How to Transform an Old & Outdated Lamp

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Back in the summer, we decided to move our daughter from her shared bedroom into her very own space.  I painted the room immediately and got her new bedding, but the other details are much slower to come together.  She doesn’t seem to care one single bit, but I’m anxious to see quicker progress.  In an effort to get something done in there, I decided to tackle a simple lamp makeover.

This old and outdated lamp has been in my daughter’s room for quite a while now.  It came from my grandmother’s house before she passed away, so it certainly has some sentimental meaning.  I also really like the traditional size and shape of it.  The poor lamp just needs some TLC!

Here’s what it looked like when I started out.

I believe that both the lamp and shade was hand painted, although I’m not totally sure.  The lamp had good “bones” but it was too ornate for my taste and looked old and dingy as well.  The poor thing has needed some love for some time now, but my daughter’s new room inspired me to actually get to work on it!

Here’s what I used to give this old and outdated lamp a simple makeover to go in my daughter’s new and fresh space:

• Lamp
• Sand paper
• Newspaper
• Painters tape (not pictured)
• Spray paint
• Lamp shade

Step 1:  Prepare for paint

I used sand paper to rough up the surface of the wood lamp base.  In some places, the paint had a little bit of texture so I did my best to sand it all down smoothly.  I also taped off the top part of the lamp that I didn’t want to be sprayed.  I would have prefered painters tape, but we were out and I had to use clear packing tape.  It worked just fine.

Step 2:  Spray Lamp

I picked Krylon Color Master Paint + Primer* to use for this project.  Although I mostly chose it because of the color options, I loved that I didn’t have to prime it first.  I sprayed it about 5 times in total, allowing for 10 minutes of dry time between coats.  I am always so afraid of drips so I prefer to do numerous thin coats of paint.

Step 3:  Add New Shade

Once the lamp was completely dry, I added my brand new white Threshold shade* that I purchased from Target.  I may decide to get fancy down the road, but for now, I really like the clean look of the solid white.  It’s a nice contrast to the dingy shade that was on it before.  Quite a difference, don’t you think?

I’ve still got some projects up my sleeve for my daughter’s dresser space, but it’s looking better already.

This simple lamp makeover took me less than an hour in total and was a very affordable way to spruce up a lamp that we already had in our home.

If you’d like to follow along with my daughter’s bedroom makeover, you can catch them here:

• The Easiest DIY Window Valance
• DIY Antique Chair Makeover (for under $10)
• A Custom DIY Picture Frame
• An Old-School Wood Desk Makeover
• How to Transform an Old & Outdated Lamp
• 7 Things You Must Do to Prepare a Room for Painting
• A Bright & Colorful Lavender Girl Room Reveal

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Have you done any simple DIY projects lately?

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