4/20

Project Restyle: Bedside Lamps

Bedroom, Budget: $$, D.I.Y. Project, Home Decor, One Day Project, Project ReStyle
By Emma Chapman

Project restyle bedside lampProject restyle bedside lamp I recently updated some thrift store lamps for our bedroom that I thought I’d share with you all today. Oh yes, a whole post about lamps. That’s the kind of blog this is. We love “everyday” stuff. 🙂

OK, so, I installed a new light fixture in our bedroom a couple months ago, and I love it (promise I’ll share more on that someday). The only problem is that it’s quite bright. This is wonderful for getting ready in the morning, or just anytime you want a bright bedroom. But, some nights, like when I’m winding down and reading, I don’t really want a super bright room. I want a little chill, mood lighting, you know? 🙂

So, I realized I needed some bedside lamps.

Project restyle bedside lamp I looked online but wasn’t 100% on what I wanted, so I didn’t want to spend too much. (Guys, I’m sort of cheap… it’s just one of my things.) I decided to just keep my eyes peeled when thrifting or vintage shopping, and I also kind of thought in the back of my mind I might DIY something if I had an idea.

And then I spotted two cute ceramic lamps while thrifting. They just needed a little sprucing up and I knew they’d be really cute!

Before and after lamp restyleI already loved the shape of the lamps, and I really loved that there were two, as I kind of like matching bedside lamps. 🙂

Used lamp pair Used lampThey were each only $4.48, so I grabbed them up and  just prayed that they worked because I could not test them at the store without bulbs. My dad has helped me fix numerous vintage lamps over the years, so I figured even if they didn’t work, there was a good chance he could help me fix them. But when I took them home, I promptly cleaned and tested each – and they worked!

Next, I planned my “design” and bought supplies. I decided to do a kind of half and half black and white look. I could have used just about any type of paint, but I used spray paint and just taped any area that I didn’t want painted. I did decide to paint the cords white so they would blend in with our walls better, in case they peeked out from behind the bedside tables.

Painting the bottoms white Paint the tops blackOnce they were painted, it was time to add shades and bulbs and marvel at my too-easy-and-super-inexpensive “new” bedside lamps.

With the white shadeI bought two of the largest shades they had at the hardware store (same time as I bought the spray paint). I liked the overall shape and size, but when I put the shades on, I just wasn’t that into it. I decided to live with the lamps for a few days and see if I liked them better. I didn’t. I realized that they’d look SOOO much better with a black shade.

I checked a bunch of stores in my town, but I couldn’t find any black shades that were large enough. I got online and quickly realized that large black drum shades like I wanted were going to run between $45-60 each. Really?! I kept thinking I’d find a cheaper option but didn’t have any luck.

Of course, that’s not a totally outrageous price for a nice lamp shade. It’s just that the lamp bases cost only $5-6 with the paint. So spending way more on the shades just felt kind of silly. But ultimately I decided to go for it because I really liked the lamps, and I felt that the black shades would make them something that I would love for much longer.

Project restyle bedside lamp Project restyle bedside lamps And for me, I think it was the right choice. I should have realized too that the black shades would soften the light even more, which is exactly what I was looking for with this project functionally for our room. But yeah, I agonized over those lamp shades for a few days. Ha!

Anyway, that’s it. Just a fun little project restyle for you. Take something old/used/inexpensive and turn it into something you love. xx. Emma

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions. 

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