DIY Vignette Stand

6 Materials
$15
3 Hours
Easy
It may not be as dramatic as tearing down walls, but I finally got a little understanding about why the guys around my house enjoy demolition work.

My project involved an old lamp, but before I could repurpose it into something new, I had to do a little demo work myself!
I've had this lamp for so many years that I can't even remember how long!


Somewhere in the process of 13 moves, it lost the shade and for the past several years, it either sat in a closet or packed away with the collection of things I planned to do something with - eventually.


You know those collections, right?
The lamp was perfect for a repurposed project I had in mind, but that demo work needed to come first to get rid of the parts I wouldn't need.


I removed the sockets, wiring, and center rod...
...and moved the finial to the base. It fit perfectly where the rod had been and looked right at home.
Of course there had to be some paint involved!


I used Rust-Oleum's Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze and am so in love with this color and finish! Can you see that delicate sparkle? It's just perfect.


(I did use a single coat of primer too.)
For the top I used a 12-inch terra cotta tray and painted it using the faux marble finish I used for a thrifted stool.
Sometimes with a repurposed project, things don't always line up perfectly.


That's what happened with this one. The center of the old socket holders is slightly raised and higher than the three column openings. That worked well for light bulbs; not so well for a terra cotta tray to sit on.


Solution: round felt furniture pads. I added 2 to each of the openings and glued them down. Now the top was even and provided plenty of stability for the tray.
I used a little E6000 to attach the tray to the base, and gave it 24 hours to dry.


I love, love, love the contrast between the base and the top and the tray is perfect for adding vignette elements that might roll off a flat surface or for those that can gracefully spill over the edges.
So what good is a vignette stand without something in it?


I conceded that it's time to finally add some fall decor to my house, and this year I decided to go neutral. So I found a collection of colors I loved and gave some brashly-colored pumpkins and gourds from last year a makeover.
I also gave that candle stand a shot of the Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze paint because...I love that paint!
I tipped the pine cones with paint too and love the softer look.
I think it's perfect for fall, but this little stand will be so easy to update for every season.


I'm so glad I held onto that old lamp - and that's it useful again!
Suggested materials:
  • Old lamp base   (on hand)
  • 12-inch terra cotta tray   (Lowe's)
  • Rust-Oleum Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint   (Wal-Mart)
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To Work With My Hands
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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