Lamps

These lamps were 2 for $10 at a garage sale.  Pretty ugly-- the dated gold finish and paper pleated shades.

But that was all going to change.

Lamp Remodel

Supplies:

spray paint primer

spray paint color of your choice

glue gun with a couple glue sticks

fabric to cover shades (mine were 2/3 yard each approx)

bias tape/ ribbon (5 yards for mine)

Base:

Cleaned off and spray painted with gray primer.

2 coats Red spray paint.

SHADES:

I had planned on buying new, but realizing they'd be too pricey, I decided to use the old ugly shades and just recover them.

I liked this lamp with the neutral, textured looking natural fabric shade.

{image from Pottery Barn}

So the cheapest option was burlap since it's the trend right now.  I chose "snow white" burlap, which is not white by any means, but the lightest burlap I could find.  Burlap seemed like a good option since it's a loose weave, allowing light to go through.

For both large lamp shades it took just over 1 yard.  I had purchased 2 yards to be safe.

1. Tear off the pleated paper stuff on the outside of the shades. 

Mine came off really easily.

Grab your glue gun!

2. Lay out the shade on your fabric.  It will wrap around on the bias. Make sure you have enough fabric to wrap up around on both sides to cover the shade completely.  Adjust the shade to fit on your fabric 

I was able to wrap width-wise around my lamp shades.  I drew the little diagram to show how I laid it on my fabric.  Both shades took a little over a yard.  The red on the sketch is to give you a rough idea of the shape of the fabric you'll use to cover the shade.

3.  Glue on Fabric

Beginning opposite the seam of the shade, (so the front) we (me and my mom) glued a few inches on the bottom, and inch or so at the top, working our way around.  Just keep switching between gluing the top and bottom to make it even as you work.

After you have a 1/3 of the shade glued on the bottom or so, you can trim the fabric off of the huge piece, keeping 1" or so past the bottom rim

Just keep working around, pulling your fabric tight as you go to make things smooth. 

Once you get around to the back, you'll have the 2 corners that will be trimmed and overlapped to make a nice single seam.

Figure out which side you want to go underneath, and trim the extra off and thinly glue it down the whole seam.  Take the other long side and stretch it over the newly glued seam, fold it under where it will cover the under fabric to make the final seam.

3. Press the fold the best you can if you have stiff fabric.

Trim any excess off to about 1/4 - 1/2"

{please excuse my nasty hands...project mayhem has thrashed them}

4. Glue down final seam

5. Trim off excess fabric as close to the edge as you can without cutting the original shade

NOW YOU HAVE THE SHADE COVERED IN FABRIC WITH CRAPPY RAW EDGES TO COVER UP

Keep your glue gun hot

6. Using bias tape (about $1.50 per 4yd pack) glue right on the edges.

I found it easiest to lay the shade on its side and glue around, so I could see the edge clearly to match the tape.

Now the shade is finished!  You could also glue ribbon or decorative trim along the rims.

Plop the shade on

close up of the burlap texture on the lamp shade

I loved this lamp make over because compared to buying brand new, it was so cost effective!

The rundown:

$10.00 for 2 ugly lamps

$3.00 red spray paint

$4.00 burlap

$3.00 bias tape

$20.00 total = $10 per finished lamp!