The Easy Way To Give Your Cheap Standing Lamp A Luxurious Upgrade

A standing lamp is perfect for placing in a corner to light up the room. Yet, unless you score a nice one at a garage sale or thrift shop, it can cost a pretty penny to find one that's as attractive as it is functional. Another option is buying an inexpensive version at your local home goods store. You can find several basic options for under $20. You might even have one of these cheap floor lamps in your home or garage already. They're very common and excellent for teen rooms, college dorms, and offices. Sure, they serve their purpose, but they are very basic items and far from stylish. You can change all that, though, with a super easy trick that involves a lampshade — simply balance the lampshade on top of the current shade. It's a great way to upgrade your home on a budget since the results are gorgeous.

Torchiere-style floor lamps work best with this trick — they have a wide, flat top where the new lampshade can balance easily. Just don't use an old halogen lamp or any lamp that produces heat — the heat from the bulb can get trapped by the shade and cause a fire hazard. After you get your hands on a lamp, the next step is to find a lampshade that speaks to you — whether you like a bright design or prefer a soft vintage look. For added savings, try finding a shade secondhand or in the clearance section of a store. If you can only find a very plain shade, that's okay, too — you can easily give a thrifted lampshade new life with a few extra steps.

Cheap floor lamps like these typically have a bowl or funnel-like shade already on them. This hack isn't about actually taking that shade off — it's more about how easy it is to put a normal lampshade on top of it to hide the plain original shade. It doesn't matter that there isn't a way to screw the lampshade on, as it can sit nicely on the other one, with the metal bars holding it in place. It's the simplest trick, but it can make the lamp look so much prettier — even a little luxurious, if you choose the right shade. Just be sure to measure your lamp to choose a shade that will fit on top and cover the existing shade completely.

If you don't have any luck finding a lampshade with some pizazz at a secondhand store (and that's what you prefer), then upgrade a plain one with a DIY project. You can easily change up a boring lamp shade by covering it with a patterned fabric, which you can also purchase at a thrift store. Or, you can dye it your favorite color or give it an antique look by creating a stain out of teabags and painting it on. You can also add details to the bottom of the shade by using materials like fringe, rope, or a cord. All of these are inexpensive projects that elevate a plain shade, which makes your cheap standing lamp much more fabulous, too.