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How to add a harp to a lamp

DIY projects· Home Decor

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This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Lately I have only had time for smaller updates around the house like my hallway I shared on Monday which I still have to paint by the way (click HERE if you missed it). Today is another one of those but it shows how much small changes and update can impact a room and decor.

I’ve always felt like the scale of my lampshades was off on my lamps by the fireplace. I bought the lamp bases originally at Target years ago and still really like them. They didn’t come with the shades but I also bought them at Target. The lamps are plain without any harps to attach different shades that need a harp.

eclectic neutral Christmas fireplace area with DIY pinecone art

leopard pillow HERE | similar plaid pillow HERE | pinecone DIY HERE
similar pom pom throw HERE | fur HERE

When I recently went to HomeGoods and found a pair of black studded shades, I knew they’d be perfect. The scale was perfect and the price at $12.99 each was perfect too. The only problem was that they needed a harp on the lamp base.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the shades I had. Just thought the new ones were a better scale and a nice change.

How to add a harp to a lamp

In my case I needed:
– a harp
– lamp steel pipe
– two light socket 3 way switches

This is what the top of the Target lamp looked like:

 

So what did I do? I explored and took one of the lamp bases apart by loosening the screws on the bottom and the top.

I was hoping to just take off the top, add the harp that I ordered on Amazon (click HERE) and then put it back together. What I didn’t know was that the Target lamp top was glued on. It wasn’t just screwed on, nope…someone had put glue on the screw thread which made it impossible to unscrew again.

So I ordered some more new lamp parts on Amazon: two new lamp steel pipes (click HERE) and two light socket 3 way switches (click HERE). The pipes and sockets screwed on and matched perfectly. Please do consider that if you’d like to attempt the same thing with one of your lamps that you need to buy the correct pipe length. My lamp had a 15″ pipe inside so I bought another 15″ inch pipe. Yours might be completely different.

All I did was thread it all back together on to the new pipe and secure it with the old screws.

How to add a harp to a table lamp

And when it was time to put the electrical parts back together, I watched this video I found on youTube  HERE. There is no need for me to come up with my own video when this one is informative and helpful and just what I needed.

 

Don’t forget to thread the harp on before you put the light socket on.

Add your harp and voila.

And here is the new black lamp shade. I can even go back to the old lamp shade if I feel like it.

throw HERE | fur HERE | rug HERE | pillow HERE | pinecone DIY HERE | black candles HERE | similar star burst HERE | similar blue box HERE

black lamp shade with gold studds

black lamp shade with gold studds

I searched high and low for the same shades online and just couldn’t find them. It’s just another lucky HomeGoods find and I’m sorry I can’t share a link with you guys. But you can totally DIY something like this. THESE shades her are available in black and all you have to do is add some nailhead trim HERE or even better are THESE nailhead stickers so you can space them out like my lamps shade.

How to add a harp to a table lampEASY: How to add a harp to a table lamp

I want to finish this blog post with a quick photo of the tassels I found in my attic when I was purging. Love when that happens. A tassel hoard! What could be better, right?

giant tassel collection

Oh and if you like tassels as much as I do then you might like my giant tassels made from my old sofa tutorial by clicking HERE.

giant leather tassel from old couch

 

Try it if you have a lamp that needs a little something else. Another small change that I want to do is replace the pinecone art (click HERE to see the easy tutorial). I don’t know how much longer I can get away with the wintery/Christmas look of the pinecone. What do you think?
Another small ch

Well that was it for today again.

Tschüß.

(Youleeya)

Previous Post: « Saying Goodbye to my cross hallway
Next Post: my favorite cat carriers »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cassie Bustamante says

    January 25, 2017 at 4:07 am

    i have passed up lamps before that are missing the harps….. because laziness!!! it always seemed like one of those stupid little tasks i didn’t know how to do. so i am glad you shared.

    • Julia says

      January 25, 2017 at 5:36 am

      It really is a pretty easy project. Made it a little harder because I had to replace the pipe. Without that it would have been even easier.

  2. [email protected] says

    January 25, 2017 at 7:37 am

    Love the new shades! And good job figuring out how to make the switch; I would have given up the first time it got complicated πŸ˜‰

    • Julia says

      January 25, 2017 at 12:02 pm

      LOL I was tempted but I like the lamps to I continued πŸ˜‰

  3. Kelley says

    January 25, 2017 at 12:00 pm

    I cannot believe that you posted this on your blog today of all days! I just bought a lamp that I need to add a harp to but wasn’t sure if that was even something that could be done. Thank you. thank you. thank you!

    • Julia says

      January 25, 2017 at 12:02 pm

      Oh that’s awesome! Good luck!

      Julia

  4. Stephanie @ Casa Watkins Living says

    January 25, 2017 at 1:10 pm

    Oh my gosh now I feel foolish for not buying lamps without it! Great tutorial. πŸ™‚

    • Julia says

      January 25, 2017 at 3:30 pm

      Never again πŸ˜‰

  5. Miranda says

    January 26, 2017 at 8:38 am

    It looks like a simple task and easy to do! Love the idea!

  6. aussiebushgirl says

    January 26, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    You’re right, the lamps have a more balanced feel to them now. Good on ya! The artwork is so clever, but you’re right, Christmas is over and it’s time to try something else. Perhaps like cattle, grass prairie, bison…? There’s a lot going on in that little corner, so I guess less is more. πŸ˜‰

  7. Maria says

    February 2, 2017 at 9:02 am

    Look like a small but creative idea for the lamp. It is also easy to do too. I think I will give my lamp a try like this. Thanks for your idea.

  8. Annemiek den Hollander says

    February 2, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    I love tassels. They’re so elegant. Particularly love the ones you made yourself: awesome.

    • Julia says

      February 3, 2017 at 5:51 am

      THANKS so so much

  9. Alex says

    February 5, 2017 at 5:52 am

    Hi Julia, thanks for this ideas. I love when I find a project that turns out to be much easier than anticipated! I feel like such a pro! haha!

  10. Kendra says

    February 7, 2017 at 6:17 am

    I just wanted to say the entire Vintage StyleLiving staff loves your blog! I love the way you walk us through adding a harp and absolutely love what you have done with that room especially the mantle!

    • Julia says

      February 7, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      Thanks

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I’m a German citizen living in the US who is cuckoo for all things DIY, design and pets. This is my design journey of our small home on a budget. Come stay a while and look around.

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