Reader Redesign: Totally Turned On
Laura’s lamp makeover really lights our fire. It’s amazing what a little spray paint can do. Here’s her letter:
I wanted to share this quick DIY project I completed last Friday after getting out of work early. I just bought a lamp at the local Salvation Army up in Alexandria, VA, and stopped over at the Home Depot for some spray paint and polyurethane. The project didn’t take that long and I used “Rust-oleum” Painter’s Touch in satin Aqua, with a clear gloss coat. I also wanted to say how much I love your blog! You are very talented people and I’m so glad to hear that you are only a few hours south of me- yay for “locals”! -Laura
Isn’t Laura’s lighting makeover proof that style can come at any price? And we love that she took matters into her own hands and snagged something secondhand. Nice recycling job there Laura! You can read more about the process right here on her blog. And definitely tell her how much you love it right here. Yay for “locals” and spray paint.
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PARTY ON!!
Love this! I recently scored some metal wall art from Goodwill and spray-painted it black to match our decor. Gotta love a secondhand find! Thanks for sharing. I might have to try this with a lamp!
So cheap, easy, and beautiful! Love it!
Love that color!
PARTY ON!!! Wow, that stuff is fabulous … as a hostess I’ve found that if you have a theme the party tends to take care of itself … also, I always have cocktail parties with a little finger food. No sit down dinners not too many places to sit in general … keeps the party moving and people mingling …
I’ve wanted to spray my shiny gold doorknobs a more modern color instead of buying new ones… but I am nervous. Anyone done this before? Will it be a possible disaster?
Hey Shelley,
Good question! We’ve heard from readers that using a hammered spray paint (hammered black, hammered silver) can really look amazing. We have also read other reports online that it’s not a long-term solution because it might flake or chip with use (although spray paint formulas get better every day). Anyone else care to weigh in who has some experience with this project?!
xo,
s
WOW … I’m an idiot and totally posted my previous comment on the wrong post .. but I also meant to post on this lamp …
Very cool. My grandmother has two lamps that she’s constantly repainting to match her decor and you’d never tell. Best part is they’re urn lamps and the urn has a pattern so when it’s painted with a solid color the pattern still shows through but is very subtle … sooooo cool.
I love that lamp! Beautiful color.
Hey, can you post Laura’s URL for her blog? I can’t click through using hidemya@#.com
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Lynn,
Here ya go:
http://www.grafxnerd.net/2009/05/do-it-yourself-lamp/
You might also want to check if as you scroll over the link you get a tiny url in the bottom strip of your browser (sometimes you can see the url there and enter it in yourself- although I don’t know if that will work through hidemya@#. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I have 2 lamps I bought on Craig’s List last year. They are made of a plastic-y sort of material. What kind of spray paint would you recommend for plastic? They are in serious need of a face lift. Thank you!
::shout out from Lancaster, PA – we love your blog!::
Hey SarahB,
This spray paint is formulated especially for plastic and it sticks like glue. Just be sure to use it in a ventilated area!
xo,
s
Hah! My mom has two of that exact same lamp! She’s had them at least my whole life, and I am almost 32. I will have to sneak over in the dead of night and try this technique!
Great transformation! I’m a thrift store junky and trolling the isles I try to remind myself to focus on shapes not finishes…paint works wonders.
I LOVE the lamp, the awesome blue color, and how it pops perfectly with the bold wall color. I also love the braided-trunk money tree beside it! So sweet.
It never surprises me to see what a can of spray paint can do. Honestly, everytime I head out to Fan Thrift, Diversity or For the Love of Jesus, I have to hold myself back because I see so much potential on the cheap. Thanks for the sharing her lamp overhaul!
Wow that looks like something you would buy in a chic boutique! Love the shade too!
Thanks for featuring the project guys!
Could you change the URL to http://www.justalittlebit.net/2009/05/31/do-it-yourself-lamp/ ? I have changed to a proper URL since that project. :)
Thanks, also, for all the kind comments, readers! :)
Very Cool! I did the same thing a few months back with a lamp I wanted to get rid of. Now I love it. The project was fun, too!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockingthesuburbs/3510880626/
Wow, that lamp looks 100x better! Nice job.
Love the color – it looks great against the green wall. The drum shade is perfect for it, too.
Cool color!
I LOVE IT. Very impressive outcome, and wow, way to see beyond appearances.
@ Shelley S: I updated my brass fireplace screen a few months ago with mottled silver spray paint (to match other brushed nickel hardware in the house). The color is great, but it doesn’t look quite glossy enough. I’m thinking about putting a layer of polyurethane over it… Youngsters, do you know if they make one that’s heat and fire proof?
Hmm, good question! So good, in fact, that we don’t have a clue. Maybe someone at Lowe’s at Home Depot can help? You can call over there to ask (and save yourself a trip). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
That lamp looks so great! I love the robin’s egg blue you painted the lamp and the contrast with the wall color. Nice work!
Love this, great job Laura.
Can you tell us more about the polyurethane? Was that the final coat and did you spray it on?
K
Hey Shelly and Sherry-
My husband and I had gross gold tarnished doorknobs. When I updated the doors in the house with some paint and trim, I also spray painted the knobs. I took the hardware out of the actual door and really cleaned the knobs. I also took some steel wool to them to get rid of some of the fake gold (it flaked right off…eww) then used a really good metal primer and topped it off with brushed nickel spray paint I got at Walmart. You can tell they are spray painted but they held up pretty well. Since then we have upgraded to actual brushed nickel, but it was a great fix to hold us over!
Hey Kristina,
Thanks so much for chiming in with your experience! Super helpful.
xo,
s
Kristin Jo –
It was the final coat and it was a spray as well. Looking back at the products, and I’d have to double check at home, but it may have just been a clear coat, which I just assumed was a polyurethane. Not 100% sure, but this looks like the product I used: http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=403
Laura
They make special spray paint that can withstand heat. I’ve used on my fireplace before. If you go to Home Depot and look for it, it has a picture of grill on it and it’s in the spray paint aisle. There were a few colors – I don’t remember if they had clear or not, but they did have a few glossy colors. Hope that helps! Jen
Looks like this: http://www99.epinions.com/content_221916532356
I LOVE spray paint! I have at least one spray painted item in every room of my house. I am very partial to white, but Laura’s blue lamp project turned out amazing. And I’m pretty sure that fabulous lampshade is from target. WalMart also has a similar shade as well.
PARTY ON Dudes and Dudettes!
So easy! I LOVE that color!
This turned out beautifully, Laura! I love the lampshade you chose – the scale is just perfect.
I need new lamps for my bedroom (we have these teensy ones that look totally wrong flanking a king bed), and I’m waffling between swing-arm wall lamps (a la Sherry and John) and bold table lamps. If I found two like this, I think my decision would be made!
Allison –
Yup, from Target! I think it was about 30$ and I love it! I had it from another lamp, so it was (basically) free. ;)
that lamp is ABSOLUTELY adorable! i just found your blog from a friend, and i love it ALL! your house is so cute, and i am a total young house love addict. like i need to be addicted to blogging more than i already am, haha. food blogs and now decorating blogs :)
have a good tuesday!
i’m cracking up b/c i went crazy at aninchofgray this weekend with the same color of aqua spray paint. good thing the dog didn’t get too close, or i might have painted her, too! i also tried yellow spray paint on a few items, trying to inject yellow into my decor, but i ended up chickening out and covering it with black.
Beautiful makeover! I love the shade of blue she used. So pretty!
Love it! It’s got me inspired!!
ooh very nice! ::files into back of head for future reference::
PARTY ON! Games that tend to be huge hits in my circle of friends are Taboo (who doesn’t love using the buzzer?) and a game called Celebrity. Celebrity doesn’t require anything other than strips of paper and a pencil. It’s a cherades-based game that you play in two teams. Very fun!
That looks really nice, and seems so easy. Makes me want to take a trip to a thrift store!
I’m pretty sure my parents have these SAME lamps in their living room (from when they got married in the 70s). I was just hopping through your site for some fun/thrifty ideas to help them get their house updated as they try to sell. This is perfect!
That lamp is beautiful! I just bought one of those arching 60′s floor lamps at a garage sale for $5! I want to spray paint it white, do I just use a spray paint for metal? Does anyone know if it will hold up with the heat on the top where the light is? Help is much appreciated!!!
Hey Katie,
There’s high heat spray paint for things like the inside of a fireplace, but for the heat a light gives off, regular spray paint should do the trick (and compact florescent bulbs burn a lot less hot if you’d like something cool just to be safe and save energy)!
xo,
s
Thanks Sherry!! I’ll be sure to send you my before and after shots when I’m done!!!