Tutorial: Thrift Store Lamp Makeover

Finding thrifty treasures is not as hard as many make it out to be. It's just a matter of looking at, for example, a piece of furniture, a lamp, a frame, etc... noticing its shape and details and then imagining it in another color if you are not pleased with its current finish. If the item has potential and you can see that it can easily be painted and transformed into something beautiful, then why not? Amy Howard's One Step Paint is a water-based paint that adheres to almost any surface, including wood, concrete, iron, stone, formica, even brass and so much more.

This brass lamp definitely had potential. The lions on each side are interesting details and we thought it could transform into a beautiful piece.

How-To:

1. Wipe down the lamp’s surface to clear any dust, dirt, etc. Use a degreaser (like Simple Green or Zep) and spray your piece thoroughly. Wipe it clean and allow to dry.

2. We decided to paint our lamp in two colors using Amy Howard's One Step in Barefoot In The Park and a custom blend of chocolate brown. In this case, tape off the edges of the main part of the lamp with painters tape. 

3. Start painting the lamp, letting the first coat dry for about 20 minutes. Brush on a second coat to cover all the way and let it dry again for another 20 minutes. Further details on the painting, waxing and dark waxing processes are found on our previous post, Tutorial: Stool Makeover.

4. Remove the painters tape. 

5. Now tape off the accenting areas of the lamp with painters tape, such as the base of the lamp and the  area which holds the bulb.

6. Paint with your accent color as in Step #3. Remember to paint the finial of the lamp as well.

7. After the lamp is painted well and dried, remove the painters tape. 

8. Now is the time to wax and buff the lamp to give it a smooth, shinier finish. We used Antiquax Original Wax Polish. (The details for waxing are also included in the stool tutorial.)

9. After the light waxing process, its time to use Dark Wax to highlight the details on the lamp. The lions and the ridges are the highlight of this lamp. Brush on a heavy amount of dark wax, then buff, making sure that the dark wax is left behind in the crevices of the details. 

10. And finally, take 10 steps backwards and admire your now finished lamp. "Enjoy the bragging rights!"