When we first got back to Canada, my Mom gave us some lamps that she had found on the curbside. They were super tacky with the flowers on them, but I liked the shape of them and knew I could do something great with them. They followed us to two different houses before I finally got around to finishing them.
Here are the steps I took to complete them.
The glossy hunter green and gold finish with flowers didn't really fit in in our house.
I used a plastic grocery bag and some masking tape to cover the cord to keep the paint off of it.
I took some plastic wrap and covered the light socket and lampshade connector.
This was the spray paint that I used. It was recommended to me by someone at Home Depot. You can't see it here, but it has a really great nozzle that prevents your hands from getting covered in paint. I chose a metallic brown colour that had a hammered effect. It was around $10
I didn't take any shots of the actual spraying of the lamps but here is a breakdown:
- make sure the lamps are clean and grease/dust free
- set up an area outside (weather permitting) or in a garage where you won't cover everything in paint mist. I used moving boxes.
- Spray a light even coat over the lamp. At this point it wont look great, but don't rush it! The first coat never looks good! Thin coats make for a nice and even end result.
- Wait 12 hours for the paint to cure
- Do another coat and wait for it to dry.
- If necessary, do a light touch up coat.
- I waited 3 days for the paint to fully dry before using the lamps. Paint might feel dry to the touch, but it takes a lot longer to fully dry.
I had been looking for some lampshades for a while and finally came across these at a garage sale. They were $5 for both of them, which was a great buy. Lampshades are really expensive new, so I was glad to find these.
Voila! They fit in nicely with our decor now.
I love how the colour turned out. I actually used the rest of the paint on other projects.
If you ever see something at a garage sale or thrift store that you like the shape of, but is a hideous colour/pattern, don't leave it behind! It could turn into something just right with a little elbow grease and paint! Thanks Mom!