11 Simple DIY Lamp Projects that Can Make a Huge Impact

Light Reading

Use damaged or discarded books and a lamp kit to build this literary light. Drill a hole slightly bigger than the rod in your lamp kit through the center of each book until you get the height you desire. Stack the books on the rod, and follow the instructions on the kit for assembling the lamp. Use books that follow a theme, whether it's a similar color scheme or books by the same author. Cover a self-adhesive lampshade with decorative paper or book pages to complete.

Spray-Paint a Lamp

Sometimes a lamp has a great shape, but a terrible finish. Here's how to remedy a diamond in the rough like this with spray paint. Watch and see how!

Stack It Up

Make a statement by piling bracelets on a lamp base. A hodgepodge of wood, metal, and plastic bangles turns an ordinary lamp into a custom creation. Slide bracelets onto the lamp base, gluing with Liquid Nails as you go. If you like the arrangement of color and style, let the glue dry, add a lampshade, and you’re done. To get a crisp, clean look, try masking off one colorful bracelet and spraying the rest of the bracelets and the base with primer, then with semigloss white paint.

Around the World

Explore new uses for old maps. Use spray adhesive to attach a map to a plain lampshade. Then glue coordinating grosgrain ribbon around the top and bottom edges to finish.

Related: How to Decorate with Items You Always Find at a Thrift Store

Wool Crazy

This shapely lamp base enjoys a cozy cover of felted wool. To cover a sphere-shape lamp base, measure the height and the circumference, then cut a rectangular piece of felted wool to size. Wrap it around the object with right side in, and pin evenly spaced darts at the top and bottom. Remove, sew darts, then sew the piece into a tube. Turn right side out and slip over the lamp. Using heavy-duty thread, hand-stitch a running stitch at the top and bottom and pull to cinch tight, then tie off at the back. Knitted wool flowers and leaves create sweet and simple embellishments.

Related: Learn More About Felting

Squared Off

Dress up a drum shade with this pretty geometric treatment. Gather paint chips in your desired color palette, and use a square punch to make the colors a uniform shape and size. Lay the squares facedown on a piece of cardboard one section at a time, and coat them with spray adhesive. Begin applying the paint chips to the top center section of the lampshade, and work your way down and around, being mindful of color placement. When you reach the bottom row, trim squares to fit the remaining space before adhering to the lampshade.

Build Your Own Floor Lamp

Build a floor lamp out of wood and twine to get a simple, natural look. Click the link below to get started.

Light Waves

Add a splash of personality to a plain white lampshade. Moisten a large paintbrush with water, and sweep a wavelike pattern around the bottom of the shade. Tap wet paint into the pattern with a soft round watercolor brush. (Use watercolor paint for paper lampshades and fabric paint for fabric shades.) The paint will bleed to the edges of the moistened area. After the paint dries, dot the wave with more paint in alternating colors. For dots that blend, paint them with edges touching.

Related: This DIY Watercolor Art Is Perfect for Beginners

Gilded Style

Gold is a shining star in decor—it's a surprisingly warm metallic that enhances nearly any palette. Add style that shines by gluing or tying gold ribbon around a lampshade for added flair. Different ribbon thicknesses add variety to the look.

Woven Shade

Baker's twine gives a white lampshade a colorful and fresh look. Wrap vertical bands of twine around the shade. Knot the twine ends inside the base of the shade to hide them. Then add the horizontal bands, weaving them under and over the vertical bands.

BONUS: DIY Chandelier

Ready to move on from lamps and into other kinds of lighting? This chandelier project is simple and stunning.