Glass and Stone Shades Explained: Light, Looks and Care

Close up of the glowing alabaster veining on the Avebury wall light

The material of a shade shapes the light as much as the bulb does. Some materials sparkle, some glow and some send light in one direction. Here is how each glass and stone behaves, where it works best and how to look after it.

Glass shades

Ribbed and fluted glass

Ribbed glass has raised ridges. Fluted glass has rounded grooves. The two words are often used loosely, and both behave in a similar way. The lines bend the light, blur the outline of the bulb and can cast a soft pattern on nearby walls. They add texture to kitchens, hallways and bedrooms.

Cut glass and crystal

Cut glass has facets cut into its surface. Each facet reflects and bends the light, which creates sparkle and small flashes of colour. It is the traditional choice for chandeliers and statement ceiling lights. Clear bulbs bring out the sparkle best, as a frosted bulb softens it.

Stained and leaded glass

Stained glass shades are made from pieces of coloured glass held together by lead strips. When lit, the colours glow and the shade becomes the feature. The light is gentle and decorative rather than bright, so pair it with other lighting in rooms where you need to see detail. The Orford Stained Glass Flush Ceiling Light uses cream and blush leaded glass.

Smoked glass

Smoked glass has a grey tint. It cuts glare and gives a moody, low glow, while still showing the bulb inside. Because it lets less light through, it works best as feature lighting over a table or island, with other lights doing the main work. A decorative filament bulb looks especially good behind it.

Amber glass

Amber glass gives the light a warm, honey coloured tint. It makes even a standard bulb feel cosier, which suits bedrooms, living rooms and period homes. Like smoked glass, it lets less light through than clear glass.

Opal glass

Opal glass is milky white. It hides the bulb and spreads light evenly across the whole shade, with very little glare. That makes it a practical choice for main lights and hallways, and for bathrooms in a suitably IP rated fitting. Any standard LED bulb works well inside.

Frosted glass

Frosted glass starts as clear glass. Its surface is then etched with acid or blasted with sand so that it scatters light. It softens the light much like opal glass, though depending on the finish you may see a brighter area where the bulb sits. A frosted or opal bulb helps. Browse our glass lighting to compare finishes.

Stone shades

Travertine

Travertine is a form of limestone laid down by mineral springs. Its natural holes give a honeycomb texture, and many pieces are filled and honed for a smoother surface. It is warm in tone and lets little light through, so the light comes from openings in the design or from a glass diffuser.

Marble

Marble is a dense natural stone, formed when limestone is changed by heat and pressure. Each piece has its own veining, so no two shades are exactly alike. At the thickness used for most lights, little light passes through. Marble works as a solid shade or body that sends light up or down, and it suits bedside and wall lights where the stone is seen up close.

Alabaster

Alabaster is a soft, fine grained stone, usually a form of gypsum. It is far more translucent than marble or travertine, so the whole piece glows with a warm, gentle light that shows off its veining. Being soft, it scratches and marks more easily than other stones. The Avebury Alabaster Wall Light is a 20 cm natural stone disc with brass detail.

See all our stone lighting.

Care and cleaning

Always switch the light off and let it cool before you clean it. For extra safety, switch off the lighting circuit at the consumer unit. Make sure everything is completely dry before you refit bulbs or switch back on. Many shades lift off or unscrew, but any work on the wiring of a hardwired light is a job for a qualified electrician.

Glass

  • Dust regularly with a soft, dry cloth.
  • To wash a removable shade, use warm water with a little mild washing up liquid, or a glass cleaner, then dry with a lint free cloth.
  • Avoid scourers and abrasive cleaners, which can scratch.
  • Keep liquid away from the lamp holder and wiring.
  • Handle crystal drops with cotton gloves, and photograph where each strand goes before you take any off.
  • Wipe leaded glass with a barely damp cloth rather than soaking it, then dry it straight away.

Travertine and marble

Both are calcium based stones, so acids can dull or mark them. Never use vinegar, lemon, bleach or limescale removers. Dust with a soft, dry cloth. If needed, wipe with a cloth barely dampened with a pH neutral stone cleaner or a mild soap solution, then dry.

Alabaster

Alabaster needs the gentlest care. Dust it with a soft, dry microfibre cloth, and use little or no water. Avoid cleaning sprays, solvents and anything acidic. Keep it away from steam and direct moisture, so it is not a good choice for bathrooms, and out of prolonged direct sunlight, which can discolour it.

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