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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Nate Berkus Branch Lamps Dilemma

As you know, I have been updating my basement family room a little at a time.  
I found these lamps at Target.  The lamp base is from Nate Berkus' new line for Target.  
I love the tree branch design and I thought they picked up the bronze in the wallpaper perfectly.  
Before I found the lamp bases, I had found these flocked lampshades, also from Target. 
The lampshades brought out the gold in the drapes...
which I also picked up with the pillow on the chair.
So I'm sure you're wondering what the problem is...
The only lampshade that actually fits the Nate Berkus lamp base is the Nate Berkus lamp shade, only sold in the beige you see on the left.  It's a perfectly fine lampshade, but it just isn't what I want.  None of the other lampshades that Target sells fits the Nate Berkus lamp base.
This is the inside of the Nate Berkus lampshade.  The center of the circle is 1 3/4".
This is the inside of the gold flocked shade.  The center of the circle is 1 1/2" (as is all of the other Target lampshades).
This is how the lampshade is supposed to fit.  The O ring (not sure that's what it's called) fits over the threaded portion of the lamp.
Then after the shade is on the lamp, it gets locked in with this piece.

It looks like this when it's on correctly.  Then the lightbulb gets screwed into the top.   It's actually a great design, making the lampshade completely secure  .
Here's how the gold flocked lampshade fits.  See it teetering on top.  It's not wide enough to get over the threads.  It sits there, but not well.  It doesn't take much for it to move.  I've tried widening the circle with pliers, and couldn't get it to budge anywhere near enough.  I have searched the internet for replacement rings, but they don't seem to sell such a thing.  I'm out of ideas.  For now I am keeping the gold flocked shades and hoping I can figure out a way to make them actually fit the lamp.

So Nate...I love you and your gorgeous lamp base, but why did you have to make it only fit your lampshade??   I'm open to any suggestions (except returning the gold flocked shades...I have already considered that and I don't like that option LOL).

Don't forget to stop back tonight for my Fall into Fall party.

The link opens at 8pm EST.  
Hope to see you then.


-Judy
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29 comments:

Linda said...

Oh what stunning lamps and shades!!
I hope you are able to fix this dilemma.
I can't wait till we have a target here in Canada.....

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Why did they do that? That also means you couldn't buy one of his shades to use as a replacement on an existing lamp you have. Silly. The only thing I can think of, Judy, is to maybe try hot gluing it on. You'd still be able to get it off if you had to {and peel the hot glue off} but it might keep the shades stable for on/off use.

Cheryl said...

I had a similar problem recently when I bought a Target lamp shade for a Pottery Barn lamp. I took it to a lamp shade shop (can you believe such a place exists?), and they told me the shade was the problem, not the lamp. Apparently the Target shades don't fit many lamps. I ended finding a nice shade that fit at Lowes. I hope you find a way to make yours fit.

Sarah @ Imperfect Patina said...

I have used hot glue before for this same issue : ) Good luck!!

Carrie@comfortablycarriedaway said...

I had this same problem recently when I bought what I thought was the perfect shade to transform a Target lamp I got at the Goodwill. I used a metal file and was able to enlarge the circle that 1/4" differance. It was a pain, but it kept me from having to go to plan B. Good luck...I wouldn't want to return those shades either, they are beutiful!

AntiqueChase said...

this is why I hate the target lampshades. I love their burlap shades but simply hate this ring design. I like the plain shades and since they fit I would go with them and call it a day?

LJ said...

I still love those lamps! :) Gosh, that's a bummer about the lampshades not fitting. I like the idea of hot gluing it on, but if that doesn't work, how about dressing up the plain beige shade with a ribbon in that gold shade that you hot glue along the top and bottom rim? That'll brighten it up. :)

NanaDiana said...

Oh- How aggravating. I hate when stores do that- there are several that do. I wonder if you could just hot glue it into place? Of course, that is my answer to everything...lol..

IF all else fails, I wonder if you could find that flocked fabric (or paper) somewhere and cover the shade that does fit it? Let us know what you end up doing.

I do love Nate Berkus-I was sad to see his show not work out- xo Diana

Gina said...

I wouldn't return the flocked shades either...they're so pretty!
There's got to be a way. Keep at it, something will work!

Unknown said...

Nate Berkus branch lamsp dilemmas is shared on the post here. Useful post
Blinds

reks said...

I had an identical problem with the shades i purchased online and I must tell you that as I write this I have managed to successfully use a metal file and enlarge the O to just about fall into place over the holder ....I am so pleased with the result even though it was such a tedious and time consuming process..... the lamps are looking awesome in my living room .....its been worth it...do try!

reks said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I feel your pain, JK! I found and bought 2 of these on clearance. You can easily find small lamps with shades with the kind of fitter needed at Target or Lowe's, but they are generally small/cheap ($10 -$20) and never sold as "shade only". The safety/design is actually terrific, but the threading adds about 1-2 mm so that standard uno fitters, threaded or not, won't work. I just want to know what the
industry calls this type of fitter. Otherwise I'll probably find two shades and cut the "O" into two halves to grab the base below the threading.

Unknown said...

We just bought a Target lamp and Nate Berkus shade. Surprise surprise - they don't fit!! We were very angry about this. However, I searched and found this thread. So thank you!! And the problem was probably easier than yours -- because we took the advice and used hot glue gun -- and it seems to have worked. So thanks all!!!

Unknown said...

Guys and gals, cs over at shadesoflight.com was kind enough to fill me in. The lamp type is a slip uno fitter. The ring that screws on is a nardi ring. They don't carry that lamp type but told me you can by Euro/pendant shades ( bigger 1 5/8 ring) and Flip them and screw them on as an alternative. Check them out and happy hunting.

Savannah Attic said...

Paint the lampshade then put a nice graphic on it!! And he does it so you only buy his Please let me know if you do paint the shade and how it comes out? Yes with chalk paint and if it's too matte after finish spray with scotch guard sealer I think it does gives a little sheen. Lisa

AnthologyHouse said...

The same exact thing happened today with a Target purchase. We bought two Berkus Cream table lamps and gorgeous Threshold shades that we "thought" fit in the store. Huge bummer when we realized the fit was not compatible at all. The shades are already returned and I worry the hot glue would melt at some point so .... I'm thinking, I'll just have to choose from his two colors, Black or Natural. Crossing fingers the shade size looks balanced with the lamp. The shades were out of stock in the store and have to be ordered online. At least the lamps were a great clearance deal but definitely would've been helpful if the compatibility was messaged on their packaging.

Jennie said...

I also bought a Nate Berkus table lamp and then purchased a bronze shade by Threshold at Target. I had the same dilemma regarding the shade fitting, but I discovered that if you use a CFL bulb, the problem is resolved. the base of the CFL bulb holds the shade in place, but a regular bulb will make the shade wobbly.

Unknown said...

Did you solve your problem? I just picked up two of these amazing lamps and two Threshold shades... hoping I can rig it somehow!

Allison C said...

I had the exact same problem! Lamps by Berkus and shades by Threshold (also Target) and they didn't fit. I was so frustrated I returned them all. Very happy to find this thread!

Anonymous said...

Folks, I bought two of these lamps, and immediately discovered the shade dilemma. I came here, read the comments, and took my non-handy self out on a lampshade hunt. I found a few that would fit, but I'd have to buy $100+ lamps that were attached to them. My lamps sat on the floor of my bedroom for months. I revisited here and went on a second lampshade hunt today. I had seen some clearance lamps at a Lowe's on my last hunt. They were hideous, but I was going to buy them and paint them or something. When I couldn't find them (sold!), I asked for some assistance. Gino at the Lowe's in Torrance, CA came to help. He suggested I remove the tape on the socket part of the lamp (which I had with me), unscrew the top half of it (the part with the threads), and replace it with a piece that has no threads on it. "You know, so you could put most any standard lamp shade on it." *blink* Seriously? Seriously. Go to Lowe's or suffer the humps at Home Depot if that's more convenient, and get a couple of replacement "phenolic sockets". For $7.49, the Berkus Lamp Shade Dilemma is SOLVED. Thanks, Gino!

Anonymous said...

Folks, you aren't going to believe this, but only one day after my adventure to Lowe's, solving the Berkus Lamp Dilemma, I found an even better solution. Or, a different one. Tonight I found myself at the Bella Terra shopping mall in Huntington Beach, CA, so I popped into the World Market as always to grab a Terry's dark chocolate orange. Sold out! But what's this??? Lamp shades? The first one I looked closely at had the ring we need for our branch lamps! And so did the next, and the next and the...holy hell ALL of these shades will fit! It was the mother lode of lampshades no one else carries that we all want. And variety galore. So that's it! I can't help out any more than I have already. Please let us know if you use either solution. Would love to know if I actually helped anyone.

Anonymous said...

Forgot to add a link to the shades. Scroll past the lamps to see what they've got. Visit a World Market and bring a branch lamp to verify so you don't get burned by a website. :)

http://www.worldmarket.com/category/home-decorating/lighting/table-lamps.do?instock=Only+In+Stock+Online&oosRedirect=true

Bankruptcy said...

The only lampshade that actually fits the Nate Berkus lamp base is the ... hfloorlamp.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

I know this thread is old but it might help someone else. What you need is this (you can also find them on ebay):

http://www.antiquelampsupply.com/product/494_3-way-uno-bridge-adapter-brass-plated--lacquered

You clip out the ring that your shade came with and replace it with this ring, then crimp the new ring into place. It is threaded on the inside, so it will then screw right onto your socket there, keeping it secure (you wouldn't need the additional threaded socket ring that your lamp came with, since the shade itself would screw on.

And it's not just Target shades that have this nardi ring, they're everywhere. They're actually meant to go UNDER the socket sleeve (although traditional metal socket sleeves, not sure they'd work with the bigger "phenolic" plastic socket sleeve which is what your lamp has), so you'd have to take apart the socket unit, disconnect the wires, put the shade ring into the bottom part of the socket sleeve, re-connect the wires to the socket, and slip the top part of the socket sleeve over the socket and into the bottom part of the sleeve, resting on the nardi ring (if that makes sense). Most people jut slip it over the socket unit like you did and try to "secure" it with the bulb, which doesn't actually work.

I know all this cause I've recently replaced almost every lamp in my house and I'm a stickler! Hope this helps someone out there!

Thick Thighs said...

I appreciate people posting on this thread for YEARS! I've had these lamps forever, tried to solve the problem once, finally back at it. Thanks for this post, and thanks to all who commented!

Rose Farmer's Wife said...

I got so excited as I read this post as it was describing my dilemma perfectly...only to find out there was no real solution yet, but at least I have some good ideas to consider thanks to the comments. The adapter ring won't work for me as the Target shade I purchased has 4 support wires. I will take a closer look and see if filing the ring bigger is possible (might be too narrow already), or perhaps the idea of just cutting through the ring so that it will slip over the threads will do the trick. Much faster than filing or refitting the socket. Thank you to everyone for the post and the ideas!

Danielle said...

I too have been googling like crazy! So far I've found that any target or world market shade will not work with any other freaking lamps and vice versa. BUT I FOUND A SOLUTION!

Here ---> http://www.pocketfulofjoules.com/making-2-thrift-store-lamps/#comment-216020

Going back to lowes to return the stupid ring that didn't fit and bringing my lamp and shade with me!

Danielle said...

Look on my post below! Yay!

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