Trashtastic Tuesday- Goodwill Lamp Makeover

Since I started this blog back in late 2012, I have blogged about more DIY projects than I can count. And back in the beginning, of course, I had very few followers. When I look back into my archives, I can clearly see how far my photography skills have come, and this year it is a goal of mine to go back into my archives and update my posts with better pictures. And that got me thinking that there are some great projects that I shared back then most people have never seen, so from time to time, I am going to be taking updated pictures, and sharing some of those older projects with you, because I think they are worth sharing. And this is the first one- my very first Trashtastic Tuesday project that I ever shared! My Goodwill lamp makeover, I hope you enjoy these glimpses I will be sharing back into my archives!

Would you believe that I had NEVER been into a Goodwill store until we moved into this house!?!? As a matter of fact, before that I had no desire to ever step one foot into a Goodwill store. I kept reading about all of these blogger’s awesome finds at Goodwill stores. And since I am trying to bring this 1996 house into 2012, I decided Goodwill was worth a try! And I am so glad that I did! Since that first trip to the Goodwill, I can’t stay away! I go at least once a week, if not twice. And there is always something new! Well, not in the literal sense of the word. It is really someone else’s junk that they didn’t want anymore, isn’t it? But after seeing how all of these bloggers found things at Goodwill, and other stores like it, or even just sitting there with a free sign along someone’s curb, and making things into really cool stuff, I my curiosity was definitely on high alert!

I showed you our new curtains in the master bedroom just last week, did you see them?

I decided that my first Goodwill project was going to be new lamps for my bedroom. The ones I was using were at least 10 years old, and the more I looked at them, the more I hated them! We’ve all been there, right? They were too small, and I was just plain sick and tired of them. I started looking around online at lamps that I liked, and could possibly make myself from Goodwill lamps. I decided that I loved the mirrored look of so many lamps that I saw. So I set out on a mission to find two lamps that would work for my bedroom, and my project. And I scored on my second trip! I had a before picture of the lamps on the original post, but somehow the photo was broken, and I can no longer find it.

They are two different sizes, but the important part is that they were both glass lamps, and they had a similar shape. I did not mind that one was bigger than the other, because my bedside tables are two different heights. One is the nightstand that is part of our bedroom set, and the other is an antique desk that my grandparents gave me back in high school. I love it and I will never part with it. I just knew I could make these work! The bigger lamp was $5.00, and the smaller one was $2.00. Now that is my kind of shopping! I purchased these lamp shades on clearance at Target.

Next I bought some spray paint. My initial plan was to use the Krylon Looking Glass spray paint. But when I went searching for it, I could not find it anywhere. I have this problem very often. That is the downfall of living in a small town with not a lot of options. I could have ordered it, but I had a rare day off from work, I had planned to this project, and it was “THE DAY”. I settled for a metallic spray paint I found at AC Moore for $8.99. In the end it did not give me the same mirror look, but I am still happy with the results. I also used Rustoleum Universal Metallic spray paint in Satin Nickel on the brass parts for a contrast.

Here is how I did it:

I taped off the parts of the lamp that I didn’t want painted with painter’s tape. Things like the place where the bulb goes, and the electric cord. I actually put a Wal-Mart bag around the cord and taped it up. I laid everything out on a drop cloth in the garage. I used 4 very light coats of spray paint, giving each coat time to dry to the touch. It really was very simple. I found the lampshades at Target on clearance for $4.99, and they were almost exactly what I was looking for. If you look at the top lamp picture, you will see a picture frame sitting on the bedside table. It was an antique gold, so I went ahead and gave it a few coats of the same satin nickel from Rust oleum. So there you have it! Super cheap and chic bedside lamps that look so much more expensive than what they cost me!

You can read more about the best bargain I ever got, which was our bedding, here.

I am so happy that you joined me today for Trashtastic Tuesday! I usually write a Trashtastic Tuesday post every other week, so check back for more projects if you like this one! You can also stalk all of my Trashtastic Tuesday posts by clicking here.

Have a fantastic Tuesday!