MrsMommyHolic: DIY Lampshade Makeover

Monday, September 24, 2018

DIY Lampshade Makeover

Lamps are a great way to accessorize any room. And customizing the shade with fabric is a great way to add color or pattern to the space.

I've had this pair of white lamps (from Regalong Pambahay) for close to 7 years already. I love the white body but as you can see, the shade has turned yellow and looks super dirty already. Instead of throwing them out or even buying new shades, I decided to try covering them with fabric first.

I was able to buy this fabric from IG seller @telabizmnl for P120/yard. It's woven cotton and I super love the chinoiserie design. I just got 1 yard so I was praying it would fit the lamps, and luckily it did.

Researching beforehand any DIY really helps, so I watched a bunch of Youtube videos first to see how others did it. Anyway, I placed the lampshade on the fabric and traced the shape of the top and bottom edges, rolling the shade as you go from one side to the other.

You'll end up with a curved shape like this. If you have cloth like mine which isn't a repeating basic pattern (like floral or polka dots) make sure to position the design you want to be seen in the middle of the lampshade.

I added about 1" all around the top, bottom, and sides of the pattern and cut it out. I liked how the 2 pieces of cloth didn't look exactly the same. If your fabric is wrinkled, it might help to iron it as well.

I didn't have adhesive spray or fabric glue so I tried using double sided tape to stick the cloth to the lampshade.

I cut small slits in the areas with the metal parts so the fabric will lay flat on the shade.

For some reason, the other double sided tape I used didn't ahere that well (maybe it was less sticky than the first one?) so I ended up using a hot glue gun which also worked. Just go around section by section until you've covered the entire shade. I also kept smoothing the fabric and made sure I pulled it tight when sticking it to the lampshade.

And there you have it! Here's a before and after shot so you can appreciate the transformation.

I have a black and white striped accent wall, so I think the blue chinoiserie print works especially since it matches perfectly with my white and blue table.