x14x11. The 11 inches being the slant length top to bottom. Hoping you can clarify if these measurements sound correct. Thanks for such an informative piece and I hope my lamp looks as beautiful as yours

    • Hi Susan,
      The 14 inches is the width of the shade at the bottom at its widest part.

      From front to back at the bottom, it’s 9 inches.

      At the top, it’s right at 11 inches wide at the widest part and around 7-1/2 inches from front to back.

      The height of the shade is 9 inches.

      I actually like this shade so much better than the one that came with my lamp. I don’t know what they were thinking with that other shade because it ruined the look of the lamp.

      Hope you find the perfect shade!

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