Repurposing Old Lamps

I found these lamps at a yard sale years and years ago.  They have worn several different hats (shades and colors) over the years.  I really love the shape of them and wanted to repurpose them, but they were WAY out of style.  Like many of you, I tend to start a project and then move on to a new one before the first is complete.  Some refer to this as Designer’s ADD.  Anyway, I decided to wait to start on the lamps until I had a vision for them.

First, I tried to make them look like mercury glass.  I had seen some lamps in the Pottery Barn catalog that I really liked, but were out of my budget.  I found a tutorial and did it.  They were fine, but did not really do anything to brighten up the space.  I left them alone and waited for more inspiration.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of this stage.

Then, the other day inspiration hit – I saw this lamp at Target that was quite similar in shape and painted in a glossy yellow, I loved how it showed off the shape of the lamp.  Then I saw a lamp at Anthropologie that was a different shape, but had a white shade with an orange base.  This inspired me to try my lamps in a glossy orangey coral color with a white shade.   I am thinking about adding some navy ribbon to the shade, but I am LOVING them so far.  I think it really modernizes what were some very tired old lamps.  Best of all the new color and white shades really brighten up a dark corner of the living room!  Some of my pillows and artwork in this room have this same color and I think it they have pulled it all together!

This was a very quick (30 minutes total), very inexpensive ($4 for a can of spray paint) craft project that made a huge difference in our living room.  I recently did a post Six Tips for Repurposing that has additional ideas for quick and inexpensive ideas for updating your home.  Take a look and see what inspires you to look at your home in a new way!

Do you like to use spray paint?  What have you spray painted recently?

I am super excited to be linking up to the Spring Decorating Link Party today at Centsational Girl!  Head on over there to see many more spring crafts…