A Bright Idea!

The Challenge:

Two things were wrong here. First, the scale of this lamp was all wrong for the space...it was too small. And secondly, the budget for this room was really, really tight by the time I got to the lighting.

The Solution:

I went in search of an inexpensive solution and I found it at Goodwill for $5.


The color wasn't at all right for the room, but there were things I liked about this lamp (1) It has a low center of gravity and that's ALWAYS a good idea in a kid's room. It won't get knocked over easily...and (2) it kind of reminded me of the polka dot upholstery that we'd used on the headboard and seriously? What's cuter than a HUGE polka dot? Not much, I'm thinking...So I bought it.

Next...one precious lamp coming right up! It just needed to be pink. First step, tape off any parts like the electronics and the cord that you don't want painted.

Remember, when you are painting glass, it's especially important to prime before you paint. They sell primer in a spray-paint can. That's the best product for glass.

Then, I painted the lamp using wide, flowing motions with the spray paint so as to avoid paint globs and create an smooth, even finish.


But what REALLY makes a lamp cute is it's shade and I found this one at Target and it was perfect...as is! It's white at the top, light pink at the bottom and the two colors are divided by white rick-rack. I didn't have to make any changes to make it work and that's a rare thing for me.





The Breakdown:

I found the lamp at Goodwill for $5. You see these round-based lamps a lot in second-hand stores. They were really popular in the eighties. You can find them in different sizes too. Just look for one that's in good shape with no cracks and a cord that's not frayed or exposed in any way.

The spray paint is by Krylon and it's an interior satin called Ballet Slipper (How perfect is that?). I bought it at Hobby Lobby...which, by the way, I am single-handedly putting someone at Hobby Lobby's kid through college, so to that guy I'll just say, "You're welcome."

I bought the pink and white lampshade at Target for $19.99. It may seem expensive compared to the actual lamp, but it was so perfect, it was worth it.

Total cost for the perfect lamp: $29.00
Estimated time for this project: About two hours.
Degree of Difficulty: On a scale of 1 to 5, it's a solid two.