$5 Goodwill Lamp Upcycle—My New Favorite Makeover Technique

The lamp after its paint job

Lamps are one of my favorite things to thrift for my home, and especially since the big, bulbous, 90s-style table lamp silhouette has been trending. It seems like people get rid of these lamps en masse. I almost always see them when I thrift.

But, these lamps are usually the shape I’m looking for, but not the color or finish. They’re usually like a glossy blue, or a dinge-y white. However, I have found the easiest and most amazing way to upcycle them so they look trendy and brand new … and it costs literally nothing.

The secret: paint and baking soda. This actually might be my new favorite DIY trick. You just mix a little bit of baking soda in with whatever paint you’re using (I’ve literally been using leftover wall paint that I have in my garage from past projects, and I mix in about 1 tbsp of baking soda per 1/2 c. of paint), and then you paint it on your lamp (prime it first! I usually use Stix). You end up with a chalky, plaster-like finish that makes literally anything you paint it on look like a high-end sculpture.

Here’s a look at a thrifted lamp I recently upcycled with this technique:

Here’s the lamp in it’s before state.
And a close-up of the after.
The “after” in our living room

I’ve also since used this technique on planters and vases, but I’m sure it would work on things like footed bowls, figurines, etc.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *