Have you recently picked up a lamp at the thrift store topped with a bland or not-so-pretty
lampshade? If so, it’s easy to refurbish or transform any lampshade into a DIY masterpiece with a little creativity and oftentimes a glue gun. Consider working on the outside—and the
inside—of your shade for a new look. If you use LED or CFL bulbs, they won’t get nearly as hot as the older incandescent bulbs and they won’t melt materials you add to your lampshade. Here we will look into some of the best ideas that can turn a lampshade into a work of art:
Rope It Up!
If you need a hint of boho decor in a room, grab some macrame cord or rope, leftover twine, or any other chunky, textured roping that’s just
too good to toss. Wrap it around a shade and hot glue it in place. You don’t need to cover the entire shade. See how much roping you have and create a border design on the top and bottom rims or just the bottom rim.
Adapting Mosaic Designs
Hot glue comes to the rescue once again to place a beaded design. If you have tons of tiny beads, lightly draw out a sinuous mosaic-like design with pencil and fill it in with beads. Attach larger, chunky, or elongated beads around the rim. You may even have some old earrings, pins, or other costume jewelry no longer worn that can add unexpected visual and textural interest to the design.
Leftover Wallpaper
It’s sometimes hard to find uses for leftover wallpaper. Instead of tossing it, save your leftover pieces and use them to cover the outside of an old and dingy lampshade. Pick out a piece of wallpaper that matches a room’s decor, and attach it to the lampshade with a spray adhesive or craft glue. Temporary wall decals or peel-and-stick wallpaper works, too. Remember to let the adhesive or glue completely dry before putting the shade back on the lamp to prevent messes
Tapes of Color
Whether it’s foil or washi tape, you can rescue any old lampshade with color and design. Add a striped, chevron, or checkered design on a plain shade of any size to match the décor of your room
Stencil and Patterns
Do you love the patterns and designs of modern decorative lampshades? Turn a plain lampshade into a modern staple item for any room in your home with a stencil and a little craft paint. Pick up a stencil at your local craft store in your favorite design, such as damask, lattice, or honeycomb. You can also make a stencil out of vinyl or a thick piece of plastic. Dab on your choice of paint with a stencil brush or small foam pad. Remember to let the paint completely dry before re-attaching the shade to the lamp.
Using Leftover Ribbons
Reuse an abundance of leftover ribbon from other craft projects and gift bags to quickly and simply add color to your lampshade. Attach ribbon to only the rims of the shade to add a little color or cover the entire shade with a single color ribbon or use multiple colors for an added effect. You can wrap the ribbon around the entire shade in a crisscross, vertical, or horizontal design.
