The Story Behind the Swallows Lampshade — Inspired by birds, childhood, and simple beauty

There’s a quiet kind of magic in watching swallows fly. The way they skim and dart across the sky with total freedom—fast, agile, always just out of reach. That was the starting point for one of my simplest and most soothing lampshade designs: the Swallow Lampshade.

A Lampshade Inspired by Childhood Curiosity

This particular design holds a special place in my heart, because it began with my eldest son and his deep love for birds.

Every birthday and Christmas, we search for one of the old-style RSPB soft bird toys—the kind that chirps when you squeeze it and feels made to last. He treasures each one and always dives headfirst into learning about the bird we've chosen. One birthday, we gave him a swallow—and soon after, we visited Slimbridge Wetland Centre together to see them in real life.

It was a beautiful day. The swallows flitted overhead, fast and fleeting, their wings catching the light. I couldn’t draw them from life—they don’t stay still for a moment! But I carried that memory home and started sketching from photos, trying to capture that sense of lightness and flight.

Drawing Feathers and Capturing Stillness

While this design is visually simple, it’s quietly detailed. I spent time getting each wing and feather just right—swallows have such delicate markings and graceful shapes. The background is a soft sky gradient, calming and clear, echoing the sense of openness they embody.

Unlike some of my busier woodland lampshades, the Swallow Lampshade lets you breathe. It has a kind of stillness to it, even though the birds are in motion.

For more information on swallows, check out the RSPB website.

A Calm Light for Gentle Spaces

This lampshade now lives in my son’s bedroom. I painted the ceiling warm yellow—something I love doing in our home—and the gradient of the shade complements it perfectly. The result is a peaceful, sunlit space full of softness and sky.

I imagine this lampshade in nurseries, reading nooks, or anywhere someone might want to create a calm atmosphere. It’s gender-neutral, timeless, and designed to gently glow as the light passes through its cotton surface.

For the Thoughtful Home

If you choose this piece for your home, thank you. It means a lot that something created in a quiet moment of family life can now become part of someone else’s story. I hope it brings a little peace, a little nature, and a moment to pause—just like the swallows gave me.