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January 29th, 2009
before & after: jaclyn’s lamp


this shiny before & after comes from d*s reader jaclyn wiebe of soma design. she was planning on buying a new lamp but was inspired to get creative when she saw this lamp at a thrift store. she used a matte white spray paint to refinish the body of the lamp and then she bought some chromolux posterboard ($5 at art supply store) to make the new lampshade, which is wrapped around the existing shade. the result is a super luxe lamp that only looks expensive. great work, jaclyn!

[have a before and after you'd like to share on d*s? just send me an email right here with your images]

[ps: please come share your wedding hair and makeup stories here. i'm in need of some advice after a cruddy savannah hair/makeup experience...]


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52 comments
tanya said:
January 29th, 2009 - 1:22 pm

this is brilliant–I LOVE this. I’m on the hunt for something similar…great inspiration!

tia said:
January 29th, 2009 - 1:33 pm

Now that is very cool.

Jessica said:
January 29th, 2009 - 1:33 pm

wow, way to see the potential in that cruddy looking lamp. I love the result.

maureen said:
January 29th, 2009 - 1:41 pm

hi! great job! i would love to know which brand of matte white spray paint you used. i have had some unfortunate results in the past… thanks so much-

C said:
January 29th, 2009 - 1:42 pm

I love this–especially the shade.

January 29th, 2009 - 1:47 pm

I have a friend who buys hideous multicolored dragon statues, Kuan-Yins, et cetera, in Chinatown and then spray-paints them white … they look very chic once that’s been done.

January 29th, 2009 - 1:49 pm

I feel inspired. Love the shade.

Sarah said:
January 29th, 2009 - 1:55 pm

i love the before and afters, keep ‘em coming! i just bought a house and have been on craigslist every day looking for pieces to refinish.

Kate said:
January 29th, 2009 - 2:21 pm

would you mind sharing where those pillow are from? i love them!

January 29th, 2009 - 2:26 pm

Gorgeous! I love it

julia said:
January 29th, 2009 - 2:39 pm

beautiful!
where did you get the shade? love it.

Yael said:
January 29th, 2009 - 3:04 pm

wow – I always enjoy your before and after posts, but this is so dramatic I had to say ‘wow’!! awesome.

January 29th, 2009 - 3:06 pm

so simple and awesome..could hardly recognize it

mvo said:
January 29th, 2009 - 3:13 pm

Looks great! I wonder what the seam looks like on the posterboard lampshade, though.

January 29th, 2009 - 3:14 pm

Oooooooh My! Swexy!

M said:
January 29th, 2009 - 3:30 pm

LOVE this before and after. The lamp shade is AMAZING!

Stephanie said:
January 29th, 2009 - 4:01 pm

The beautiful carving on the lamp stand really comes out when it’s all white. Love it.

c said:
January 29th, 2009 - 4:45 pm

only thing is, spray paint is bad for the environment.

Aly said:
January 29th, 2009 - 5:06 pm

I’m looking at this ‘before’ shot. and the back ground looks might familiar! those stairs.. those ugly couches… thats in Winnipeg! the shop on keewatin? If I’m wrong I must be nuts! if I’m right I’m proud to see someone in Winnipeg with such fresh ideas :)I go there monthly looking for a vintage night stand to paint up.

Sarah said:
January 29th, 2009 - 6:35 pm

What an awesome finished product! I would have gone with a different color though…white can be boring at times and gets really dirty…I would have gone with something like a nice burnt umber, or something that would contrast the blue, gray, and white of the living room…the silver lampshade was a nice touch!

Priti said:
January 29th, 2009 - 7:17 pm

the silver touch.. brilliant!

Lynn said:
January 29th, 2009 - 7:50 pm

I really like the project- I’ve done something similar in the past, but I’m commenting because you MUST tell me where that fabric behind the lamp is from- it is BEYOND fabulous!!

Jessica said:
January 29th, 2009 - 9:38 pm

Wonderful results; the whole corner of the rooms comes together so nicely! Where did you get your sofa?

ch said:
January 29th, 2009 - 10:06 pm

So simple and beautiful and just perfect for that living room! Yum.

Ren said:
January 29th, 2009 - 10:07 pm

Totally slick. I love it. It’s like a new incarnation.

kay* said:
January 29th, 2009 - 11:11 pm

looks great! what a difference.

@kate – those pillows are from ikea

Jaclyn said:
January 29th, 2009 - 11:58 pm

Thanks for the great comments everyone.

Lynn: The “fabric” is actually sample of a graham and brown wallpaper that i fell in love with (will be putting up on the wall) and the silver and white on it inspired the lamp colors.

Aly: that’s crazy that you recognized MCC thrift store from that photo, yup I’m a Winnipegger!

The couch is from EQ3.

The seam of the lamp is not visible since the lamp resides in the corner, but I was going to use chrome tape to tidy it up. A seam is pretty much unavoidable no matter what material you use.

The paint is Tremclad Rust Paint in flat white. It’s meant to adhere to metal so ceramic was no trouble.

January 30th, 2009 - 12:43 am

A very inspirational transformation! Love the silver shade!

Lynne said:
January 30th, 2009 - 4:37 am

Oh, nice…! I love the silver shade.

lindsay said:
January 30th, 2009 - 9:14 am

That’s an awesome transformation!

erin said:
January 30th, 2009 - 9:20 am

stunning! i would never has seen all that potential in that poor lamp!

for some reason i always have my eye out for vintage furniture to refinish at the thrift stores but i completely over-look the lamp section. thanks for the inspiration!

aruna said:
January 30th, 2009 - 11:03 am

that is sexy

lily Gahagan said:
January 30th, 2009 - 11:06 am

i love it! was wondering if you could share where the nesting tables are from… they’re perfectly understated and simple.

Eliza said:
January 30th, 2009 - 11:39 am

I love this and have been thinking about using chromulux posterboard for quite some time for a lamp project I have been mulling over. However, I have been hesitant because I am not sure what safe way there is to do it. Do you know how she attached it on there? I am afraid to use certain glues because the heat from the lightbulb. Help! I want to do this!

Jayme said:
January 30th, 2009 - 12:07 pm

Awesome!

Ren said:
January 30th, 2009 - 12:07 pm

It looks even more stunning in the “flesh”!

January 30th, 2009 - 1:06 pm

I love how a simple layer of paint can transform things so well. In my old apartment, my roomie and I got a bunch of gaudy frames from a thrift store and painted them all sunny yellow, and then filled a wall with them. It is great how one color can unite so many different things.

Sarah said:
January 30th, 2009 - 1:15 pm

Recycling at it’s best! This is absolutely wonderful.

Kate said:
January 30th, 2009 - 1:20 pm

thanks for the info kay*

Jaime said:
January 30th, 2009 - 2:08 pm

Wow! Love the before & afters. This looks great.

Nick A said:
January 30th, 2009 - 3:01 pm

it’s too bad that in any NYC thrift store that lamp would be $80

grace said:
January 30th, 2009 - 3:08 pm

that’s so true. i was trying to explain that to someone the other day- nyc’s thrift stores really aren’t like normal thrift stores- there’s so marked up.

Erin said:
January 30th, 2009 - 3:47 pm

i love using spray paint to make ugly items new and pretty! i have been on the look out for a lamp but haven’t found one yet. excellent find!

kim said:
January 30th, 2009 - 4:37 pm

amazing job.

Cassey said:
January 31st, 2009 - 7:46 pm

I wonder, does it give off much light? Especially with the new shade and all.

February 1st, 2009 - 2:11 pm

Love the B&A’s. The lamp is super. I think I would have used a matte or brushed finish on shade – but that’s just me. It’s great.

Jen said:
February 2nd, 2009 - 2:10 pm

Brilliant makeover! I might have gone for a darker base; maybe I would have stained the base with a walnut stain, but this effect for this room works brilliantly.

February 2nd, 2009 - 10:12 pm

best before and after yet!

February 3rd, 2009 - 8:59 am

Jayne, did you paint the posterboard? It’s beautiful.

conn said:
February 4th, 2009 - 4:44 am

what a looker! love it. now where is my spray paint? there has to be something I can resurrect.

karen said:
February 9th, 2009 - 10:53 pm

If you dont say it, I could believe is worth about $700,at least. Wondeful job, keep going.

Jenny said:
March 19th, 2009 - 1:12 pm

Didn’t see that beauty coming! Great job at seeing beyond what that lamp was…I could have NEVER imagined it!

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