Turn An Old Pot Lid Into A One-Of-A-Kind Lampshade

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Disc-shaped and concave, an old pot lid is enough to make a DIYers creative gears spin. There are endless hacks for repurposing a lid with no matching pot. In the same way that nearly anything can become a lamp, a castoff pot lid is just the thing you need to craft mood lighting that will steep your space in the right feels.

Of course, most types of bulbs can work with a lid-turned-lampshade, but dedicating this upcycled lampshade to colorful, mood-enhancing lighting gives it extra purpose. Mood lighting is a simple way to make a space more versatile, fun, and just right for your state of mind. Differing colors, brightness, and warmth or coolness can play their part in helping you work, relax, and generally color your space's ambiance.

A pot lid makes a better conversion into a pendant lampshade than for a floor or tabletop lamp. The best types of lid are metal and have a center-mounted handle attached with a separate screw. Electrify your lid with a kit like this LYOOWNG Plug In Pendant Light Cord; it's inexpensive and a bit more interesting than a plain black or white cord. Set aside a drill to make a hole for the cord in the handle and enlarge the hole on the lid. To reattach the drilled-out handle to the lid, an ultra-strong, multi-surface glue like E6000 will work wonders. And for the most important detail, pick up LED bulbs like these Govee Smart Color Changing Light Bulbs.

Start by unscrewing the handle from the lid. Check to see if the screw hole in the lid is wide enough to fit the lamp cord through. In the likely chance that it doesn't, fit your drill with a bit that's slightly wider than the cord, and drill out a larger hole. Drilling holes into metal can be tricky, but the lid's existing screw hole will save some trouble by acting as a pilot hole. Flip the handle upside down and drill through its top by means of the existing screw shaft.

While the drill is out, you can use it to create a pattern of holes around the lid to let lovely colorful light through. If you do this, use a marker to plot out where you'll make the holes beforehand. A tape measure could also come in handy for planning the best spacing for the holes. After drilling, give both the lid and the handle a wash with soap and water.

Edge the underside of the lid handle with E6000, and press it over the screw hole in the lid. Take care to line the hole through the lid's handle perfectly with the screw hole, and let the glue dry and cure for at least 24 hours before handling it. (72 hours will provide the strongest hold.) Follow your pendant lamp kit's instructions for how to remove and reattach the socket from the cord so you can send it through the lid and handle. Screw in a color-changing bulb, and your lamp is ready to set any mood you want in your space.

Is your potless lid of the glass variety? Clear lids can also become hanging mood lamps! Forget making holes in a handle or dealing with drilling into glass. Simplify the process by hanging the lid from the handle with a cord or chain. You can also save lots of steps by attaching a self-adhesive puck light like this remote-operated Bg Monster Waterproof Rechargeable Color Mood Lighting. (You can also do this with a metal lid.) 

Colorful light shining through plain glass has its charms, but a coating of frosted glass spray paint will diffuse the light. Check out our tips on how to safely use frosted glass spray before you go this route. Glass pot lids take beautifully to decoupage. Decorative tissue paper or patterned napkins affixed with Mod Podge are top choices, since the unfolded sheets are often large enough to cover the inner surface of the lid completely.

Topping standing lamps with pot lid mood lighting isn't totally out of the question. The tricky part of this combo is that the pot lid won't hide the bulb and lamp fittings unless you're able to angle the shade. Lamps with harps often have adjustable screw-top attachments for the shade that could allow you to hold the shade in a tilted position. The pot lid's weight might make it hard, or impossible, to both hold this position and keep the lamp upright. Some E6000 dabbed on the tilted hardware should solve that problem, but definitely test the lid-topped lamp's balance before uncapping the glue.