This DIY Mom's Diary: Light up the Batcave!! Lamp shade Redo.

My entry way is really dark, like Batcave dark! I can't stand not having light and with no windows or light fixtures the solution looked pretty dim (sorry Jerm always says I think I am funnier than I really am). I have been looking around for two matching, decent looking tall lamps to place in there but I couldn't find anything forever. When the price was right the look was way off, or the ones that looked really great had a really ~~nice~~ big price. I was annoyed and believed that we would forever feel that we were coming home from a long day of solving crime (with none of the benefits like lots o money or cool gadgets) due to the entry way. The other day I finally found some lamps that had a decent look to them, I loved the simplicity, the lamp shades were a great shape, and $12.00 for the pair were at a perfect price. The downfall....lamp shades were white! I am not a fan of white, it's not a comfortable color for me or our house (we like fall pallets) So I decided I would DIY those lamps into our perfect ones!

There are two of these, but I messed up the second one a little and need to go back and fix it. Oh yeah, and that wood paneling is on the list of things I want OUT of this house!

Supplies:

Lamp shades of your choice
Base Paint color of choice (mine is Craft Smart's "Terra Cotta") bought it @ Michaels
Stencil (optional) Mine is a Martha Stuart one I bought at Home Depot
Alternate color (if using stencil) same paint but in "Wine" this time
Foam brush

Total Cost: The $12.00 I spent on the lamps, I had everything else from previous projects!

But...Paint per bottle a little over $1.00, stencil $3.99, Foam brushes $0.50 if you don't have them on hand! So the total cost of this project with out buying a lamp shade would cost about $7-$8 depending on the stencil!

Step 1:

I simply removed the lamp shade from the lamp post and set it on my work space, easy peasy right!

Step 2:

I then painted the lamp shade using the foam brush, my lamp shade had a little bit of a texture to it, so I painted against the grain. I really liked how that brought more of the texture to it. I didn't cover it evenly all the way around, you can see where it is lighter in spots. You don't have to do this, I just liked the way it looked.

Step3:

This is optional! Using a tape measure measure the lamp shade's width and length. Find the center of the lamp shade and mark it. This allows you a center to place your stencil. (you don't want it to be off center, or maybe you do! Your call!)

Step 4:

Tape the stencil down securely to where you want it. I used the blue painters tape, because it comes off well, but hold things in place.

Step 5:

Add the accent color by dabbing it on the stencil, be CAREFUL not too much as you see down here! Way too much, this is a picture of the one I now have to fix because I used to much paint and the lines blurred!

Finished Product!

And there it is my new lamp shade for the lamps to light up my Batcave like entry way!

I am thinking about painting the lamp poles black, just because it is a common accent color in our house, and I don't think the steel look works with all my wood furniture!