DIY Bling for a Boring Lamp Shade

When redesigning a room, I first like to look for low-lying fruit – pieces I can upcycle to take on a new life without having to buy all new.

Lamp shades are cheap and easy (in a good way)! Here is the life of two very inexpensive table lamps, formerly used in my oldest daughter’s last couple room designs:

My youngest daughter has asked for a Zebra Glam room in our new home. So, using some ribbon I found while unpacking, and the boa that had formerly been part of her canopy at the last house, I plucked the low lying fruit and created “new” lamps.

Armed with my free glam tools (plus some fabric glue and a stapler), I set out to “girlify” these hardworking table lamps into something that would work in a “Zebra Glam” room.

First I glued the ribbon on the top of the shade. Be sure to start at the seam in the shade, and just do a few inches at a time. Pull it as tight as you can.

Then I simply stapled the boa onto the bottom of each shade.

That’s it. Seriously! Now which one says Zebra Glam to you?

I’d love to show you the finished room, but I have two more “low lying fruit” projects to complete before the big reveal (tease, tease, tease!).

But I will show you a glimpse of the headboard I found along the side of the road and painted. I’d like to say that was completely free…but…I had to get a mattress set to fit it (oops).

Most people don’t have unlimited budget for redesign projects. While I would have loved to shop for new lamps for her new room, plucking this low-lying fruit upcycling project now frees up my budget for other things (such as replacing the lamps in my older daughter’s room I now have in my youngest’s room). I like to call this Fiscally Responsible Decorating!

How have you saved by reusing something in your home?