This Brilliant Trick Turns a Vase Into a Luxurious Lamp While Saving Hundreds of Dollars
Chinoiserie-inspired decor seems to be having a major moment again, especially with people who appreciate the grandmillennial aesthetic. It’s important to remember that many of these ceramics are rooted in beautiful traditional Chinese designs. If you can’t afford a real-deal Chinese antique, that’s OK. You can find iterations of these modern-meets-classic accessories secondhand (and newer pieces inspired by them at some mass retailers). And there’s a DIY project going viral right now that lets you transform an existing vase, Chinoiserie-style, or otherwise, into a stunning lamp that looks so expensive — this project could save you hundreds!
Vases tend to be a little less expensive than lamps, and that’s what gave Pamela Dyer this light bulb moment. On her Instagram account, she shared just how she upgraded a vase to a lamp using this winning combo: a simple lampshade and a rechargeable light bulb.
“Such an easy way to make a custom rechargeable lamp,” Pamela wrote in the caption of her post. “Take any vase, an uno fitter style lampshade, and a rechargeable light bulb. The possibilities are endless!”
Of course, you can do this hack with any vase you have on hand or find at the thrift store, but there’s something so chic about a high-contrast, blue-and-white that takes this DIY project from simple to stunning. If you’re concerned about kids, cats, or clumsiness, you can add a bit of sticky tack, museum gel, or glue to keep the shade in place!
“Such a cool idea,” one person wrote in the comments of Pamela’s post. Another said, “Omg, brilliant. Totally stealing this idea.”
Similar-looking lamps are sold for nearly $300 at Pottery Barn and more at places like Williams Sonoma Home and One Kings Lane. But you can complete this project for under $100 if you’re working with secondhand scores or bargain finds from places like Wayfair, which has vases starting at just under $25.
With this supercool hack, you can have a vase and lamp all in one. This project’s sure to catch the attention of everyone who walks through your doors, too!