Funky Fun Lamp Takes on a New Look

Ruth
by Ruth
5 Materials
$5
2 Hours
Easy

I have been updating my guest room and rather than send this lamp to the thrift store i decided to repurpose it and keep it! It was a fun lamp with old decor but needed a new life. Pretty simple way to update it. Let me know if you agree.

Fun funky lamp and shade

This lamp worked perfect with the old Decour fun and funky, but rather than get rid of it I decided to spruce it up first thing was to paint the base. The base was a clay with no finish. So a off-white chalk paint would work perfect.

Chalk white paint

I simply taped off the top took my sponge brush and my homemade chalk paint and went to work. It only took one coat for the look I wanted.

Homemade chalk paint

I had made this chalk paint quite a while ago using regular flat white paint and a little plaster of Paris. Obviously you could buy this and in the store, but if I’m in the middle of a thought and a project I don’t wanna waste my time to go the store I’ll figure out an alternative way

Damaged lamp shade

I don’t know about you but I find that lampshades are just entirely too expensive so I keep extras in a closet. This lampshade had a little damage so I figured if I could actually cover it with something and hide the damage then it would work out perfect. Do you original lampshade would probably take too much time to paint and cover over the funky print. So I recycled an old one.

Adding netting

I had purchased this roll of netting at Michael’s on clearance and it was the perfect width to create illusion that my lampshade was not damaged. Before I placed each section of netting I spray adhesive on the shade and then used clothes pins and laid it across the whole thing all four sides and trimmed down.

Here is a picture of the roll of netting I purchased at Michael’s. And spray adhesive . This is just a random spray adhesive that I keep stocked in my craft cabinet.

Ready for paint

I took my fingers and push down the netting and held it in place for a few seconds in each area to make sure it adhered. Once the spray adhesive was dried I trimmed and remove the close pens to get ready for paint.

Sample paints in opps section

I often purchase sample paints in the opps section of hardware store if I like the colors. They are great for small projects like this and you can’t beat the cost. So I went to work on putting my paint over it using my fingers to push it down and keep it smooth.

First coat

I used a sponge brush and pretty much dabbed it in each section to get it all painted I did not paint the inside just the exterior. Once this coat dried I really like the dimensional luck so I didn’t do a second coat. But if you wanted it to be a solid you could probably do a second coat and have it be completely covered.

Adding mod podge

Once the paint dried I went over it with Matt finish mod podge.

Finished project

Once I put the lampshade on the lamp I loved it it would change the whole look and now I can work around this pretty blue that I like so much. Super easy not too time-consuming and cost wise it’s next to nothing. I always try to re-purpose something rather than go out and purchase another new item and throw the old one away. I hope you enjoyed it super quick and easy.

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  • Playoffgirl Playoffgirl on Aug 21, 2019

    I really like this idea of upcycling lamps. Looks like it is something that a novice diy er can do easily. Is the spray glue sticky when pushing down with fingers though? Does the mod podge seal and remove stickiness. Just thinking about dusting shade later.

  • Christine Sandow Christine Sandow on Aug 24, 2019

    I am in love with the netting on this shade! The only thing with paint, doesn't it change a translucent shade that fills the room with light, into a spotlight to above and below because paint is not translucent? All design mostly disappears when the light is on. I guess it depends on your use of the lamp, but I would think it would then be not suitable for reading or providing light into the room. Thank you for sharing your wonderful project!

  • Suzanne Suzanne on Apr 15, 2020

    Would spray paint work instead?

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  • Evelyn Evelyn on Aug 27, 2019

    Kool almost like a denim look, or coastal, I bet it gives a nice comfy lite wen on

  • JJ JJ on Sep 04, 2019

    I have about ten lampshades and LOTS of random extras or stuff I can redo them with but this netting is super cute! Now I need to head to Goodwill to score some actual lamps!! Great idea!!

    • Ruth Ruth on Sep 04, 2019

      Oh fun your inspired! Thank you

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