Ugly thrift store find lamp makeover
Two weeks ago I drove by the Salvation Army with my son and decided to stop in again. While I was browsing the lamps, I got really excited when I spotted two matching and crazy ugly lamps. I showed them to my son because I immediately had a lamp makeover in mind.
Me: “Look at these lamps, I want them!”
Son: “Oh, they are freakin ugly. They are the ugliest lamps I have ever seen!”
Me: “I love them.”Him: “You are not buying them, we have no room!”
So we left. That night I kept dreaming about the awesome ugly lamps and guess what? I went back the next day and THANK YOU they were still there.
I grabbed them and bolted to the register. I was so full of joy (I’m serious)! The lady at the register looked at me like I had two heads. And I giggled: “Aren’t they so ugly?”
She looked at me again and asked: “Well do you want them now or what?”
Me: “Well of course I do, how couldn’t I?”
(Update: Several years have passed since I made over these lamps. Someone who loved these lamps bought them from me. I have to admit that if I would see them at a store now, I would still buy them but would give them a different makeover. I don’t think they are as ugly as I thought they were when I first saw them. I’d love to strip the wood and give them a more boho makeover now. Regardless, I still love the first makeover too.)
This is where I have to explain my lamp addiction which was I guess was passed down from my mother who has (and I made her count) 22 lamps in her house. She’s had mostly the same lamps for the past 40 years but I like adding and moving them around. Lamps are expensive, so I can’t argue with Salvation Army when they are selling ugly lamps for $4.
What I love about these two lamps is that they have a great shape and are very big. I love big things (stop it, I know what you are thinking), I’m talking decor here.
They reminded me of Jonathan Adler lamps. I love him!
Unique Painted Lamp Makeover
This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
View my full disclosure policy.
While I’m always drawn to painting things white (I guess it has to do with the effect that snow has on me. I just love it when the earth is covered in this clean, calm white), I had to try to at least change it up a little bit. And if you have checked out my blog before then you know that I’m also really in love with stripes.
Supplies used to paint the lamps
- TSP Cleaner
- Kilz Spray Primer
- Rustoleum
- painters tape
- tack cloth
Quick and easy instructions for lamp makeover
Tip: You might also want to check out my blog post about how you can tell if a lamp is real brass before painting it. Or if your thrift store find is missing a harp for the lamp shades, you can see how easy it is to add one in my blog post HERE.
So I cleaned, taped, and primed the lamps. I love using TSP Cleaner to degrease and clean first, followed by running a tack cloth over the surface to make sure no dust specks are left anywhere.
Kilz Spray Primer is my go to spray primer. It really helps the actual spray paint stick better and I never get any annoying bubbling and cracking of the spray paint either. Just make sure to shake the can really well and long before evenly spraying it over what you want to prime.
After that I gave the lamps two coats of white Rustoleum spray paint.
I had some different shades of grey left and after some more taping, spray painting, and these fabulous Target shades (I always buy shades when I see a great cheap pair at a store), this is the lamp makeover I came up with:
Aren’t they awesome? Or is it just me? I love them even more now and nobody has called them ugly since. My mission is accomplished!
Do you get as excited as I do about ugly decor?
Thanks for stopping by, you know I appreciate it!
Tschüß,
Your fabulous re-dos are inspiring! So glad I found your blog. All from a Google search “how to refinish brass lamps”
Thank you so much!
Yes, they are awesome! With their great shape, I knew they were going to look great painted.
I would have never guessed you could make something so pretty from something so hideous! I love it w/the pink!
PS…you might want to turn off your word verification. You might get more comments. Sometimes bloggers don’t realize it’s on. I didn’t until someone informed me. Just sayin.
Thank you! I didn’t know that it was turned on and changed that right away 😉
Beautiful job – and I absolutely love the dresser they are sitting on!
Your newest follower – would love to have you come by and follow back
( when you can )
Big hugs,
Suzan
Thank you!
fabulous job Julia I have a lamp habit too lol
Thanks so much! Lamps, shoes and purses, right? LOL
Love them! I love to get a lamp and spray paint…I’m running out of room!
Thanks 😉 and me too! No room!
WOW! you had some serious vision with these! they look awesome!
Thank you so much! Love your blog!
Just saw these featured on Better After and wanted to say how fabulous I think they are. Great job!
Thank you so much!
Me too, Julia….just seen you on Better After. I plan on setting some time aside to browse through your archives. Can’t wait! Looking forward to following your journey. H 🙂
Love! Now I feel the urge to go searching for ugly lamps! 🙂
Thanks and good luck with your search 😉
Julia, LOVE it! so happy you entered The Next Hone Show Designer Contest! Welcome
Thank you so much for coming over!
Hi. First visit to your blog – love it. How did you achieve that silver finish on the dresser? thanks.
Thanks!
I guess I will have to write a post about the silver dresser. I have gotten so many requests!
I think you are so clever and creative. You inspire me!
I actually was just considering this particular.. if you find out there
let me personally realize.. thank you!
my site; rapid fat burning product
How amazingly awesome are those?!?! Love it!! I just bought some ugly lamps at a garage sale for $1 a piece. I can’t wait to fix them up!
Thank you Carmen!
I love the lamps, I wish I had your “vision” to see ugly things transformed into something great!
Thanks so much Debby!
Great find, they are awesome!
Great find, they are awesome!
Thank you. So many people have told me they like the before better 🙁
This is my first visit to your site… and I’ll be back. Those lamps turned out fantastic. I was truly surprised.
Thanks so so much!
Great idea, very smart and sophisticated.
Great idea, very smart and sophisticated.
Thanks
As I type, I have a huge, ugly as sin brass lamp in my living room waiting for a coating of spray paint. And there’s a freshly painted lamp in my bedroom. I’ve been doing this for years, even repainting some mid-century Stiffel lamps – the brass was starting to pit after years in Florida humidity. Love giving new life to old things!
That’s awesome
These turned out great and great buy as well.
Thanks Vanessa!
this might be a dumb question but what kind of primer and paint do you use? wall paint? craft paint?
Not a dumb question at all Nicole, I probably should add to this post that I use Kilz spray primer for almost everyone of my projects and then I use spray paint. Pretty much any spray paint will do 😉 Hope that helps!
you are great at tutorials. thanks for sharing this one! you might enjoy my post on ugly lamps: http://sosylvie.typepad.com/so_sylvie/2013/02/ugly-beauty-the-john-lurie-effect.html
Hey, I’m just curious as to what kinds of paint and primers you used. Did you use any specific kinds, or did you just use what you had? Thanks!
Hi, my favorite primer to use for these types of projects is Kilz adhesion primer or regular Kilz primer. Hope that helps.
Thank you
I’m beyond words! You’re a genius to turn them out like that!
Oh well thank you Nancy!