Floor Lamp Makeover in Minutes

Not all home updates or makeovers take a lot of time.  Today, I’m sharing a floor lamp makeover that took me about 30 minutes!

I’ve had this lamp for a while in my living room.  I purchased it when this space was mostly white and light gray.  It was a very cottage style look.  And, the driftwood finish of this lamp worked perfectly with the style of the space.  But, as my style has evolved, the look of this room has changed.  The white slipcovered sofa was replaced by the vintage french sofa that I reupholstered.  You can see that process in this post.  

Then, the faux mantel went from white to black.  And, the white shiplap was  painted a moody green shade.  But, the lamp remained the same.  As I was looking through photos from my 2020 summer home tour, I noticed the disconnect.  The finish of the lamp just didn’t work well with the look of the rest of the room.

Decor tip:   Look at your home through the lens of your camera.  Take photos and look at them.  we get used to just living in our homes and don’t always notice when things could be styled better.  But, seeing a picture of a space helps you to really see the details.

I did think about getting a new lamp.  Something brass with a white shade.  But, then I decided to give the floor lamp makeover with paint and a new shade.  I had the paint on hand, so that equals free!!!  And, a new white drum shade from HomeGoods was just $16.99!  That’s quite a bit less than the cost of a new floor lamp!

And, it only took me about 30 minutes to paint two coats on the floor lamp!  For projects like this, I like to use a long handled artist brush.  I usually pick up a variety pack of inexpensive arts and crafts brushes from Hobby Lobby or Walmart that I pull from for this kind of small project!  And, they are usually under $10 for a variety pack.  I think the long handles provide more control and they are so easy to clean up after a small job like this one!

It’s a small project, but I feel like the change is dramatic!  The lamp now fits perfectly in the living room!