While there are some common pairings (ginger-jar lamps with coolie shades, candlestick lamps with an empire shape), the truth is that matching shade to lamp is more art than science, Eberlein says.

Floor lamps work best with an empire shade as opposed to, say, a coolie shade (named because it resembles the hats worn by Chinese peasants), which has a wide slant, says Cheri Jamison of the Lamp ...

The "coolie" lamp, suggested by the Chinese "coolie" hat, is more gently sloped. There are rectangles and squares with shaped corners, dictated by the style of the lamp itself.

Opalhouse Ceramic Table Lamp with Tapered Shade ($80) Between the eye-catching shade of emerald and the coolie-style rattan shade, this lamp stands out from the rest.