Give Any Thrift Store Lamp An Elegant Upgrade Using Jars You Can Also Find Secondhand

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Savvy shoppers know to always check thrift stores for vintage lamps, especially if you're on the hunt for a deal and less concerned with the look of the lamp. But even if you find one that works well yet isn't quite to your exact tastes, there is a nifty way to make the lamp work for your space. No matter if you want your table on a lamp next to your sofa or far away from an electrical outlet, this helpful tip will bring decorative lighting right where you need it. It can even work with a thrifted piece that look nice, but has a short or broken cord. You won't need to do any rewiring to make this suggestion work. All you need is some patience for some potential trial and error.

You can give your find a whole new, elegant upgrade without leaving the thrift shop. Take a large vase or ginger jar and remove the top. Then slide in your lamp. In seconds, you have a table lamp that perfectly matches your decor without breaking the bank, and you found a creative and functional way to repurpose a ginger jar. Unless guests look closely, no one will be able to tell the difference. You may need to work to find a jar and lamp that fit together, but when you see the end result in your space, it'll feel worth it.

Pulling off this design can be tricky as you need to find a vase and lamp that fits inside, but there are some things you can do to help. For this reason, it's best to find the vase first because that's the style that you'll be showing off. You want to make sure it's exactly what you want and will fit where you want it. The design of the lamp doesn't matter as much since it'll be concealed anyway.

Once you have that picked out, you'll be set to find the type of table lamp that fits the top. Take your new jar or vase with you when you shop. That way, you can try placing the lamp inside and see if it works. This will take the guesswork out of shopping. If the lamp shade doesn't quite conceal the lid, it's not inherently a dealbreaker. Check first to see if the shade can be removed. If it can, then you can swap in a new one from the thrift store to select the right lampshade for your lamp.

Lighting can be done in several different ways. Depending on the vase's material, you might be able to drill a hole in the base or back of it to fit the plug and cord. This is probably the least-preferred option, as you might crack the vessel. A better option would be to cut the cord entirely and use a battery-operated light bulb. These bulbs do not require an outlet, just a charge as needed, and they can be controlled via app. That gives you the freedom to put your new lamp wherever you'd like without worrying about cord lengths or outlets.