Handmade Pleated Lampshades

Our pleated lampshades are handmade as soft shades, with fabric gathered or pleated onto a lampshade frame rather than laminated to a hard backing. This gives the shade a softer textile character, with the pleat style, fabric colour and shade proportion all contributing to the finished appearance.

Each pleated lampshade is sewn together in our UK workshop using a frame, fabric and a white inner lining. Our standard pleated shades can be made in a choice of colours from our premium man-made silk range by Prestigious Textiles, with size and pleat options selected to suit your lamp base or interior scheme.

Choosing a Pleated Lampshade

To design your pleated lampshade, start by choosing your fabric colour, then select the most suitable size for your space. You can then choose from our standard pleat styles: gathered, knife pleat or box pleat.

Gathered pleats create a softer, fuller appearance. Knife pleats give a more regular folded finish. Box pleats create a broader, more structured fabric detail. The right choice will depend on the lamp base, surrounding fabrics and the level of detail required in the room.

What Makes a Pleated Lampshade Different?

Unlike a hard lampshade, where fabric is laminated to a rigid lining, a soft pleated lampshade relies on fabric tension, hand sewing and the relationship between the pleat and the frame. The fabric needs to sit correctly around the top and bottom rings, so the material, pleat depth and shade size all need to work together.

This makes pleated lampshades especially suitable where a more decorative or fabric-led finish is required, particularly for bedrooms, drawing rooms, hospitality interiors and schemes using layered textiles.

Bespoke Pleated Lampshades

For another pleat style, a non-standard size or a project using customer’s own material, we can quote for a bespoke pleated lampshade. Fabric suitability will need to be considered, as not every material will pleat, gather or hold its shape in the same way.

For interior design studios, hospitality projects and larger production quantities, our Manufacturing for Design Studios service can also support lampshade development, custom frame shapes, fabric testing and batch production.

Pleated Lampshade Sizes, Fittings and Finishes

Our standard pleated lampshades include an adaptor to fit BC and E14 lampholders. We can also advise on proportion, fabric selection, pleat type and bespoke frame requirements where a standard option is not suitable.

For further guidance, see our article on specifying lampshades for interior design projects.

For non-standard sizes, alternative pleat styles or customer’s own material, please request a bespoke pleated lampshade quote.