How This TikToker Turned A Lace Curtain Into An Elegant Lamp Shade

Lace is a versatile material that can look gorgeous in any home. It can add to a cottagecore aesthetic or contribute to a vintage glam vibe, but it can also get overwhelming. Using lots of contrast is a good way to make lace look fresh in home decor, and experimenting with chic ways to decorate with lace curtains that don't involve windows is a way to play with different contrast levels by incorporating less lace while keeping it as a feature. If lace curtains feel like too much, but you like the look of light-filtering lace, then upgrading an old lamp by replacing its lamp shade with lace, like TikToker onecrafdiygirl does in a video, could be the perfect DIY for you.

For this project, you will need a lamp with a lamp shade that has a wire frame, scissors or a rotary cutter, a lace curtain or piece of fabric, a needle, thread in the color of the lace, bias tape, and a tape measure. The lamp can be any size and shape, but make sure you have enough lace to recover the lamp shade. 

Before beginning the project, make sure that your lace is clean and in good condition, especially if you thrifted it or are repurposing fabric from around your house, as cleaning a flexible curtain is much easier than cleaning a lamp shade. You may be able to spot-clean them, but if they are soiled and are not dry clean only, hand-wash them gently in a bathtub of cold water and 1 tablespoon of mild laundry detergent. Lay them flat to dry. 

To give your old lamp shade a fresh new look, the first thing to do is remove the old lamp shade fabric from its frame by cutting it away from the metal. Be careful not to damage the metal frame during the removal process. Next, drape your lace fabric over the frame, and use pins to secure it to the frame exactly how you want. Using the needle and thread, add stitches to secure the fabric to the frame.

Cutting lace can be tricky, as the threads of the fabric hold it together, and removing them can make the fabric fray or fall apart. When removing the excess fabric from the lamp shade, leave space to tuck the ends into the frame, and try to cut along the pattern of the lace rather than straight across. Adding bias tape along the cut edges of the lace can help keep it together. Finish the lamp shade by tucking the ends into the frame and adding more stitches or using fabric glue to hold them in place.

For more detail, consider adding a ruffle, or trying to use lace panels rather than one sheet of fabric. You may also consider customizing the lamp shade with additional lace appliques. White lace is a classic that can complement nearly any decor, but dying the fabric is always an option, too. If you love the look and the DIY process, you can upgrade even more lamps with lamp shade materials that can transform the energy of your room.