{Thrift Store Lamp Makeover}

Hey, y'all!  I have a serious problem: I'm addicted to buying thrift store lamps.  I see them in the store for really cheap, and in my head, I see what they would look like with a makeover.  (It's totally like the Princess Diaries of lamps as the makeover plays out in my head.)  I mean, who could blame me for wanting to rescue all those abandoned lamps that just need a little love?!  (My husband, that's who...)  I'm currently making over my living room.  Yeah, it's taking wayyyyy longer than I expected.  I needed a tall lamp to go on the dresser I refurbished.  Yes, I have several thrift store lamps at home, but they weren't really exactly what I wanted.  But I recently found THE ONE at my local ReStore, and I gave it a makeover.

When I found the lamp, it looked like this.

Well, it had a shade on it, but I didn't take a picture with the shade on.

The price tag said $9.50.  I wouldn't have spent $9.50 for the lamp.  I'm cheap frugal.  Luckily on that day, it was marked down to $5.  That was a price I was willing to pay.

I started by taking all the innards out of the lamp.  (Did I really just use that word?)  Then I sanded the lamp a little because there were places that the paint was peeling.  I gave the lamp a good cleaning and then sprayed it with Rust-Oleum's Clean Metal Primer.  It's my favorite primer for metal lamps.

Then I sprayed the lamp with Valspar spray paint in a pretty color called Nautical.

I wanted the lamp to be shiny, so I finished the paint job by spraying the lamp with a clear gloss spray paint.

I rewired the lamp using a prepackaged lamp kit.  The directions on the package are really easy to follow.  The lamp probably worked already, but I have a fear of lamps that have those old looking cords on them.  I always rewire them.  (I'm weird like that.)  The lamp base was then complete, but the shade needed some love.

I found a fabric that I really liked at Hobby Lobby.  I rolled the shade along the back of the fabric and traced the edge of the shade as I rolled it.  I added a little extra to fold over the top and bottom of the lamp and then cut out the fabric.

I used spray glue to adhere the fabric to the shade, making sure to hold the fabric tight while pressing it to prevent any bubbles from forming.  I folded the extra fabric over the edges and attached it to the inside of the shade with hot glue.

I love the finished lamp!

I adore the aqua color of the base, and I love that the shade isn't "matchy matchy" with the base.  It just GOES.  ;)

I'm not sure if I'll keep this little part of the room like it is in the photo, but it makes me excited to finish the makeover!

Related Posts:

Just Paint It White Lamp Makeover

My Craft Room Makeover