A “Beat-Up Black Cube” Lamp Gets a Glam $32 Glow-Up
There have been lots of great lamp upcycling projects featured on Apartment Therapy over the years, like this family heirloom lamp, this cute napkin-covered lamp, and this Peter Bliss-inspired tulip lamp. The latest is DIYer Kendra Peterson’s (@decormunchie) fabulous floor lamp.
Kendra says that because lamps often come with a more-expensive-than-expected price tag, upcycling is the way to go when it comes to your nightstand, end table, or empty corner lighting.
“Most online marketplaces and thrift stores are filled with lamps,” she says. “A lot of people get rid of lamps because they think it is a final product that can not be revamped, or they think it’s cheaper to purchase a better one. I will scream this from the mountaintops: SAVE THAT LAMP!” Here’s how she saved a lamp that was a Facebook Marketplace find.
A $10 lamp turned into a teal and blue beauty.
“I was in search of a large lamp that I could customize for a reading corner,” Kendra says. “I believe that a large lamp can add volume to a space and make it feel more complete.” Drawn to its shape that was “sort of like an exclamation point,” as she describes, Kendra scored a floor lamp on Facebook Marketplace for $10.
At first she thought the lamp was solid wood, but even though it wasn’t, it was still in good shape, and she knew she’d be able to sand it and paint two coats of Benjamin Moore’s North Sea Green. “I knew I wanted a turquoise color for the base, peacock feather fabric for the lampshade, and gold vinyl on the inside,” Kendra says. “Once I settled on the details, it was time to execute.”
Creating a custom lampshade was the trickiest part.
Before, this lamp had a “beat-up black cube lampshade that was falling apart,” Kendra says. She replaced it with an 18-inch drum-shaped shade. “I could have purchased one, but I learned how to make lampshades last year,” Kendra says. For this one, she used a peacock-patterned fabric from Michaels, and 18-inch gold lamp rings.
“Making lampshades is a slow but rewarding process that includes a lot of measuring, a lot of cutting, and a lot of gluing,” Kendra says.
The DIYer loves the pops of gold.
She finished her lamp shade with hardware: a key-shaped turn switch and a new finial. She also chose to line the inside of the lamp with gold vinyl. “I love the gold lining of the lampshade,” Kendra says. “This lamp is going next to a reading chair. My view is mostly looking up and inside the shade when I am in the chair. It looks very luxurious from below, and the key handle turn knob is very charming.”
Two other elements of the project she loves? First, she loves that she combined two skills in her DIY repertoire — furniture painting and lampshade making — and second, she loves that she only spent $42 total on the project.
“Vibrant and large lampshades are pretty pricey,” Kendra says. “Learning how to make them has saved me tons of money when decorating my apartment. Nearly all of the lampshades in my home were made by me.”
Inspired? Submit your own project here.