A Guide to the Best of Southern California : DESIGN : Shades of the Past

Betty Short used to comb the City of Commerce flea market looking for odds and ends. Once she found a bell-shaped lampshade, bought it for one dollar and jazzed it up with an interesting fabric treatment. The result was a Victorian-inspired work of art.

Today, Short’s custom lampshades are still dramatic in scope, featuring such elements as piano shawls from the 1920s and ‘30s, vintage chiffons and silks, and exaggerated fringe work and intricate bead detailing. Patterns and colors are often mixed, and some shades, Short says, are so unusual “they surprise even me. I did one not too long ago that had elaborate pleats encircling it. It resembled a huge sunburst.”

The shades vary in cost depending on size and design: Small shades start at $95; larger ones at $150.

For special orders, telephone Betty Short at (818) 444-5728; or visit King Richard’s Antique Mall, 12301 E. Whittier Blvd., Whittier, (213) 698-5974 .