Free Shipping on Orders $50+ Click HERE to Start Shopping!

3 Ways to Make a Cone-Shaped Lampshade

May 25, 2015 5 Comments

One of the most frequent questions we receive from readers is how to make or re-cover a tapered lampshade, also known as:

A Coolie lamp shade
An Empire lamp shade
A Cone-shaped lamp shade

With all the different names for this one simple shape of lampshade, we're already off to a rocky start!

The truth is, a drum-shaped lampshade, with its perfect cylinder shape, is by far the easiest shape to make at home. The top & bottom diameter of the shade is the same, so it's made with a simple rectangle-shaped length of styrene and fabric. It's very simple to plan out what quantity of materials you need, or buy a DIY Lampshade Making Supplies in that size.

But if you're specifically after a conical shape lampshade, things get trickier: the top and bottom diameter of the shade are different, meaning you must create a geometrically accurate arc from your styrene and fabric. It sounds intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. True, it takes more work than a standard drum shade, but the reward of making a custom lampshade just right can be worth it. Here are 3 ways to do it.

1. Use an Existing Shade: Replace Both the Styrene & the Fabric

This is the best option if you just wish to refurbish an existing shade by replacing the styrene (hard back) as well as the fabric covering. You can also use this process if you have another shade which you want to copy the shape & size of.

3 Ways to Make a Cone-Shaped Lampshade - Read about DIY lampshade kits and projects at http://ilikethatlamp.com

Create a template. Trace your lampshade on craft paper or several sheets of newspaper by holding a pencil against the ring and rolling the lampshade across the paper. Do this for the top and bottom of the shade. This will create a paper template.
Cut out the template with scissors and trace onto the styrene, then cut out the styrene arc. Remove the adhesive backing from the styrene and apply it to the reverse side of your fabric. Using a pencil or dressmaker's chalk, trace a half inch all around the top and bottom lines to provide a fabric allowance to fold over the rings. Add a 1/2" to all but one of the sides of the arc. Use scissors to cut this piece of fabric away from the styrene.
Take apart the existing lampshade so you're left with just the top & bottom rings. From here, use the same method to assemble your lampshade as the general directions for our DIY Drum Lampshade Kits - you can watch a video on how to make a drum lampshade here.

2. Use an Existing Shade and Re-cover the Fabric

If you only wish to re-cover the fabric of your shade (and not replace the styrene), you can simply cover over the existing shade with fresh fabric.

3 Ways to Make a Cone-Shaped Lampshade - Read about DIY lampshade kits and projects at http://ilikethatlamp.com

Create a template. Trace your lampshade on craft paper, by holding a pencil against the ring and rolling the lampshade across the paper. Do this for the top and bottom of the shade. This will create a paper template.
Cut out the fabric. Add a half inch all around the top and bottom lines of the paper template to provide a fabric allowance to fold over the rings. Add 1 half inch to one of the sides of the template arc, and trim the other flush. Pin the template to your fabric and cut out.
Use Spray Adhesive to adhere the fabric to the lampshade. It works best to spray the reverse of the fabric, lay it on a flat surface, and then roll the shade onto it. Start with the existing 'seam' on the finished shade, and roll the lampshade over the sticky fabric till you get to the other end. Fold over the overhanging fabric you created with the 1" side allowance, to create a neat finish.
From here, use the same method to assemble your lampshade as the general directions for our DIY Drum Lampshade Kits - you can watch a video on how to make a drum lampshade here. Since the lampshade is already assembled, you may find it difficult to push the overhanging fabric up behind the rings to create a 'rolled edge' finish. If that is the case, you can either just glue the overhanging fabric over the rings without rolling the edge, or trim the fabric flush to the shade and use 100% cotton grosgrain ribbon (5/8" works best) to cover the lampshade rings.

3 Ways to Make a Cone-Shaped Lampshade - Read about DIY lampshade kits and projects at http://ilikethatlamp.com

Another elegant solution is to cover a lampshade with decorative paper or wallpaper (via Minted).

3. Use the Magic Power of Math!

What if you know what shape you want your lampshade to be, but don't have an existing shade to trace from? Well, it's time to bring back high school math! This method is not for the faint of heart (or at least C-grade math students like me!), and uses some geometry formulas can help you determine your arc shape. You'll need to know your target top diameter, bottom diameter, and height, in order to run these calculations. See this article which some clever mathematicians wrote about Using Math to Design Lampshades for an in-depth mathematical description. You can then use an App like Big Print to print out a properly scaled, flat version of your shade arc. Want to start making your own? Learn more about our DIY Lampshade Making Supplies (including a video demo!). Or if you just want to purchase Adhesive Styrene, you can do so in pre-cut lengths.

5 Responses

Hailey Garcia

December 02, 2024

My name is Hailey Garcia and I am from New Jersey. My herpes virus turned to war after 2 years of living with it. I have tried different medical procedures to cure my herpes but to no avail. Most people think herpes is only a minor skin irritation of which herpes has long term effects on health and passes through the bloodstream and can be easily contracted through sexual intercourse. I knew I had herpes from the first day I started feeling itchy in my pubic area and the pain was very unbearable. I couldn’t stand it anymore. After 2 years of trying other means to get rid of it, I had to contact Doctor Odunga to help me with a permanent cure. I saw his email and whats-app number from a testimony I read online from a lady who was also helped by him in curing infertility problems, I had faith and contacted him. He assured me of his work and I ordered his herbal medicine. Within 5 days, I didn’t feel any pain anymore and within 2 weeks, my skin was all cleared and smooth. I am very grateful to you sir and I write this testimony as others have done to bring those having faith to you sir. If you have herpes or other similar disease and you want it cured, kindly contact Doctor Odunga, Whats-App (wa.me/+2348167159012) OR Email odungaspelltemple@gmail.com

quatisha brown

August 17, 2024

I just want the whole world to know about this spell caster I met two weeks ago,I cannot say everything he has done for me and my family I was going through online when I meant this wonderful man’s testimony online how he won a lottery through the help of dr Ose I decided to just give it a try and my life is back to me now after i lost my job due to covid he gave me a winning numbers to play lottery and i won 5000usd for my first play since then i have been working with him and he has been giving me numbers to play my lottery i can not write everything he has done for me if you need a lottery spell today contact him on oseremenspelltemple@gmail.com www.facebook.com/Dr-odion-spell-temple-110513923938220
whatsapp +2348136482342

Cindy Jason

August 17, 2024

HOW TO GET YOUR EX HUSBAND BACK HELP OF DR KACHI CALL NUMBER +1 (209) 893-8075

God did it for me again with the help of Dr Kachi with his love spell to get my husband back. we divorce 3months ago and since things become so hard for me because I love my husband so much, But he was chatting on me with another woman and he always goes to party every night my husband doesn’t care about me whenever he get back at night he will be beating me up with no reason, I cry every night and day to get my husband back to his normal love and affection that he give to me before. but nothing was working out for me I try my best I left him with my kids but I couldn’t sleep at night without thinking about my husband, then one day I was reading a new online about our politics and I see a comment about Dr Kachi how he restored broken relationship back and marriage, i didn’t believe in love spell at the first place, then i have to make further research about Dr Kachi I opened his website I can’t believe what I saw a great man helping people return their lover back and being happy in relationship again. I went fast and contacted Dr Kachi to help me restore my marriage back, after I provided the required needed to cast the love spell, the next day my husband come back to me and apologies for him leaving me and the kids Dr Kachi made me the happiest woman on earth I am so happy, I do appreciate your kind help bring my husband home, you can also contact him and seek for help in break up in married Via Text Number Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 Website: https://drkachispellcaster.wixsite.com/my-site Email drkachispellcast@gmail.com

ashley walters

July 15, 2024

(1) If you want your ex back.
(2) if you always have bad dream
(3) You want to be promoted in your office.
(4) You want women/men to run after you.
(5) If you want a child.
(6) You want to be rich.
(7) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever.
(8) If you need financial assistance.
(9) HIV/AIDS CURE
(10) is the only answer to that your problem of winning the lottery

Contact him today on oseremenspelltemple@gmail.com

zam zam

July 13, 2024

BE SMART AND BECOME RICH IN LESS THAN 3DAYS….It all depends on how fast
you can be to get the new PROGRAMMED blank ATM card that is capable of
hacking into any ATM machine,anywhere in the world. I got to know about
this BLANK ATM CARD when I was searching for job online about a month
ago..It has really changed my life for good and now I can say I’m rich and
I can never be poor again. The least money I get in a day with it is about
$50,000.(fifty thousand USD) Every now and then I keeping pumping money
into my account. Though is illegal,there is no risk of being caught
,because it has been programmed in such a way that it is not traceable,it
also has a technique that makes it impossible for the CCTVs to detect
you..For details on how to get yours today, email the hackers on : (
atmmachinehackers1@gmail.com < Tell your
loved once too, and start to live large. That’s the simple testimony of how
my life changed for good…Love you all .