Cheap 5 light floor lamp...any ideas how to transform?

Hi~ If anyone has any thoughts on how to make this lamp look not so "college dorm room", I would love to hear them. This makes a great reading lamp but isn't very attractive.
  14 answers
  • Suellen Hintz Suellen Hintz on Nov 07, 2017

    I'm fairly picky about what I have in my house and I don't think your lamp is bad at all. However, decide exactly what you don't like about it and let us know...you'll get more helpful answers.

    • Jessica Leigh Duvall Jessica Leigh Duvall on Nov 07, 2017

      I love the function of the movable lights....but I don't like the look of the "goose neck" arms. I also don't love the color of the lamp(which can easily be fixed). Nor do I love the plastic frosted lamp shades. I think real shades will be too heavy. I was just hoping someone had already remade one then I could just steal their idea.

  • Michele Pappagallo Michele Pappagallo on Nov 07, 2017

    Could you paint it a modern color or possibly a metallic that would match with your current decor.

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Nov 07, 2017

    You could paint it to match your décor. Perhaps wrap something around the pole to give it more texture. You want it to blend in to your room, they way it is now looks good to me. It isn't fancy, but you don't want it to stand out when you have furniture and accessories that already are the focal points. You want floor lamps to blend in, just like table lamps blend in and don't stand out.

  • Jessica Leigh Duvall Jessica Leigh Duvall on Nov 07, 2017

    Thanks! I like the idea of wrapping something around the pole...maybe some jute. I'll have to think about that...

  • FL FL on Nov 07, 2017

    It looks like a bouquet of lilies!

    • Allison Newby Allison Newby on Nov 08, 2017

      Yes.....so she could soak some jute rope in green watered down paint and when that's dried wrap the lamp up and either paint the outside of the shades or adding petals by adding something like plastic under the shades that looks like petals and the plastic shade is the center ...like a daffodil. I have the same lamp and I was also considering redoing it. Great brainstorming guys!!! Thanks

  • Suellen Hintz Suellen Hintz on Nov 07, 2017

    Hopefully, just the right person will see your pot and have great ideas. Offhand, what about drilling small holes along the rims of the shades and hang shells, chains, or beads.

  • Arjumand farhana Arjumand farhana on Nov 08, 2017

    Glue strips of lace or ribbon, either around the rims or in stripes along the surface. You could also spray paint them with metallic paint to coordinate with your room. do send us pics of what you end up doing

  • L. Creative L. Creative on Nov 08, 2017

    Im not sure if it can be unassembled but I’ve seen a tube of crinkled wrinkley silk that would look cool on the pole. Whatever color you like would work! As for the shades I could see tiny shells glued around just the edges to spruce it up. I’d be careful with paint and such as I wouldn’t want a fire hazard. Seems like this sort of lamp and torchere type get pretty hot.

  • Meg Meg on Nov 09, 2017

    I would make it into a planter for succulents and spend $20.00 on a new lamp.

  • Brenda Smith Brenda Smith on Nov 09, 2017

    You can take crochet yarn, whatever colors you fancy and a hot glue gun and totally change the color.


    That's what I did with an old desktop lamp I had for years and I totally love it now.

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Nov 09, 2017

    Buy something at a thrift store to replace it.

  • Karol Karol on Nov 09, 2017

    I think it comes apart. And yes it does look like lillies. Why not go with that, paint the top part green like plant stems and if you like paint the globes flower colors. Where it separates, get a round or square plaque to serve like a table surface and mod podge a plastic bottle (vinegar?) with paper napkins to look like a flower vase. Run with it!

  • Ken Ken on Jul 28, 2020

    I find these responses so great and informative. But I recently found this site to be very useful when writing persuasive speech topics

  • Em Em on Jun 01, 2021

    bend the flexible arms downward and change the white shades to black metal baskets. Get cool bulbs that look like vintage bulbs at Amazon.