Lampshade Lust

Pin It I bought these two amazing brass lamps at Goodwill (one of my favorite places to hunt for treasure.) Love the Hollywood Regency aspect of them. At $10 each, and the fact there was a PAIR,  I couldn't resist. Typically, I try not to purchase anything for my home unless I have a space already selected for it in my mind. I decided the scale of these would go perfectly behind my sofa on a console table.

A tip for getting that Sharpie price tag off : a dab of hand sanitizer on a wash cloth should do the trick  (this does not apply to clothing or fabrics, be sure to test a small area first.)

I apologize for the poor photo quality...I took this picture with my phone.

 They didn't come with lamp shades so I hopped over to Target, they have a great selection there in different sizes. The rule I normally go by when selecting the correct size shade is the height of the lamp shade must be close to 40% of the lamp height when placed side by side.

 I wanted to switch it up a bit and add some color so I opted to dye the white drum shades. I got some purple dye from Joann's Fabrics because they have the most color selection, but you can find standard colors at most grocery stores. Keep in mind that one application of fabric dye will make the color a lot lighter than shown, to get a darker shade apply more in between drying times.
 Mix the whole package of powder with some warm water and add a couple dashes of salt to improve even coverage.
 You will want to do this outside.
 I brushed in one direction with a rough bristled paint brush to get a grainy look. I did this to help make the shades look a little more like linen and add some texture. If you want a more even appearance spritz the fabric on the lamp shade with water using a spray bottle so that it is moist, not dripping, and then apply the dye as shown.

 Let them dry for about 30 minutes to an hour.
You can also line the interior of the lamp shade with wallpaper or silver contact paper if you are feeling adventurous. I have plans to use a black and white stripe wallpaper but I have not found the one I want yet. Some wallpaper stores have paper as low as $12 a roll. I like going to Allen Funks if I want immediate wallpaper gratification since they have so many in stock, or Sherwin Williams if I am willing to wait a few days. Here are some of my favorites from Sherwin Williams.






 I don't know if you can tell but I really like this one.

 Lately I have been obsessed with Ikat patterns and anything that reminds me of them.

 Miniature fretwork in two tone blue...heaven.

 Wouldn't this be adorable in a pink lampshade for a little girl's room or a nursery.
 Or you can use some of this amazing marbled paper from Paper Mojo.



Attach with a little bit of fabric glue and you have a custom lamp shade.

 They have kind of a pinkish purple hue to them when the lamps are on and I want to marry them.

1 comment:

  1. I really enjoy the colors together and that it looks pink when lit up!

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