Upcycle Old Thrift Store Lampshades Into Stunning Planters With A Clever DIY

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If you're a plant lover, you know you can never have too many planters. While there are plenty of ways to repurpose items in your home as adorable planters, making them out of items you wouldn't even think of just adds to the pleasure and excitement of welcoming yet another plant into your collection. No doubt, you're always looking for inspiration when you're at the thrift store, but there's an idea from TikTok user Ephemera Terrariums that's so simple, you'll wonder why you didn't think of it yourself. The creator uses an old glass lampshade that she scored at the thrift store for $4.99 and inverts it to make the cutest planter. It's just one of the ways to repurpose a thrift store glass lampshade and turn it into something useful and beautiful.

Now there's something else for you to look out for when you're busy thrifting! For the planter, you want to select a glass or ceramic lampshade that will easily stand up when it's flipped upside down. You're also going to need a plastic nursery pot that's the same diameter as the hole in the lampshade, a pair of scissors, and some super glue. To ensure the bond is really secure, as it's going to come into contact with soil and water, you might like to use some E6000 Plus Multi-Purpose Clear Glue, which is also waterproof, instead.

This process is so easy, it won't take you long at all. In fact, you'll spend longer waiting for the glue to dry than assembling your planter. To start with, take your scissors and cut out the base of the plastic nursery pot (the part with the drainage holes), leaving just an inch-high rim. Place this inside the upside-down lampshade to cover the hole entirely. This will stop the soil from falling out but will still let water drain through. As an alternative, you could use a few pieces of screen to cover the hole or even a piece of Sunyay Natural Coconut Coir Liner. Make sure that you glue this down, no matter what you choose to use.

@ephemera_terrariums

Let's turn a thrifted lampshade into a beautiful, functional, and one of a kind planter! ♻️🌿☀️ Requires... • a lampshade (thifted mine for $4.99) • a plastic nursery pot (all plant people have an embarrassing amount of these right 🥸) • scissors • strong glue of your choice • patience (for the glue drying) Give it a try yourself! This activity is fun, cost-effective, and takes just a few minutes! It made a great gift for a friend's birthday! (I also gifted her a thrifted glass tray to set under her new plant🪴) Any questions? Leave a comment! #planttok #smallbusiness #shopsmall #plantshop #supportlocalbusinesses #plants #terrariums #plantlove #dfw #fortworth #thriftythursday #diy #thrift #sustainable #reducereuserecycle

♬ delulu – NESYA

Once that's done, you just need to wait for the glue to dry completely before filling your new planter with potting mix and adding a gorgeous plant. While this will look absolutely stunning on its own, you don't have to stop there if you don't want to. You can easily add a few more embellishments to make your planter truly unique. Since you already have some strong glue, why not find some pretty shells or flat glass marbles to stick around the outside of the planter? Or, you could grab some Artistro Glass Acrylic Paint Markers to add some artwork to your planter before filling it. Oh, and while you're thrifting for the shade, keep your eye out for a pretty glass tray that will fit perfectly under it as a saucer to catch any water drips. If this project has you scouring thrift stores for glass lampshades, you might even like to turn one into an ornate flower vase, which will complement all your new planters.