My Story

It all started with a house move. My husband, a true Yorkshireman, struggled with the cost of window treatments. Couldn’t we just buy readymade? His frugality became the mother of my creativity - I decided to learn to make my own curtains. I took courses, read how-to books, and started stitching - learning from my mistakes on my own curtains. Then a friend asked me to make hers, then an acquaintance hers, and before long, Morkulla Furnishings Ltd had been born. That was 15 years ago.

Inevitably, as a curtain maker, you get involved with the interior design of the room in which the curtains will hang. I soon realised a few things:

• people rarely paid attention to lighting - and lighting was what really made a room shine

• if they did, it was very difficult to find beautiful lampshades

• and if you could find some, it was rare to find a nice pair

• most lampshades were dull, in a single cream colour, and very ‘samey’

My love of beautiful fabrics had developed which, combined with a fascination for patterns, maths (!), and symmetry, developed my passion for lampshade making. I took courses, practiced, read books, practiced some more, and soon MiaMaria Lampshades became my new creative outlet. I particularly love working with antique saree fabric, buying directly from India, and creating shades using their vibrant colours and delighting in the touch of the silk. This also means that my Vintage Saree shades are unique. You will never find more than two of each.

I hope you like my shades. Let There Be Light!