Turn An Old Glass Lampshade Into A Beautiful Way To Light Up Your Home

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you're someone who loves thrifting, you've probably stumbled upon vintage and old-fashioned glass lampshades from time to time. These lampshades often feature intricate detailing on the glass, which creates soft, ambient lighting — ideal for a soothing glow. Whether these lampshades strike your fancy or not, there are more ways to put them to use in your home than their original manufacturers intended. If you're looking for a way to revolutionize your home's creative lighting ideas for indoors, you can do so with one of these lampshades — be it basic-looking or ornately decorated — and a vanishingly small amount of effort.

The inspiration for this idea comes from TikTok creator @endlessly.inspired. The influencer takes a vintage lampshade and pairs it with a strand of string lights, which they gather into a compact cluster. They then place the lampshade directly over the string lights, creating a glowing light fixture that is suitable for many surfaces in the home. The video also shows how the top of the lampshade can be treated as a flower vase, creating a luminescent lighting-fixture-meets-floral-arrangement. Comments on the video also echo the genius of the idea, with tens of thousands of likes. While this trick takes very little time to pull off, it certainly makes a splash as a piece of interior decor.

As cute as this little lighting hack is on its own, there are a number of ways to make it reflect your personal style more. If you don't like the color of the glass lampshade, you can switch things up a bit with some frosted spray paint, a secret weapon for glass DIY projects, like this Krylon Sea Glass Spray Paint ($19.99 at Walmart). Remember to always spray paint in a well-ventilated area and wear a mask to prevent accidental inhalation of fumes. If you don't want to spray paint the lampshade, you can personalize the color of the light another way: purchase colored string lights or color-changing lights to put underneath. This can make for a fun statement piece in your home.

As far as where to use this beautiful accent lighting to make your home feel more luxurious, the possibilities are nearly endless. You can place one on an entryway table in the foyer to greet guests with a cheery glow. Position one on your bedside table as a nightlight that brings illumination to your room without being too harsh. If you have a covered patio, install one in this space to set the mood for laid-back evenings with friends this summer. You might be tempted to place one in your bathroom for a spa-like feel; while this is a great idea stylistically speaking, always exercise extreme caution whenever it comes to using electrical devices near water sources. Another option for the bathroom is to pair the lampshade with an LED candle — just double-check the product specs first to ensure it's safe around water.