Pretty Painted Lampshades

Recently I was completely overwhelmed with the “hunt” for a new lampshade to go in my family/kitchen area. I swear, I must have searched for hours online and even more miles looking for that perfect “find” only to come home tired and empty handed. I didn’t want the run of the mill boring shade, I needed one with pizzazz that represented me as an artist.

So then it hit me, several years back I did an article in Meredith Publication’s magazine, “100 Decorating Ideas” about creating custom lampshades with paint and minimal embellishments. It’s s a simple and easy DIY project for all painter/crafter levels. By painting your own design it allows you to start with a less expensive shade or reuse one that’s the perfect shape and size for your lamp.

These shades have simple motifs that are easily achieved by a steady hand, a good flat brush and acrylic paint on a hard lined shade. To prevent bleeding paint, first create the design with white paint and minimal water to create your pattern. When dry simply fill in the design with color and shading. Let completely dry and presto you have your custom shade. Try adding script or sketches with a paint pen or permanent felt pen for a fun variation to your design.