A variety of ways to embellish a lamp and shade
Most D.I.Y. emporiums and department stores sell plain lamps shades and bases at a very reasonable price. In fact some well know designers buy from department stores and then decorate for their special clients, putting on their own very large mark up.
The best part about embellishing is that the hard boring work has already been done for you, that is the manufacturing of the shade. All you have to do is the fun part; to decorate. This can be painting in all its forms from high art to humble decorators techniques such as sponging, distressing, verdigris, flicking, stippling, lacquer and gold leaf. An easy way of embellishing is decoupage, the art of cutting and sticking. Turn your lamp into a place on which to stick your theatre or even bus tickets or a place to stick all those holiday mementos or even your household bills. Photocopy sheet music and then age it using a tea bag or just photocopy images from books or use cut outs from magazines. Simple devises such as punching holes round the top and lower brim and then threading with ribbon can look pretty. Sewing such as embroidery, adding buttons or totally re-covering to match the existing decor can all be done without specialist skills. Use up odds and ends of shells or drift- wood or cover in plaster and glittery bits. For those who like to be that little bit different, embellish with plastic flowers and fruit and marabou feathers and fringing.
Painted
Stiff fabric or parchment shades are the usual kind found in department stores and the ideal paint to use on these is acrylic, because fabric and paper accept this paint easily and also because acrylics are available in a wide range of rich colours..
Stamping is an effective way to paint your shade, you can create your own stamps to go with your surroundings. Objects from around the house can be used to stamp, from potatoes to sponges and bottle corks to coiled string.
Paper
There are so many different kinds of paper and ways to use paper to decorate that it is impossible to list them all, but suffice to say that you will have things at home that you will be able to decorate your plain lampshades with.
Decoupage is a craft that in recent years has enjoyed an upsurge in popularity. Paper, glue and varnish are the basics, you can choose from almost any paper you desire.
Old Maps. Are a good decoupage source or even old sailing charts. If you don’t have enough then colour photocopy them. You can use pages from magazines, old stamps, newspaper, even shapes cut from a plain, contrasting coloured paper to decoupage.
Sewing box
Most sewing boxes are full of treasures, many of which may be used to decorate shades these include buttons, ribbons, fringing, pom-poms, sequins, piping, threads and fake flowers or fruit.
You can blanket stitch, tack or hem around the edges of a shade using a brightly coloured string, wool or braid and change its appearance drastically. You may embroider or fake it with sewn badges which appear to have been embroidered. You may applique or again fake it with fabric and glue.
Take an ordinary cream coloured base and matching shade, glue string onto both in complementing swirly patterns. You can write a name or draw a picture with the string and make it specifically as a present for someone. The task can be made simpler by drawing your design onto the shade first, with a light pencil and then following around the line with glue and string.
A very simple way to decorate a shade is to take a hole punch and punch evenly spaced holes along the top and lower edges of the shade and then thread through your choice of ribbon, string or strips of fabric through the holes in a hemming fashion.
Scraps of fabric and odd buttons can be used to transform a shade that you don't like into a work of art, as you can completely disguise the entire thing.
Builder's wall filler
This is a good adhesive material to use as a base to attach shells and driftwood to a base giving a very natural background. If you are working on a wooden base, be sure to seal the porous surface before you apply the builder’s filler , otherwise the wood will soak in the liquid from the builder’s filler and it will crack. Wood glue is a good sealer for this purpose.
This material can look stunning, if it is left until it is almost dry, and then patterns are drawn onto it with a pointed implement, giving a raised, sculptured effect.
Esoteric
When decorating your lamps you can be as simple or as wild as your tastes dictate, look in shops and magazines for inspiration. See what you like and copy, adding your own personal details.
Paint flames up the sides of the shade and base, cover it in padded hearts, attach key rings along the lower edge. It’s your lamp and you can make of it what you will.
Juliet Bawden - Juliet Bawden is a craft & design writer and broadcaster. She has had over 60 books published. She crafts, cooks -gardens and recycles
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