The Genius Thrifted Lamp DIY That Only Requires Paper & Glue

Budget-friendly lamps can often be found among the cluttered aisles of your favorite thrift store. There, you can discover them in a number of shapes, sizes, and styles, and from multiple eras. While they can cost just a few bucks, these lamps may not always be exactly what you're looking for, whether it's the wrong color or an undesirable finish. You can sometimes even find the perfect vintage lamp for your space that just needs a shade upgrade. But if the size and scale is perfect, there is an easy way to upcycle a lamp to create the look you crave. Using some adhesive and some pretty paper, you can transform the look of both the shade and base to fit your needs.

This is a great alternative to many tutorials on covering shades with fabric, which can be trickier to adhere and more expensive to buy.  You will need a paper that is supple and easily able to be molded to your shade or base. This makes thinner papers like tissue paper, wrapping paper, and paper napkins — that bend easily and stick smoothly — better choices to guarantee a flawless decoupage.

To cover the base of the lamp, add a liberal coat of Mod Podge with a brush to the surface. Press down the paper as you go, smoothing with your fingers. It can sometimes help to work in smaller sheets if the pattern allows it. Or create a template by tracing the original lampshade to get it in one full sheet. After you've adhered the paper, trim off any excess at the top and bottom and mold the paper around any edges. Add another coat of Mod Podge to get a smooth finish that will dry clear. Repeat the process with the shade, wrapping the paper around and trimming away excess. Cutting slits at the top and bottom that will allow you to securely wrap the edges to the inside.

There are many excellent ways to customize this creative way to use decoupage in your home, including adding other elements around the shade, like ribbon cording, lace, fringe, or beaded trim for a boho or romantic glam look. Cover the entire lamp in a single pattern or use this as a great chance to mix patterns stylishly on your lamp with combining florals and stripes, or solids and a fun geometric print. You can also work with texture by manipulating the paper with crinkles and grooves. Or use individual strips around the shade to get a stylish pleated look. For a less-permanent new look, you could also use a single sheet of wallpaper cut with a template and double-sided tape to give the shade an upgrade.