How to Replace a Light Fixture's Glass Shade

THE FARMHOUSE

Swapping out the shade of an existing light fixture is a fast and inexpensive way to get a fresh look! It’s easy, doesn’t require any wiring, and makes use of your existing fixture. A win-win! Today I wanted to walk you through how to measure the fitter width, find a new shade, and replace a fixture’s glass shade yourself. Let’s get to it…

The pictures shown here are of our mudroom project at the Farmhouse. The existing fixture, adorable as it was, didn’t fit the look I was going for (and though old, it wasn’t original to the home). So I found a shade that matches the globes we have in the adjacent kitchen, pantry, and laundry rooms and swapped it out in a couple minutes. I saved the vintage shade for future use :)

Sources: sweater (from here), jeans

Finding a new shade that will fit the existing fixture is the key to this project. And with a little lighting terminology and a couple measurements, it’s really easy. Here’s what you need to know…

Fixture parts

The fitter size (also known as fitter diameter or width) is the key to finding a shade that will fit. The fitter is the outer diameter of the top lip of a shade - the part that slides into the fixture and is held in place with screws. Common fitter diameters are 2 1/4”, 3 1/4”, 4”, 6”, 8”, 10”, and 12”. (Measurements for the shade shown here: fitter is 6” and the shade width is 10”.)

how to measure Your Fitter size

I find it almost impossible to measure a fitter with the shade in the fixture. So I like to remove the existing shade and run a tape measure across the top. If your fixture doesn’t have a shade, you can measure the fixture’s shade holder diameter, which should match the fitter size, in much the same way.

Where to find replacement shades

Once your know your fitter size, you can look for a replacement shade. Shades aren’t proprietary to any brand of fixture, so feel free to mix and match. I picked out our classic opal globe shade from Rejuvenation for our mudroom because it matches our kitchen pendants and was priced well. But I’ve shared more of my favorite glass replacement shades by fitter size below.

Sources:

2 1/4 inch :: opal cylinder ($60) // doric fluted ($50) // striped bell ($49) // open globe ($79)

3 1/4 inch :: domed schoolhouse ($60) // ellipse clear ($70) // art deco ($89) // opal shade ($50)

4 inch :: large belt ($79) // fluted acorn ($90) // large striped schoolhouse ($125)

6 inch :: pinstripe drum ($125) // classic globe - our pick! ($90) // flared schoolhouse ($110)

8 inch :: large clear ($150) // doric globe ($210) // large opal ($150)

Easy, right?!