Jan 23, 2012

A spraypainted lamp for the office {DIY}

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was especially great because...the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl! Woohoo!

Today's post features a project I finished a while ago, but I'm just getting around to sharing it with you. Hopefully you'll still find it thrilling :)

I searched high and low for a desk lamp for our office that was just the right size, shape and color. I wanted something curvy to offset the big, boxy desk. Oh, and I also had to get the hubs' approval (he's pickier about lamps than I am, apparently!).

I first brought home something like this:


But he said no way Jose.

Then I bought something like this:


And he liked it, but I thought it was a little bland. The office so far is all gray and black, so I was thinking some color would be fun. But I couldn't find just the right color. I really wanted something like this:


But not with a $250 price tag. I just can't stomach spending a ton of money on a lamp, unless it's like a genie lamp and I get three wishes. :)

Then I spotted this lamp at Target, with a mere $20 price tag. I liked the shape, but not the color (I mean, I like red and all, it just wasn't what I was going for).


So, of course, spray paint to the rescue! I picked a color called lagoon, a fun, bright peacock blue.


Here's what my red lamp looked like pre-paint.

Yep, this was a looong time ago, because now our lawn is covered in a foot of snow!

I taped off the socket and the cord, sanded the lamp a little, gave it a couple coats of primer and a few coats of paint. Then, I finished it off with a couple clear coats.

And here's my little lamp now!


This color is so hard to photograph -- it looks straight blue here, but it's really more of a blue-green color, I swear.

It's hard to shoot in the office because that room doesn't get great light, but here it is in its new home.


I especially love the glow effect it has when the light is on!


I wish it were a little shinier -- I don't know why those clear coats didn't make it look glossier. But all in all, I'm very happy with it -- and that it cost me about $35, including the shade and the spray paint.

What have you spray painted lately? I can't wait for warmer weather so I can start spray painting things again!

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