DIY decorating: The trick to a stylish lamp for less than $7

our lamp, post revamp

While there are some twentysomethings with a six-figure salary, our homestead lives up to the adage "our humble abode." And yet, I'm thankful for this. I'm thankful that we're having to learn to watch our money and spend wisely and learn to make do (and be content) with what we have.

So we've had to get creative with our house, finding new and inexpensive ways to furnish or fix our place up and still keep it inviting in the process. I wanted to share one of our crafty fixes with you here.

First up, is our living room lamp.

We have an overhead lamp, but there's something about the glow of a lampshade that I find soothing and I love to read by. I went shopping to a few different places, but I figured that if I was going to spend a chunk of change on a lamp, I wanted to love it and be able to keep it for a few years. Nothing I found fell into that category, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

It was pretty simple, really. I went to our local thrift store and found an ugly, tarnished brass lamp without ashade on sale for $3 with working wiring. I thought the shape looked suitable and along the lines of what I had in mind so I decided to give it a try.

I picked up some silver/chrome spray paint. (Note that it isn't shiny like the cover conveys, but will show up as a more matte shade.) Using old grocery bags and packing tape, I made sure to cover up the electric cord and top where the lightbulb screws in. Then: Shake. Rattle. Roll. Let your newly spray-painted creation metamorphasis (and dry) over night and you're good to, all for less than $10 total. (I believe the spraypaint was about $3, and the lampshade was an extra my mom had stored in the basement, so that was a freebie.)

(For other inspiring examples of ways folks have recycled or reclaimed household goods, check out the "Before & After" section at design*sponge.)

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