Before and After: Thrift Store Lamp

This is a lovely brass lamp.

Maybe someone, somewhere, still enjoys a nice, shiny brass lamp, but me? I’m looking for more subtle lamp bases. Specifically, I’ve been looking for a black lamp to go in the living room after my “mini-makeover” last spring.

It needed to be pretty big, and I’ve found those come with a pretty big price tag, even at Target. So I when I found this brass baby at the thrift store a few weeks ago, I picked it up right away based on it’s size, the nice shape of the base and the quality. It even came with a finial!

Alas, it was not part of the 1/2 price sale that was going on, so I had to pay a whopping $9.99 for it, but…um, did I mention I’ve been looking (admittedly, not wholeheartedly) since last spring?

I took advantage of a rare sunny day at this time of the year to spray paint it outside. I taped off the socket and the cord. The lamp had a socket cover that came off so I could spray paint that, too.

Wouldn’t want anyone to sit on the couch and see shiny brass under the lamp shade.

I used a black paint that was a store brand. They didn’t have a Satin finish, but they did have a finish called “Semi-Flat” which I’d never heard of before. I took a chance and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just their way of saying “satin.”

It only took about two coats. I sprayed light coats to minimize runs, but I love the new paints that have the special nozzles that lessen the chance of having runs. They work great.

I know I probably should have sprayed some kind of primer coat first, but I didn’t. *blush* Hopefully, it will still wear well. I’m happy to report there’ve been no problems in the three weeks it’s been in use.

And here’s the finished lamp in the living room (sorry about the lighting- this room is on the northern side…sigh). I think the black really highlights the details on the base.

And that cool hexagon lamp shade? I found it on the shelf next to the lamp at the thrift store- in perfect condition (a miracle for shades) for only $5.99!

Honestly, I couldn’t believe how good they worked together, so there was no way I was leaving them when I found out they weren’t part of the half-priced sale.

I thought I’d include a picture with the lamp turned on so you could see the “semi-flat” finish better- it really is the perfect finish. I’m very happy with how it turned out.

Cost Breakdown:

• Lamp base, $9.99
• Spray paint, $2.99 (only used half, though, so $1.50)
• Shade, $5.99
• Total: $17.50

So, what do you think? Did I spend too much? I always think I should be able to find things cheaper, though I’m not sure I could’ve found this quality and size for under $20 dollars…

-Jami

This is linked to:
Power of Paint Wednesdays
Show and Tell Wednesday
Make It Yours Day
Transformation Thursday
Strut Your Stuff Thursday

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