Oh it came out nicely but (here I go) I did perfer the before...but my color scheme is blue and green...

I once changed my bedroom color scheme to red-white-and-blue, and had a white pineapple shaped ceramic lamp base, and successfully painted the shade a great high-gloss blue, which helped introduce more of the new colors to the room. Changing lamp colors is a very effective decorating trick.

I agree I prefer the before...

I really like the after... but then it is the color scheme I am currently leaning towards.... today alone I transformed several picture frames and some typography to imitate the look of wrought iron. The past month has been filled with paint... furniture, accessories, fabric, and walls soon to follow!

At 26, I realized that having old furniture that doesn't match was unacceptable. Having a small budget (and not wanting to commit to new furniture just to move it EVERY YEAR), I figured I could refinish what I already have. Seven cans of Rustoleum Heirloom White, several cans of black paint, primers, and polycrylics later, I have dressers that match and have a more Pottery Barn vibe. I even spraypainted the hardware Oil Rubbed Bronze. Everyone agrees it is a huge improvement, and I was able to refinish two pieces of solid, but ugly, furniture into pieces that I love! And the best part is, when I move, if they get dinged or scraped, I can just sand down and paint over it.

After that I went a little crazy and painted bathroom tiles to use as coasters and painted an old glass vase navy blue to match my living room. Slowly but surely, turning an apartment into a home...

What's with the weird dream catcher pinned on the bed? I'm a before fan too but it's not worth changing a room over.

I love the After. It looks really nice now.

For the first time ever I am voting solidly for the before which is uniqe in its color and pattern. Something like the after wouldn't be that hard to find new and affordable. These could have been sold to a vintage shop for enough to have purchased new or other vintage lamps that would fit the neutral scheme and been available to some one who would appreciate and use that fabulous green. The after did turn out well from the perspective of craftsmanship and hopefully that paint could be removed should the owner or someone else wish to return to the original color.

I like the after - nice job!

I definitely preferred the previous too, but I guess it's just a matter of what colours you want.

I had an expensive lamp that I bought back in the 80's. Loved the shape, but the colour no longer worked. We sprayed it red and it looks fabulous now.

Did you prime this before you painted? I have an orange lamp that I want to paint teal and I think it would need a primer.

I don't think there was anything wrong with the lamp before. If anything, the accessories used around it were not the right proportion which is probably why it looked odd. Play with larger and smaller items with different textures and materials -- the lamp would fit in anywhere.

umm, why does the 'after' in the post have a black shade and then later a white one? Is the question mark on the black shade a decoration? Thanks. Can shades be painted?

I'm not sure how a spray painted lamp and a dreamcatcher is an upgrade? What that lamp needed was a better shade to match the 70's vibe. Something from Meteor Lights perhaps.http://www.meteorlights.com/

@beryl - the shade was never actually black, the photo before the jump, the one with the question mark, just has the entire lamp blacked out so you don't know what the "after" looks like until you read the post. There isn't actually a physical question mark on the shade.

Looks like a huge hand grenade. Intentional for the 'masculine vibe'?

Hmm. Seems many people are too caught up in telling you how you ruined your own lamp to answer the question posed.

I needed a sewing desk on the cheap, so I scoured Craigslist and found one of those common metal office desks with the chrome legs and fake wood tops. I loved the chrome legs but that laminated top - yuck. I taped off the legs and handles, sprayed the body a matte black and rollered the top with primer and a glossy bright white. It's fabulous and I love it, changed the whole look from 80's office to modern and stylish.

For the record I dig your lamp, and your headboard too.

I want to do this to a lamp in my home too, but I've been to afraid of messing it up thereby making it worse. Did you primer? Would this work on a metal lamp? I want to turn a brown lamp that melts into the table it sits on into a rustic metallic color that will compliment the table...

I love the dream catcher because it represents something than resonates for the person on a personal or spiritual level without regard for fashion or decorating trends. Good for you!

Before before before...

I'm not sure a dead plant was the best accessory in the world to photograph the lamp "before." It was really beautiful and now is just a painted over lamp base.

I liked the lamp before it was painted. I don't get the dream catcher thing, but to each his own... the lamp looks good painted, tho. Nice job.

I like the before and the after. I have a similar pair of lamps that have not found a new home in the new home. I did buy new shades for them but maybe a coat of paint on the base would help!

I also have a kitchen cabinet that someone built great drawers for but never painted. I've been using it to corral the kids' art stuff. It has been quietly working so well in one corner of our kitchen, it deserves paint!

It was such a great lamp before! So much character.

TiffanySeattle: Ha, you're right, it does look like a hand grenade. ;)

I have a stand up lamp that had a rose colored fabric shade. I changed my master bedroom to teals and browns and of course it didn't match anymore. I loved the lamp and decided to try and paint it chocolate brown. I used a paint brush and it took 2 coats and it looked gorgeous! Your lamp looks great. I have gotten some 70's table lamps at thrift stores and painted shades or bases and am thrilled with the results. Good work!

I'm not going to rant. I'm just going to say that you should have just sold them to someone who would appreciate their mid century appeal and bought another pair to match your decor. Now they're ruined!

Dream Catchers are meant to deter nightmares. My never did. :o(
But I do like the significates of it. And I think it's pretty on her headboard and gives you a small insight of the KIND of person she is. (still like the before better) :o}~

It's the "mystery lamp" silhouette. Not a real lamp.

I really liked the lamp before but I like it now too. I think while you are making the change, you should also change the shade to a shade of grey!

My heart is breaking for the before lamps; they'd go perfectly in my home.

I'm not against painting lamps; I have a pair of massive yellow lamps with a very bright yellow colour that could only work in a massive open-concept room of very specific colour scheme, so I felt fine painting them white. But I didn't do an impeccable job, and now I must redo them. I'm looking for how-tos, and wish there was a link to one here.

I loved that lamp before. Such a great green.

I love the new color. So much more versatile.

I too prefer the before. I would've changed the white lamp shade before changing the color of the lamp.

I much prefer the before, not that I like it but it's better than the after.

I love the after! It looks so much better. And the dream catcher is awesome- makes me want one for myself!

You guys can be real jerks. And bashing on the dreamcatcher? Ignorant.

I really like how you were able to make something you already had work for YOU without running out and getting something new. Good job. Inspires me, as I think is the intention of these Before and Afters, to do more DIYing and repurposing around the house.

The original color made sense for the design. The after doesn't.

Geez, people, they are lamps, not National Treasures. It's ok that she painted hew own property. If you want similar ones, look on Craigslist or thrift stores or flea markets -- vintage lamps are easy to locate.

I recently made a biiiig mistake. I tried over coating my vintage Lane armchairs (basket weave backs) with a poly-stain combo. They were nicked up and dismal looking, and I hoped to salvage them. I think I am going to need to strip them now, they look worse. (Although I do like them the darker walnut tone they were supposed to have.) I have decided I'm too old for furniture refinishing, so maybe I will get something else and pass these on to someone with more patience and less arthritis! Sad, though, they fit my space really well... Learn from my mistake! ;^)

I'm not usually on board with the people screaming "I like the before! How dare you paint your own property! Wood is sacred!" etc., but the before lamp really spoke to me! It was so cute! The after does look nice, too, and if I hadn't seen the before picture, I'd probably like it just fine. If you love it, it was a good decision for you. :-)

Love the after!!

It's not a dreamcatcher, it's a keychain.

Oh... you painted the lamp base. That's sad. I was hoping the shade would change.

Kind of loved the 'Before' because I love vintage style and the colour green, but then I saw the 'After' and it looks 110% better! Great transformation - still vintage vibe, but now modern, clean and attractive.

I was prepared to hate this when I saw the original lamp (because it does sort of rock!) but I scrolled down and was surprised! I really like the after too. And if it fits in better with your decor, then why not? It's not like it's some important to history, designed by ______, expensive lamp, right?

The lamps looked very nice before. But if they just won't fit with the rest of the interior, painting them might do the trick! Like the idea, I might give it a try once.

I think the before color is kind of unattractive. I much prefer the after. All this pearl clutching is so foolish. If you don't like the look of painted lamps, then don't have them in YOUR home. See how easy that was?

Thank you, elyzabith. This is ridiculous. It's a lamp. It's not an heirloom, not sacred. This fight about 'ruining' old furniture is so played out. Why does every 'before and after' ignite such a fury about the sanctity of the original design? Years and years of the same conversation.....

Dissing the dreamcatcher...Seriously? How very junior high of you. This is really the type of stuff that makes me start to hate design. People start to take it too seriously, and it turns them into jerks.

For what it's worth, I think the after looks totally awesome.

To each their own, and it has to reflect your tastes in order to enjoy it, but I'm in the camp of liking the before just fine. Still, it's not like you've defaced the Mona Lisa here - enjoy!

I'm going to agree with the other posters who asked about the process! I've been looking for the perfect lamps for a while, and I've seen a few sets that I adore the shape, but the color doesn't work for my room. Painting them would be a real solid option. (By the way, the after is totally funky, kudos for making it work for you!)

Great job! The "after" is beautiful. I'm constantly amazed by how rude people are when posting. They wouldn't have the balls to tell you in person half the stuff they post online. Being anonymous makes it easy for them to be idiots. Hope you aren't bothered by the negative. Thanks for posting your project.

What is apartment therapy doing? Stop showing up before and afters where some original mid-century charm is ruined for a generic look. I don't think we should be beholden to a given time period or style, but these before and afters seem to only be one note typical blahs that destroy charecter.

Oh no, Mr. Bill, that lamp got hit twice by the same ugly stick. Sorry, but it can't even win the most ugliest lamp contest. It is as exciting as an office water cooler!!

Spray paint. The great healer. The lamp is ok, ya know. Making do with what you have is what it's all about, sometimes. I've spray-painted any number of odd ducks. It doesn't have to be forever, but for now, it is nicely masculine. Not everything has to rock.

The brouhaha over the lamp is immediately undermined by its placement next to the dreamcatcher! It's a slow day at AptTherapy.

That was an awesome lamp. Now it could easily fit in at a goodwill, and someone with little taste would buy it to put next to their sort-of-contemporary-but-not-so-much-as-to-actually-be-cool furniture.

What if someone had painted the base a bright yellow? (or some other color, but eyecatching) and then put it in front of a smoky grey wall? Or brown if you like, but not so blah!

I know, if you can't say anything nice.... I'm gone.

I think the "after" is a big improvement. Nice job! I love to see people recycle their things, instead of tossing and replacing. Good for you!

I like both looks but feel the 'before' was done an injustice being photographed with a dead plant. I think changing the shade on the before would have been sufficient to make the lamp look new again. But I like color with neutrals (like the head board which is beautiful btw).

I have used metallic Rustoleum spray paint to change a few vintage lamps which were very cool shapes but had a few chips here and there. The paint camouflaged the tiny breaks and they came out great. I did not use a primer.

The dream catcher is nice. :) America the Beautiful.

My feeling is that whatever you like go for it! It is YOU that has to be happy and feel good with the surrondings! xoxoxoxoxo

I think I'd like it more if I hadn't seen the before. The after lamp blends in too much with the table. Hopefully, only one was done; seems the green/blue would look good with the tan walls.

I would like this after more if it were painted in two colors again. A lot of the interest and charm were lost when you painted the whole thing the same color. I think going back in and painted the raised "rings" (that used to be the lighter green) a creamy white or leafing them gold for contrast would be a big improvement.

Okay. So the lamp is painted. Now what? Nobody has mentioned the metals .... silver, brass, and copper. I love mixing metals, but these tones fight with each other in such close quarters.

Also, I'd ditch that glaring white monstrosity of a shade. At the very least, cover it in fabric. Black or unbleached linen would look nice.

Ideally, a brass-toned metal neck, like the nail heads, along with a natural linen shade about half that height (maybe a little taller) would be a better fit. You’d have to get a shorter harp for the shorter shade, but for a few dollars, you could get it right.

With all that being said, nobody has mentioned the scale of the lamp .... wrong, wrong, wrong for that table!

You could put the lamp back on the table in the first picture, even with that shade .... IF you get accessories that are in proportion to the lamp. I do get it that you wanted to make a “before” point by putting dead plants with the “before” picture.

As far as the dreamcatcher, it doesn't work in this photo. It is a keychain! The significance of a dreamcatcher is NOT lost on me, and I’ve seen beautiful ones that are works of art. This one however, is not.

That's so cool. Slow and steady is the way to grow a space into a home.

Agreed, much prefer the before

Jasmine + Lulu explains it ALL to you......

Hmmm...would have thought this crowd would get behind the repurposing to fit her tastes. Nope--snark won out. Not saying we should all love everything, but really. Her choice of lamps is not a character flaw. Where once those colors worked for her, she now wants something different. Good for her for trying something that better reflects her taste now.

It did look great in turquoise, but its good in brown too. Investing in a lovely new shade will take it to the next level.

Don't let someone else decide for you what's beautiful for you. Especially not from overly critical (wannabe) designers who don't care about what their clients want.

Great job.

SlocumNavigator, Alice Roosevelt Longworth (Teddy's daughter and Washington DC political and social force in her own right known for her acid wit) had a pillow on her sofa embroidered with the motto "If you can't say something nice about someone....come sit here next to me." I thought you might appreciate that.

If you all love the before lamps so much, offer Abby some money to buy them, then remove the paint yourselves! The green lamps were fine, but I would have had no idea that the amazing texture and design lurked under that green paint.

Gotta say I am squarely in the before camp. The after removes the design highlights and turns it into a dark blob. Kudos, however, for the attempt at working with what you have.

P.S. Just saw the "handgrenade" post and have to laughingly agree.

I love this! The lamp is awesome either way, but the after definitely looks more "now" and less funky-retro.

good job :)

I know a lot of ignorant, redneck folk here in Virginia who decorate with dreamcatchers, which has led me from not having an opinion to absolutely detesting them. I know they're part of Native American mythology, but seeing them dangle from the rear view mirrors of profoundly disturbing people has destroyed their appeal for me. Abby's, however, is small, discreet, and used in the room most associated with sleep & dreams. I appreciate the new perspective.

I can't believe how nasty a few people are being... Its okay not to like it (and say so), but lets not forget these are her lamps and she can paint them whatever color she wants. I mean, are you going to buy her new lamps? (You can buy me new lamps then too lol.) Of course, if she broke into your house and painted your lamps, you would be allowed to act like a jerk.

I want to see pictures of your perfect homes posted so I can dissect them and remind you that you (1) have no taste and (2) have completely ruined everything ever. Come on, guys. Be decent.

Add me to the chorus of "before, before, before". And it was one of a pair? You're killing me. I am painting a lamp base when I get around to it - but it's a cheap-o from West Elm...

In the "After" post, you can see the texture of the lamp base with much more detail than the first. The green color obscured the shape of the base.

Id bet my bottom dollar that the original finish,though a pretty color,LOOKED every day of its 60 years! Chips,cracks,caked in grime that never comes out all add to a ratty finish. I much prefer the new look,though I would have liked to have seen the raised design accented in a glossier finish. Id also like to add that it gets tiresome to go to friends homes who are all into the "vintage" look and the upholstery is dingy,pictures faded,and quite often their new finds SMELL.If your going to do vintage,do it with new looking surfaces,the "original"looks TIRED unless remarkably well preserved,wich most isnt.Just my humble opinion.

The after looks great.

After seeing so many negative comments I will not post on this site.

"...a lamp I love." ME TOO!

jeeeeeeeez, all of you people. even if you do like the before better, that's fine. but jumping on her about her dreamcatcher? you all need to take a break from the internet and do something productive.

i like the before a lot, but i know that if i owned that lamp - i would also have painted it at some point. i'm in the middle of a changing the look of the things i own phase from just changing up the sheets to more expensive projects like donating all my dishes and cups to get a uniform set. i like the before lamp, but i like the after, too! if it didn't fit with what you had anymore, it didn't fit.

Thank you. Good points.

When I saw the 'Before', I was like "what's not to love, why are they changing it?". Then saw the 'After'...Awesome!! Now it looks cool, retro, AND sophisticated.

I really love the new, more versatile, look. Nice job! :)

Thanks for sharing though would have liked more details about the project. Did you have to sand back the ceramic to get the paint to stick? Did you use a brush or sponge? How did you fill the crevices without it being goopy? Etc.

At least it wasn't chalk paint - the 'go to' for AT. The lamp looks the same, more or less. To each his own.

you ruined it.

It ain't easy being green...

Well, I'm a purist (and proud) so while I find the re-do of the lamp to be successful and attractive, I have issues with painting over a perfectly good lamp. What did that stunning lamp ever do to you? If there had been obvious flaws that a new coat of paint would hide (overall color not being one of them) that's one thing. But the only crime this lamp was guilty of was not fitting in with your color scheme. I probably would have shopped for a more fitting lamp and sold the green lamp to someone who would have loved it for its greenness, rather than hide its light under a charcoal-gray bushel.

I also don't like when people tear out perfectly good original pink counter tile and replace it with granite. This is pretty much the same thing.

the picture before was nice but since they changed it the look is excellent. This concept can also be apply to our house interior design.

www.cdorealty.com

After, after, after...

Preferred the before and would have changed the shade

Hopefully the lamp owner will take some quirky pride in being a Top Post on AT. Some posts of Maxwell's or by the staff get zero comments.

It has a great shape! I'm a lamp addict. If I'm in a thrift store, one of the first places I go is to check out the lamps. For a couple bucks, you get one, paint it the way you want and have something crazy and different in your house that makes you happy when you look at it.

I do think the lamp is missing something though. The way it was painted previously with the two tones needs to be done again to just add a little more interest to it. Because they are right, currently it does look like a grenade...it's not horrible, it just doesn't look quite done.

OMG...the design world is coming to an end!!! Someone painted something of their own to suit their tastes. And then had the gall to put it next to an upholstered headboard with nailhead trim. And the dream catcher....the nerve of someone reflecting their own culture or preference in their home in their own way. When will the madness end.

Isn't this really what design is about...making it your own?

Please visit the soon to launch sister site... www.apartmentihavenothingbettertodothanbitchaboutotherpeoplesshitforum.com

P.S. I like the after!

I prefer the before, it shows the texture and dimension of the lamp much better than the after. And I think the biggest problem with the lamp is the stark white lampshade, it didn't go with the original colors of the lamp.

*second try to commenting, will see if this one gets deleted by the mods too.

I too liked the funky malachite green of the original, but I am not a neutral palatte kinda gal either.

I disagree with this idea that somehow a lamp doesn't fit a "masculine vibe" just because it's jade green. "MEN are ONLY allowed GRAY and BROWN and BLACK!!!" When devotion to a monochromatic color scheme leads you to ruin a delightful lamp, the color scheme has gained too much power. There are zillions of blah-colored lamps out there that would suit this vision of a room where men go to avoid expression; the "before" lamp was "vintage" without being dated -- it would have been perfectly viable in any number of styles of room.

Note how the "before" picture's plant provide a microcosm of what happened here: A durable, living, evergreen jade plant, next to a withered-looking wisp that has had all the life sucked out of it.

agree that the green was prettier. and not because gray doesn't work or color is better than lack of color, but because the specific gray chosen makes it look super plastic-y (at least in the photo) or faux metal and destroys the retro vibe of the two-tone base that made it appealing in the first place. Why not do two tones of gray? In matte and not something shiny/semi-metallic.

yeah the dollar store dream catcher has to go.

the before pic of the lamp was nice because the color was vibrant and really created a nice contrast with the wood.

gray would have looked OK if the gray had been different. something lighter and brighter would have worked much better with the wood. you want to pick a color that lets the wood of the lamp be the highlight, instead of a paint color that overshadows the wood.

in that respect, i actually like the before much better.

yes! lighter and brighter gray (and still two-toned)

It's nicely done but I prefer the before, the lamp had more charisma in the tealy green. But, the important thing is that its owner is happy with the outcome.

Thank you! So well described by you.

I glanced at some of the other comments and am so shocked that there are so many that prefer the before. The before would never be in my home. Love the after! I so love the after. It is more masculine and chic.

This inspires me to look for something to paint. Considering painting my dining room chairs, that are the classic cappuccino modern chairs and dining table everyone had 10 years ago, to a glossy lux black.

Thanks for posting.

I like the before AND the after but I think the before has more charm. The after just kinda looks like the before, painted silver. It's not really transformative, which is fine, I guess.

I'm more concerned with the miniature dreamcatcher/keychain tacked to the bed. It made me laugh out loud, which means it's is either genius or ridiculous. ;) (And really, there's a fine line between the two that often bleeds over, so I kinda love it!)

Perfect timing for this post! I'm planning on spray painting a vintage floor lamp I have from pink to black. I really liked the pink, but the previous owner (most likely a child) wrote all over it in yellow and black sharpie. I like the after version of your lamp. I think it brings out the three dimensional details better than the before.

Reading a lot of haters on this thread! Wow! Decorating is an art form, and art is subjective. We are all welcome to our opinions, but l do my best to keep in mind that people are putting their creations out in the public eye and need support!

Bravo! I was shaking my head when I saw the post (What! Isn't that vintage?!?!), but you did a really nice job and it has a far more elegant feel. If that is what the objective was... well done.

P.S. I like the dreamcatcher. So there.

Both are attractive, but I'm drawn to the after.

I've found collecting lamps that have been painted over isn't a problem because the paint usually can be removed. It takes time, but in some cases worth it.

I cannot stop laughing at the hand grenade comment.

Several folks have asked for how-to's. My avocation is refinishing vintage/second hand furniture so I hope the following tips are helpful. When painting metal or ceramic objects, or any surface for that matter, you must prep the surface so it has some "tooth" for the paint to adhere to. This is easily done with a light sanding followed by a primer appropriate for the material and the the paint to follow. Surprisingly, you can find small bottles of primers and paints at craft stores if you can't find them at your local hardware store. You can also use gesso from an art supply store to use as a primer- and it comes in both white and black. Primers are thick, so a cheap china bristle brush works better than a sponge brush, assuming you don't have a good brush dedicated for primers. Match you primer type (latex or oil-based) with your paint. Sand and prime first and you virtually eliminate the need for touch-ups later as the item gets the inevitable nicks and dings with use. As with all painting, preparation is key and 90% of the process. Ceramics and metals usually look better with spray paints - and yes, sand and prime first even with spray paints. Brush marks are a dead give-away of an amateur job.

As others have posted, an iconic vintage piece is probably best resold and the money used to purchase something that works better, It's a judgement call and goodness knows I'm all for refurbishing, but once an item is repainted, it shouldn't look like a coat of paint was slapped on it just to make it work with today's color scheme. It should look like it's always been that way and true to the character of the piece. If you think someone will want to restore the piece someday, why mess with it? Put your time and work on something that will be improved, not devalued by the effort.

PhyllisC, so well put, both your painting tutorial and your thoughts on vintage refurbishing. Too bad you didn't have a chance to weigh in while the fur was flying last week. I t might have calmed the waters.

Well done. I do agree that trying a different lamp shade might be interesting. At the risk of adding to the comment diarrhea, I laugh at the purists who just can't seem to understand that this is a LAMP and that short of something be a "hot mess", while you might have done something differently, the change works for the DIYer. If you get a vintage lamp, paint it...or not. This person liked the shape but not the color so she/he painted it. That is what DIY is about. Telling them to take it to a vintage shop so someone else can enjoy it, means that she would have to to out to find another lamp. A $10 can of paint is sometimes all you have time and energy for. And voila, you are happy...until you read the plethora of negative comments about your lamp....

I've collected and shopped at different venues for years. It's you money, your stuff so do your thang!