All About the Uno & Euro Fittings
Introduction
The most common lampshades here in the United States will have a standard spider fitting which affixes to a lamp with a harp and finial. So when browsing at most home decor stores a majority of the standard lamps on the shelves will have a harp built into the lamp and sometimes a lampshade will be included.
However, these days most will now find lamps that have lampshades that affix differently than the standard spider fitting. There are two types of fittings that are becoming common in the home decor stores. The first is the uno fitting, which measures at approximately a 1 and 1/4 inch diameter of the hole. There are two types of unos: threaded and slip.
The euro fitting is typically one size diameter of the socket hole and is approximately 1.5 inches or 1 5/8 or 1 9/16.
Both the uno and euro fittings affix around the base of the bulb holder which makes it easy to change lightbulbs without having to move the lampshade.
The uno fittings will be approximately 1 1/4 inch diameter at the socket. Please make sure to measure the lamp prior to ordering.
The euro socket diameter will be approximately 1.5 inches. Please make sure to measure before ordering.
💡 Did you know
Most lamps and lampshades from Ikea will have a euro fitting and these types are becoming more and more popular in the United States.
Types of Uno Fittings
Threaded Uno Lamps
Have a look at where the base of the bulb holder is. The fitting usually will sit at the bottom which makes it easier to change bulbs without having to remove the lampshade. At the base, if you see a threaded component, ridges similar to a screw, then the lamp is one that will take a threaded uno fitting. The bottom of the fitting will have threads which can then securely screw onto the base.
*A threaded uno fitting can actually fit onto a slip uno style lampshade.
Slip Uno Lamps
The other common type of uno fitting is made for a slip uno lamp base. Again, identifying the base of the bulb holder if there is no threads and it has a smooth appearance, it will be a slip uno base.
If the lamp base has a smooth base make sure to choose a slip uno fitting for the lampshade. But a threaded fitting will also fit on this base but take caution as the threads can scratch the base a little when fitting onto it.
Euro Fittings
Another common lampshade fitting that is gaining popularity is the Euro fitting. The euro fitting is of course standard in Europe and parts of the UK. European furniture stores such as Ikea will always use a euro fitting for their lampshades.
Confusion with the Uno
One of the main motivators in writing this article is that many people, especially my customers are confused between uno and euro fittings.
Euro fittings are similar to uno fittings in that they fit around the base of the bulb holder. It is easy to get them confused however the main difference is the size of the diameter of the socket hole that fits over the fixture.
Euro fittings are larger in diameter and will measure approximately 1.5 inches. People will often make a note in their orders requesting an uno fitting when in fact they need a euro fitting.
Besides measuring the diameter of the socket, the other hint that a euro fitting is needed rather than an uno fitting is the size of the lampshade itself. Larger diameter lampshades will most likely need a euro fitting. The smaller lampshades that are found on smaller lamps such as nightstands will most likely need an uno fitting.
When a customer asks for an uno for a 16 or 18 inch diameter lampshade, I usually will reach out to make sure they are asking for the correct fitting. And 99% of the time after they measure they do confirm they need a euro fitting.
Which type of fixture?
With euro and uno fittings, the type of fixture matters especially when ordering a lampshade that has a directional pattern to it. A majority of my fabrics will have a directional pattern and its vital to ensure the proper fitting and direction is used when considering the fixture.
Bridge Lamps
Antique bridge type lamps will have a bulb facing downward and will usually require either a euro or uno fitting. It is important for the customer to inform me of this so that the pattern and fitting is placed in the correct spot.
Ceiling Fixtures
Ceiling fixtures will obviously have the bulb facing downward and popular in the kitchen and dining rooms. The majority of these fittings are euro fittings by standard.
Standard Floor or Table Lamp
The majority of the euro and uno fitting requests will be for the standard table or floor lamp. In this case the bulb is facing upward and again very important to be informed to ensure the pattern and fitting are properly placed.
Recess
Recess is important to determine right from the start. The recess will also determine how low or how high the lampshade will sit on the lamp fixture.
In the instance of a standard floor lamp, the fitting is at the bottom of the lampshade. If the recess is too shallow, it will sit very high on the lamp. If the recess is deep, the shade will sit very low on the lamp. Recess is personal preference and customers will need to let me know because the fittings will need to be special ordered.
By standard, the recess I usually use for my fittings are about 2.5 inches.
Conclusion
This article was a long time coming and I do hope it helps folks out there to clear up any confusion with all the different fittings for lampshades and light fixtures out there.
Please feel free to reach out to me at info@lslampshades.com for any questions.
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