How to Turn a Boring Lamp into a Vintage Item?

We found this great DIY idea on the Hunker website and decided to share it with you. Instead of a lamp, you can use a vase or jug — it all depends on your creativity!

What you'll need:

• An old lamp with a decorative base;
• Fabric or plastic sheet;
• Masking tape;

• Dark-colored aerosol chalk paint;
• A piece of white chalk;
• Clear matte varnish.

Prepare all the necessary items

Select a lamp with a bulky base. For example, the lamp in the photo resembles a jug — an ideal choice for this DIY project.

Wipe the lamp base

Take a damp cloth and wipe the entire surface. Then dry it with a clean cloth.

Use masking tape

Wrap the tape around parts of the lamp you won't be working on — now they won't get painted.

Paint the lamp

Lay down several layers of fabric (or place a plastic sheet) on your work surface and start painting. Aerosol paint in a can is easiest to use. You can choose any shade, as long as it's vibrant enough.

Apply 2–3 coats of paint and let them dry. Then leave the lamp to dry for several hours (ideally, overnight).

Use chalk

Now comes the key trick of our DIY: rub the painted surface with a piece of chalk. Don’t worry about rough strokes — this is a temporary effect.

Buff it down

Take a dry cloth and wipe the chalked painted surface — that’s how you achieve a “weathered” look.

To avoid a too uniform and smooth finish, gently rub some areas with your fingertips.

Important note: in the future, you might accidentally bump into the lamp and get it dirty, so it’s better to apply a clear matte varnish on top.

After the surface has dried, install the lampshade and your lamp is ready to use!

Photo source: hunker.com/