Can you paint a lampshade

Here's the easiest and most effective way to paint a lampshade. This project adds a fun twist to a painted shade and would be especially cute in a child's bedroom. This appears to be a simple white shade when the lamp is off, but once it's turned on, the shadows inside create a subtle bar code effect. Very cool. Home Decor More ». We've received a number of questions from fans asking how to customize plain, old lampshades.

So we put our heads together and came up with some crafty ways to turn simple shades into something special! Matchy-Match A lampshade that perfectly matches a wall colour can be very chic. Once you have added the lightest color around the entire shade, add a second color.

Use the same paper towel technique to blend the excess color into the surrounding fabric. Expect that the watercolors will be unpredictable and organic in how they drip, bleed, and blend on cloth. This painted lampshade technique is highly customizable because you can choose the number of colors you want to add. The more layers you add, the more dimension the finished result will have.

If you want your colors to mix evenly, consider brushing a small section of the fabric with a layer of clean water before painting. Once the lampshade is entirely painted, add some darker colors. Paint the darker shades on top of the existing paint and blend it into the lighter colors using water. If an area is too dark, wet a paintbrush with clean water and lift away some of the tint.

Much like coloring books for adults have become a relaxing, meditative hobby, this painting technique is similarly zen. After several layers, put the lampshade down, take a few steps back, and see if you are content with the result. The idea isn't to paint between the lines but to create a blotted, beautiful mix of colors.

You might need to wait until the paint is fully dry to see what it looks like. Once dry, you might see spots needing some work. Painting with watercolor is a forgiving process; there's no harm in adding more paint at any point. You can use other water-based paints, acrylics, or spray paint. Each has its merits and drawbacks.

The type of paint you use should depend upon the time you want to spend on the project, the style or look you want to achieve, and the level of detail or complexity you want to add to the project.

If you want to go with a solid color and complete the project quickly, grab a can of spray paint. Paint one coat, let it dry, mount it, turn on the light and see if you missed any spots. You'll likely need two even coats. This method will require goggles and a respirator, and if possible, you should do this project outdoors due to the fumes and finely atomized paint particles.

You can also make an ombre shading effect using water-based furniture paint, mixing it with water and thinly painting it on with a paintbrush until you reach the desired result. Use a fine misting spray bottle to facilitate the bleed of the color and use gravity by turning the lampshade upside down or vice versa to draw the color in the direction you want.

Fabric paint is another great option. It's made of an acrylic polymer that bonds to cloth and will stand up to some abuse from dusting and heat from a hot light bulb. It should not crack or fade. You can go heavy with it or lightly apply it, depending on your design idea. Acrylic spray paint works best to paint any type of lampshade. Let the lampshade dry, then attach it to the lamp and turn it on.

Let the lampshade sit for at least hours until it is completely dry. Put it back on the base of the lamp, screw the lightbulb back in if you took it off, and turn the lamp on. Take it off and add another coat of paint if there are any uneven spots or if you are not happy with how it looks yet. Apply the 2nd coat in the same direction as the 1st. Paint the shade by hand with a paintbrush if you want to avoid using spray paint.

Prepare the lampshade and your work area the same way as you would for spray paint. Put some acrylic, chalk, or fabric paint in a paint tray or plastic cup and use a small flat paintbrush to apply an even coat to the shade. Test the lampshade on the lamp once the paint is dry and apply more coats until you are happy with the finished look. Using chalk paint will give the finish an aged, chalky appearance. You can experiment by watering it down a bit to give the finish different looks.

Acrylic paint will give your lampshade the most solid looking coat. Fabric paint is similar to acrylic paint, but it will have a less stiff-looking finish since it is designed specifically to soak into fabric easily. Method 2. Detach the lampshade from the lamp. Unscrew the lightbulb and any other pieces that are holding the lampshade in place. Lift the lampshade off and set it down on a flat surface.

Use a flexible tape measure and a pencil to measure and mark out the stripes. Use a vinyl tape measure that can wrap around the lampshade. Decide how you want to space your stripes and make a mark at every interval with a pencil. The kind of tape measure that tailors use is the best for measuring around the lamp. Fold the tape over the edges at the top and bottom of the lampshade to protect them. You can use different sizes of tape to cover larger and smaller areas, or to create stripes of different widths.

For tapered lampshades, you may want to trim the tape so it also comes to a tapered point at the top. Cover a flat work surface with old newspapers or other paper.

A table or desk that you will be able to sit down at is the best work surface for painting a lampshade by hand. Lay out layers of old newspapers or normal paper to completely cover the surface. These paints are meant for art projects and other indoor projects. Put the lampshade on top of the newspapers or paper.

Place the shade in the middle of the covered work area. Rotate it so that whatever stripe you want to paint first is facing you. Try to paint during the day when there is natural light, or make sure you have plenty of bright artificial light. Use a flat paintbrush and acrylic paints to paint the stripes. Squeeze out some of the acrylic paint color you want to use onto a paper or plastic plate, or into a paper or plastic cup. Use a flat brush that is at least 1 in 2.

Acrylic paint will work on lampshades made of any material. Get paintbrushes of different widths if you want to make different sizes of stripes easily. Keep in mind that lighter colors will allow more light to shine through the lampshade.