Launch this!

So our website launched. I've told you all it's live and amazing. But I'm not sure you'll getting the scoop of how cool our stuff really is...

I've said we're the "anti-Pottery Barn". And I know to some people that's total blasphemy. What it means is that we're actually unique and not a big box full of beige. I get that some people are just inherently beige and that's ok. But I don't get why you want people to walk into your house and say- OH, I just saw that at Jane's house! Billy has those! Don't they have a similar one at Crate and Barrel or West Elm? When you have our lighting in your house, all you're going to hear is oohs and ahhs and, "WHERE did you get THAT?!". Personally I'd much rather have that then the former, but that's just me.

The appeal of our lighting is that it's a collaborative effort between you and us. If you want to change the color of the shade fabric, great! You want different shape or color crystals, awesome! You want to make a fixture flush instead of hanging low, we're on it. There is pretty much nothing we can't do. To be honest, people have been bringing us mercury glass from Pottery Barn and we've been making these vases into lamps for people. I can't tell you how "in" mercury glass is right now, yet apparently it doesn't seem to be coming in lamp form so we're happy to take the business and make you your coveted mercury glass lamps. We feel that even if you take inspiration from the big box store, you can still express and infuse some of your own personality into it. Get the Pottery Barn vase, have us make it into a lamp, then put an awesome shade on it and at least there's a little bit of you in there!! We encourage you to take some risks!

Antique lamp that came in that had a plain
off-white shade originally. We made this to
match the lamp. Customer was thrilled!

Or raid your parents or grandparents attics and make old stuff new again. We've made Delft candlesticks into lamps, tree bark, and a wooden foot in an ice skate (don't ask). B has rewired really old, antique chandeliers and the most delicate crystal lamps. We've made stunning new shades for lamps that someone was going to throw away. They couldn't believe how awesome the lamps looked just by changing the shades. I've had people send me photos of the lamps in their house, telling me how much they love the new, fresh look. I get that the lamp I have pictured may not be your "style" but you have to be able to appreciate how it went from an old lamp to a piece of art by just replacing the shade with something beyond "just a plain white shade". That is what a lot of people are tempted to do- plain, white, beige, boring. Just because they need light, are afraid of color and don't know what is out there!

I had customers come in the other day that brought me antique navy and white oriental lamps. Amazing condition but definitely needed better shades. They didn't want to bring the lamps at first and only brought me old, white plastic shades. When I saw those shades I had NO idea what they went on. They went home and got the lamps and I was shocked at how beautiful they were- they just TOTALLY had the wrong shades. We're making new ones in a pagoda shape that complements the style and shape of the lamp tremendously. I can't WAIT to get those in. I also happened to have just gotten the PERFECT navy oriental finial in that finished it off. I LOVE when I get those perfect matches that seem like they were made for each other. It happens more than you'd think. The finial is like the lamp jewelry. If you wear earrings, bracelets and necklaces to finish off your outfits then you should understand.

So, like I said, our site has launched. Now you don't even have to be in the NJ area to get our coolest stuff. Our new lamps and chandeliers are so awesome because they are a twist and an edge on a classic, traditional look.

www.shadesofsoho.com

We have two stores- one in Glen Rock, NJ. and one in Norwood, NJ, if you need to see us in person!