Lighting the way

• An old lamp
• Craft knife
• Metal glue
• Paint brush
• Paint, I used Resene Summit Roof Cool Colour (in colour Resene Blue Zodiac) for the metal shade and Resene Black White for the timber base

Instructions

Fabulous light fittings, chandeliers and pendants are a growing trend in our home environment so I thought I would update an old 'frumpy' lamp into something new and modern.

Removing the shade from its base, I used a craft knife to cut away the fabric from its metal frame. While most of it came off cleanly, some of the detailing had been glued onto the frame so required some careful cutting to break the seal between glue and frame. In removing the fabric, I discovered the crown of the shade was a separate piece of metal, so once all of the fabric had been removed and discarded I used a metal glue to adhere it to the main frame.

Once dry I was able to paint the frame my selected colour. While you could use spray paint for this you would need to ensure your spray was consistent to achieve an even painted surface, without bubbles. Either way the key thing is to ensure your selected paint is able to be applied to a metal surface.

After painting the frame I opted for a contrasting colour to paint the timber lamp base. Once the lamp shade was back on its base, and a new bulb in place it became the perfect bedside light – no longer hidden in the cupboard due to its less than desirable aesthetic!

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