Old Lamps

Elizabeth
by Elizabeth
I inherited these lamps when my grandmother passed away. There are 4 lamps total. They have sat in a closet for many years because they just don't go with anything else in my house. Does anyone have some ideas on what I can do to make them over?
  17 answers
  • Gail Gail on Jan 25, 2015
    Hi ..I would remove the light fixture part and make them into candle holders for led candle (tapers or real ones) with 2 of them.Then you can spray paint with a metallic paint or paint for glass to suits your colours and put a real up to date lamp shade on them,this gives you two items in your room that work together.
  • Pam Mccutcheon Pam Mccutcheon on Jan 25, 2015
    I have had a lot of fun and great results by drooling a variety of colors down the inside of clear glass items (can't scratch the oaint off by accident)...and what about covering the frame of an existing shade with a piece of fabric that remainds you of your gramma?? like an apron of hers, or a nighty for the bedroom??
  • Jeanisa Moore Jeanisa Moore on Jan 25, 2015
    I like Gail's idea. I asked my daughter and she agrees. She's real "crafty" and the idea of the candle holders was her first idea. Could they be taken apart and made to different lengths? grouping them on a table centerpiece would be very pretty.
  • Cotten Cotten on Jan 25, 2015
    goggle birdbaths from repurposed glass objects. I made a beautiful birdbath using an old crystal lamp, a microwave glass plate for the base and additional glass plates and bowls, etc. Found everything at thrift stores.
  • Rebecca Van Campen Rebecca Van Campen on Jan 25, 2015
    I'd bronze the gold tone and cover in clear glass beads of all colors. And put the light IN side. Or wrap in sisal or rolled paper along with tall, cylindrical shades. I don't understand the candle holder idea. Would the whole lamp be the candle holder, minus the harp? :)
  • Tammy McLain Tammy McLain on Jan 25, 2015
    I took the guts out of some and used them for glass totems.
  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Jan 25, 2015
    .You didn't mention what finish was on them. If they are old, I would keep as is, and just do a funky new lampshade.
  • 861650 861650 on Jan 25, 2015
    Is your home traditional, country or contemporary or in between? One idea I came up with is to silver leaf the gold and use clear glass beads inside the lamp. The glass beads could be one solid color, or layer them using 2,3,or 4 colors. Or, like Rebecca said, clear glass beads of all colors depending on your decor. Purchase new and updated lamp shades and hardware.
  • Mona$ Mona$ on Jan 25, 2015
    My daughter was given a lamp that is very similar in style. She took it apart, had her son paint the metal parts black. She put it back together, added a shade with a black and white print fabric (similar to what I've included)... coupled with a mirror with an ornate frame, which she also painted black, the lamp turned out to be the perfect accent piece in her bedroom.
  • Elizabeth Elizabeth on Jan 25, 2015
    @Marion Nesbitt They are crystal (Grandma was all about keeping up and beyond the Jones) with gold metal bases.
  • Elizabeth Elizabeth on Jan 25, 2015
    @Karen Criner : I have several wooden antiques from both sides of the family and several rugs and nick knacks from my time in the Middle East so it's somewhat of a mixture
  • Kelly S Kelly S on Jan 25, 2015
    I would clean them up really well and simply change out the lamp shades since they are real crystal. Glass ones from the 1980's have turned into totem poles on my back yard like @Tammy McLain did.
  • Sandy-D Sandy-D on Jan 26, 2015
    I think we sometimes want to do something different for the sake of creativity and to make it our "own", but in this case, I would do something like Kelly said and clean them up, do a couple of small tweaks, and capitalize on the beautiful crystal pieces. But if they don't go in your house, that might not be possible. Whatever you do, capitalize on the crystal... but don't destroy it... but that's just my opinion, whatever you do, they are your lamps
  • LibrarianTellsAll LibrarianTellsAll on Jan 26, 2015
    I agree with @Sandy-D. It's hard to know how to make these lamps work in your house without knowing the style of your house more specifically. What colors do you use? Are you traditional, country, or modern? Formal or casual? But I can definitely say that I wouldn't paint a crystal lamp, or turn it into something that's not a lamp. They're beautiful!
  • Gina Herndon Gina Herndon on Jan 26, 2015
    Don't feel bad about giving them away, not everything we inherit is suited to our taste.
  • Brenda Buckley Brenda Buckley on Jan 26, 2015
    I would keep them and sand the brass so it isn't shiny and yes, put some "barrel" lamp shades on!:)
  • Susan Susan on Oct 18, 2015
    What do you mean, their not your style? Of course they are. If they are on the small side