My hideous lamp makeover

5 May 2011

Well Ive been sprouting about my hideous lamp for weeks...
Not that I think its hideous.....far from it.....I actually like it...hence why I bought it.
But....the rest of the family think its ugly....and Ive suffered endless jibes about it.
(Might I add...... Ive noticed they ALL like to sit in this chair.....and use the lamp and its handy little table....its  apparently not THAT hideous that they cant use it.)

So here she is.....in her untouched glory....
She is the perfect little lamp to have alongside my chair....a spot to rest my cuppa...and craft work.....and a handy little light just where I need it.


As you can see......she needed a little TLC...
The lamp shade seemed far too small ....
and when Mum and Dad visited last week... they agreed.....this lampshade was not original.

So.....I gave it a makeover...

I had been keeping my eye out ever since I bought the lamp for a new lamp shade frame....
So I felt Id hit the jackpot when I came across this one...
even though it was old....it was a nice size and shape.

Next step was to make a pattern to cover the frame.
It took me a few attempts.....
but in the end.... the method I found easiest was to wrap the paper around the frame.....and securing it nice and tight with some tape. Then I trimmed the excess from the top and bottom....and opened it out flat.
I was left with a paper pattern which I could use to cut my fabric.


I found that I needed to stiffen the fabric.....so I made a trip to the fabric store....and the best we could find was some very thick and stiff interfacing......which I used a double layer of.. this gave me a lovely thick and stiff piece to wrap around my frame.


The next step was to fold all the edges to the inside...
If I were to do it again.....and I probably will.....Id try not to have my interfacing extend past the frame....it made it tricky to fold in neatly....and I think I made my 'fold in' bits a tad too wide.


The final step was to cover up my 'turned over bits' with a neat little strip of binding.
Luckily I had few rolls that Id bought on a recent op shop trip...
and yep.....green goes well....so I went with this one.

and the final completed makeover.....
Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
Much better!





...and from another angle....
Gotta be happy with that !

6 comments

  1. GORGEOUS!!! I love your lamp and your shade is perfect! You are so so clever. I think your family might be eating their words now LOL xx Janelle

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  2. whoops, that was me - better sign out as Jasper hehe

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  3. Anonymous12:27 pm

    Oh my! LOVE IT!!
    Thanks for sharing how it was done Mardi. I recovered a shade a while ago but i was a bit more slap dash about it lol... think i'll do it your way next time :):)

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  4. It is beautiful Mardi... love the fabric that you chose... and cool that the table is a part of it too... looks great...

    Hugs
    Jenny x

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  5. WOW Mardi, that's awesome! What a fantastic find and makeover!

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  6. looks awesome!! you are so clever..x

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