How to Recover a Lampshade and Make Two Bucks look like a Million (or at least like twenty…)
Happy Tuesday! I’m here today to show ya how to take a lamp from two buck junk to million buck love in a jiffy. This quick, fun lamp upcycling project only requires a little spray paint, a vintage lamp and lamp shade, and some fun fresh fabric for a DIY fabric covered lamp shade.
This cutie lamp was created for the Little Girl turning Big Girl Room that you have been seeing a few details about recently, here and here and here.
I started out with an old lamp that I picked up at the local Sally Ann for two bucks…
Cute lines with a dated finish. Add a little of my favourite DIY accessory (aka spray paint)…
Now that the base is updated in fresh white…
Time to tackle a little drum shade I picked up for two more bucks at a garage sale. I used fabric by Premier Prints called Chipper in Candy Pink to cover this puppy…
For this part of the project you will need a lampshade, spray adhesive, your glue gun, scissors, and the fabric of your choice. We used about 1/3 of a yard of fabric for this project… so about $2.50 worth.
Start by laying out the fabric and cutting it to the correct size. You want to be able to overlap the edges and glue them inside the top and bottom rim of the lampshade… so keep this in mind when sizing up your fabric.
Once your fabric is cut to size, spray the back of your fabric and your lamp shade with a good coat of spray adhesive.
Lay the lampshade carefully back down onto the fabric and roll the shade, gently pushing and adhering the fabric to the shade as you go, until your fabric meets at the back.
At this point, you can trim your ends a little more to just leave enough to glue the ends inside the top and bottom rims of the shade. Make sure to keep the fabric glued right inside the rims so as to not have your fabric too close to the heat of your light bulb once the shade is attached to your lamp. (safety precaution).
Once cut to size, use your hot glue to secure the edges inside the top and bottom rims of the shade… and you are done!
Not bad for four bucks plus about two dollars worth of fabric!
Gorgeous for a little turning big girls room but this technique could be used anywhere on any lamp… I must say that old lamps are one of my favourite revamps- I LOVE them and am often searching them out a garage sales and thrift stores. Often the bases have such pretty lines that all they need is a few coats of spray paint and a new shade. I also keep my eye out for second hand drum shades, but they can often also be found on clearance at places like Walmart and Target. Fabulous little lamps certainly don`t have to break the bank!
If you love lamp revamps… you might want to check out these:
Don`t forget to come back tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to link up for Work It Wednesday – I am so excited to be cohosting this and can`t wait to see what everyone has to share this week!!
My fabulous cohosts can`t wait to see what you have to share as well!!
Thanks for reading. And remember my housie friends, HOME isn`t built in a day. Enjoy the journey.
This project was featured at!
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Love it, Krista! I saw this at I Should be Mopping the Floor’s link party, and of course it was you! I’m always attracted to your creations. 🙂 Sharon
Hi I just love this lamp redo. I need to make a redo on a lamp in my living room and I will follow your directions. Thanks you make it look so easy.
Julie from julieslifestyle.blogspot.com
I would definitely say it is a pretty easy project Julie! Thanks so much for your kind comments and your visit:)
Love it! It’s a great transformation! I’d like to invite you to share it at my Twirl & Take a Bow Party at http://www.houseontheway.com. Hope you can stop by and have a great weekend.
Leslie
Thank you Leslie! And thanks so much for the personal invite!!
Great makeover, Krista! What a beautiful lamp! Love the fabric you chose!
~Abby =)
Thanks Abby- it looks perfect in my friend’s little girl’s room now:) Can’t wait to share how it all turned out!
I’d love to have your lamp in my house. Love the shape and the shade. The white paint with the shade is incredible. I love making over lamps. I bought a cute lamp at Goodwill awhile back but want to paint it, has brass on bottom and the bulb part so want to spray it with antiqued nickel maybe. Our curtain rods are antiqued nickel. I don’t have lamps that match, I get bored with that, like changes. You sure have inspired me to get busy with that lamp. Love your blog
I love making over lamps too!! Hope you lamp turns out super well- they are such a fun quick project!
I have a lampshade I’m about to recover thanks for the tutorial! Come Link Up with us tomorrow at Craft Frenzy Friday at http://www.craftdictator.com!
Thank you Cara! I have added your party to my list!!
Really cute lamp makeover. Nice fabric on the shade, and I love that you painted the base white. Great work!
Navy Wifey Peters @ Submarine Sunday Link Party
Thank you T’onna – it looks much fresher now I think. Thank you so much for your visit and comments!!
Love that fabric!
Thank you Steph! I would love it in another colourway for my boys’ room too…
Isn’t it just amazing what spray paint can do to a lamp?! I love this little beauty and that fabric is adorable!
Thanks Jenna! I think I have a bit of an old-lamp-revamp addiction…
Woohoo! Another successful lamp makeover! Was anything bought new for this little girl bedroom re-make? With DIY skills – I bet everything that was old is new again!!
Exactly Bronwyn- not much was bought new. A few pieces… can’t wait to share a few more projects and the reveal!!
So cute! and I’d say a lamp this cute for $6 is a STEAL! I have yet to recover a lamp shade with fabric, but it’s nearly at the top of my to do list. 🙂 Pinned!
I know- $6 can’t be beat for a custom piece… I just love the satisfaction of making something old and ugly cute again! Thanks so much for your visit and comments Laura:)
Oh man. I need to catch up on my blogging! I love the new lamp and I hope I have time to blog to link up tomorrow!
For sure Kelly – or soon. The fall is almost here and longer evenings. Can’t wait to see what you share next:)
so pretty Krista! I just updated mine too with just spray paint and ribbon , what a difference it makes! love the pink, so girly! 🙂 I agree about looking like a million bucks or 20 ha!ha! 🙂
Hi Ingrid! It has been so fun doing a pink girly room. Can’t wait to share a few more projects and then the reveal for it!
Cute makeover, Krista!
Thank you! Great for a six year old girl!
Krista, this turned out gorgeous! I’ve never recovered a shade before, but you make it look easy 🙂
It is easy Christy! Plus, one section usually faces the wall so it doesn’t have to be ‘perfect’:)