I posted this mid-fluffing picture of my office on Instagram last week and had some questions about the lamp.
(My plan is to bring the orange rug back for Fall and add a few blue accents. Oh, and I also “organized” my bookcases. Hence, the pile of junk in the corner. . . )
So, my big, beautiful brass lamp. It was a find.
I paid a whopping $1 for it at a yard sale.
People around here must be reading something I’m not that says to get rid of all your brass lamp bases immediately. This may or may not be one of five brass lamps I’ve bought over the last few months, with the most expensive one costing me a whole $5. All have come from Goodwill, yard sales, or ummm…. I might have made my husband get out of the car at the dump and get one on the verge of being put into the ground. (Lamp rescue!) I’m accumulating a nice little collection of shade-less lamps in our garage.
Finding the right shade is always the tricky part. But, I remembered I had those huge ones from the lamps in our last dining room. (I originally found them at Pottery Barn Outlet.)
Luckily, they are more of a paper than a fabric shade and took about two minutes to spray paint. It’s Valspar’s Gloss Indigo Cloth–the same deep blue I used on my son’s metal bed.
Not bad for a dollar and some leftover spray paint.
Looking for another easy way to dress up a lamp shade? I posted about covering shades with fabric here.
Elisa of Fancy Free Me says
September 16, 2013 at 12:36 pmLove the lamp. And your bookcases are adorable, love the dark back!
Melissa Taylor says
September 16, 2013 at 12:54 pmI LOVE your colors… royal blue with orange and a touch of zebra.
pam {simple details} says
September 16, 2013 at 1:10 pmPerfect dose of color to give it a stylish new look! I share the addiction, I happened to notice eight lamps in my guest room the other day! :)
Lisa @ Shine Your Light says
September 16, 2013 at 1:28 pmWhat a great lamp base – I love the shape of it! And it looks soooooo good with the blue!
marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says
September 16, 2013 at 1:31 pmGreat shape on the lamp. I love it. Hugs, Marty
Patty Day @Pattys Epiphanies says
September 16, 2013 at 2:09 pmThat blue shade is awesome! Love it with the brass. You just can’t beat spray paint!!!
Vel Criste says
September 16, 2013 at 2:13 pmI too have scored recently a $3 brass lamp at the thrift but still need to find the right shade. Your blue looks awesome, but thinking of doing black on mine. :-)
Nancy {at} powellbrower at home says
September 16, 2013 at 2:33 pmlooks fantastic! I love the shape of that lamp. Have a great week Emily!
xo Nancy
Chatfield Court says
September 16, 2013 at 3:18 pmWow great find! I like the texture of the shade with the shiny brass. I have had no luck at Goodwill or yard sales lately.
Have a great week.
Kristi
[email protected] says
September 16, 2013 at 3:44 pmSuch a steal :) I have that lamp and got mine at gw for $5 and thought that was great! xo Kristin
Simply Modern Home says
September 16, 2013 at 3:58 pmThat is the deal of the century! Gorgeous!!
[email protected] Nest says
September 16, 2013 at 4:03 pmGreat looking lamp…love the shape. I always have such a hard time finding the right shades too…yours looks great!
[email protected] says
September 16, 2013 at 4:30 pmThe brass lamp has such an amazing shape and I’m not a brass girl! lol :)
Gwen, The Makerista says
September 16, 2013 at 4:54 pmI was just digging through my shade supply last night to find one to fit a new thrift find! I love how quickly you can repurpose shades. This is just beautiful!
momma-lana says
September 16, 2013 at 5:11 pmBrass is coming back big this fall! Hang onto your brass everyone! Fortunately we have been happily out of style at our house because everything in our house is brass and now we are back in style without any effort on our part!
theanatomyofdesign.com says
September 16, 2013 at 6:16 pmgorgeous! really love the dark color against the shiny brass.
mwimp says
September 16, 2013 at 6:35 pmgorg!!
Jill Seidner | Interior Design says
September 16, 2013 at 7:12 pmLove this! Thanks for sharing!
LilyBiscuit says
September 16, 2013 at 7:26 pmYou are officially my interior design role model!
Jeanna Sanchez says
September 16, 2013 at 7:28 pmHi Emily,
I have the very same lamp! Actually I have two one is slightly different from the other, but I LOVE them. I got mine from thrift stores, mine being a little more expensive than your at a whopping $2.00! I am a lamp hoarder, rescuer too, looks great on your desk!
Jeanna Sanchez says
September 16, 2013 at 11:09 pmIF YOU WANNA SEE MY LAMPS YOU CAN HERE!
http://jslatelydesign.blogspot.com/2013/09/diy-framed-gold-bird-art-and-brass.html
Kathy Baugher says
September 16, 2013 at 8:01 pmTurned out gorgeous. I just spray painted some brass owls from a salvage yard with some left over paint.
Linda {Calling it Home} says
September 16, 2013 at 8:43 pmPerfecto! They are reading the same thing here. I keep running into brass lamps. If that is your idea of messy on the bookshelves, you can’t come over :)
Laura Doubek-Kraft says
September 16, 2013 at 9:08 pmI love brass, and the painted shade is wonderful!
Tricia | 724SouthHouse says
September 16, 2013 at 10:56 pmThat blue is perfect. You never fail! (I found a 4 dollar brass lamp at Goodwill last week… I thought that was cheap!)
Fits and Kisses says
September 16, 2013 at 11:30 pmI have NEVER thought of this….What a great idea! I’ve been living with white lampshades in my bedroom…but this opens up a whole new world for me!!
THanks for sharing. Great idea.
Kimberly Lemmon says
September 17, 2013 at 1:02 amThat is one gorgeous lamp and shade makeover. Never would have thought of using blue but I love it!!
Courtney {a thoughtful place} says
September 17, 2013 at 4:46 amI need to come hang out with you with you while you shop yard sales and goodwill. Why can’t I ever find these things. Lovely lovely lamp, my friend.
Mrs. DeVore says
September 17, 2013 at 3:26 pmI have that same lamp shade, good to know they are so easy to paint!
LC says
September 17, 2013 at 3:58 pmI love the armoire! We have one that is a similar size that I don’t particularly care for. How do you know when it’s something that requires sanding before priming and painting? I want to try to restore it but am afraid I will ruin it in the process, haha.
colonygal says
September 18, 2013 at 4:10 amEmily, you are so inventive! I am always inspired by your posts. Thank you. I do have to say that Brass seems to be making a come-back, and I have also taken a “shine” to it in recent months, actually close on to a year. But I think it is just for the genuine kind of brass, not the high gloss 80s effect … So, you have to know how to work it, and you certainly do!
SHERRY HART says
September 19, 2013 at 12:53 pmSpray painting a lampshade? Really……who knew! Gotta give that a try! LOVE that brass lamp and I have seen them for 50.00 and more at flea markets. You scored.
EDYTA & CO. INTERIOR DESIGN says
September 23, 2013 at 6:57 pmLove this lamp base!!
Robzwife says
September 23, 2013 at 7:27 pmI would love to see a post on finding the right shades for lamps. I always have that issue with second hand lamps.
Gabriela Eisenhart says
January 24, 2014 at 11:42 amI am a huge fan of brass lamps and love the idea of spray painting the shades. This was an AMAZING find! Great work.
Cindy says
July 30, 2016 at 9:19 amI got the exact same lamp on Craigslist years ago, and have been searching for the correct size shade ever since. Could you please provide the dimensions of your shade? Thanks! Love how it turned out!