Those who dare to step away from the ordinary can add zest to a room with the use of over scaled lamps or unexpected shade styles.

Placing enormous lamps in a room shakes things up immediately.

The room above, in Barcelona’s The Cotton Hotel, would still be elegant but would be a lot less fun without this pair of oversized lamps.

Likewise, Rudolph Nureyev’s bedroom is extraordinary with its oversized lamps. Despite the lamps, Nureyev’s room is breathtaking with its multi-patterned tiled walls and multitude of rugs. The scale-defying floral lamps, however, take this room to another place entirely.

To answer the question posed by Jerry Seinfeld, “What’s the deal with lampshades?”, plenty.

A few images come to mind when thinking of the great decorator Madeleine Castaing, one being these angular lampshades. A decorator friend of mine is partial to an empire shade with only a slight taper, and that is the only style she will use. Ms. Castaing’s room would feel very different with an alternative shade.

One knows they are in Italy by the half-round shades so prevalent there. Likewise, the simplicity of the paper shades exemplifies the casual Italian style where grand houses are filled with simple upholstery.

The material of a shade is another consideration that can create widely different effects.

The patterned and pleated shades of Penny Morrison bring a touch of bohemian luxe to any room.

Sleek alpaca paired with rustic concrete is an unlikely yet striking combination. This lamp by Holler and Saunders, made of a 19th century honey jar from México, is available on First Dibs.

This spectacular 18th century delft lamp seen in Winter Park is in need of a shade. One might think a pleated white silk empire would pair nicely without detracting from the beautiful scene below, but would Ms. Castaing place a green shade here? Ms. Morrison might choose a pleated ikat.

As if one needed another detail to consider, there is the cord.

Twisted cords are frequently seen in Europe but rarely in the states. The Color Cord Company offers this fun style as well as solid and metallic varieties. Then there is the matter of cord placement…European-style attached at the socket or American-style running down the middle and out the back?

Casa V carefully considers lamps in interiors to bring the most curated approach to your home.