DIY Thrifted Lamp Makeover

I'm no stranger to making over thrifted lamps. But this DIY thrifted lamp makeover is the first time I’ve EVER used dirt to update a thrifted item.

And well this paint and dirt technique is truly illuminating {see what I did there}.

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Rustic Pottery Lamp and Home Decor Trend

Whether it's a lamp or a home decor item like a vase. For the past 2 years or so, this "found" pottery look has been all over Instagram and Pinterest. And from what I can see {the puns never stop} it's still going strong.

Now if like me you don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on authentic vintage pottery lamps and decor. But, you still would like to incorporate this on-trend look into your home. This "no skills needed" DIY dirt and spray paint lamp makeover is for you!

Thrifted Lamp Makeover Inspiration

I stumbled across these beauties for $13 each during a random thrift store trip. And of course, I did what any normal person would do. Immediately posted them to my Instagram stories LOL. I received more than a few urgent "Get those lamps ASAP" messages.

And get them I did cause they were the same general shape and size as my inspiration lamp.

The Pottery Barn Faris ceramic table lamp was the main inspiration for this DIY thrifted lamp makeover. I love the slightly worn matte black finish and round shape. The $300 price tag though was out of my budget. Thank goodness for thrift stores!

DIY Thrifted Lamp Makeover

Now, I did not come up with this paint and dirt technique. There are literally dozens of tutorials for this technique online. Rather than overthinking it and reading a million different tutorials {kinda lazy}.

I just grabbed my $13 thrifted lamps, spray paint, dirt and just played around until I was happy with the look.

I shared the step-by-step process on my Instagram stories. You can watch the replay in my 'lamp makeover' highlight on Instagram if you're more of a visual learner.

Supplies

• Gloves
• Painters tape
• Flat black spray paint
• Plastic bag
• Small container to mix the mud in
• A lamp base of your choice (bonus if it already has a textured surface)

Step 1: Get A Lamp Base

I found my lamp base pair at the thrift store for $13 each. I definitely would NOT recommend an expensive lamp base for this project. My thought process was even if I messed it up. At $26 for the pair, I can live with that.

Step 2: Clean and Tape

Before you start painting. Be sure to wipe your lamp down, so it's free of dirt and grime. Protect the plug by tying it up in a plastic bag, using some painter's tape to secure it.

If you like, you can also use painter's tape to mask the bottom of the socket (the neck of the lamp). I was ok with it being black so I skipped this step.

Step 3: Prime and Paint

To make this a one-step process I highly recommend using Rustoleum's spray paint that also includes the primer. Obviously, if you already have paint and primer separately just use that.

I sprayed two thin even coats of Rustoleum flat black spray paint + primer on my lamp. Letting the paint dry to the touch in between coats. The paint will look shiny while wet but will dry into a matte/flat finish.

Step 4: Get Your Lamp Dirty

Collect some dirt and make some mud {tap into your inner child for this part}.

Next, I smeared the mud all over the lamp. Smoothing it all out as much as possible. Then let it dry until it no longer smears when you touch it . {I did mine overnight}.

{As someone who was doing this for the first time, this step had me worried. But I assure you it will be fine.}

Step 5: Spray Paint (Again?)

At this point, the mud should be dry to the touch. And the lamps will look pretty distressed.

This next part is where your personal preference will come into play. If you're into the distressed look, you can just keep your lamp as is.

I personally only wanted a “slightly distressed” look. So I went over the mud with another thin coat of spray paint. When the paint dried some of the dirt was still peeking through which is exactly the look I was after!

Now is this a perfect dupe of the Pottery Barn Faris ceramic table lamp? No. But does it have the same vibe? Absolutely it does! And I'm thrilled with the end results.

{I did a poll in my Instagram stories and the drum shade won the popular vote}

Entryway Refresh Mini Update 1:

This DIY thrifted lamp makeover is part of my budget-friendly entryway refresh. And as I mentioned in last week's post. One of my main goals is to show you how you can refresh and renew your home on a realistic budget just by updating the decor.

Budget Decor Takeaway: Don't buy but DIY instead

A pair of those Pottery Barn lamps would cost $600. Compared to the $26 I spent. Even if I had to buy new lampshades {which I didn't}. This route would still be much cheaper.

This had to be the most fun I've had with a DIY in a long time. Not to mention getting the look for less. I hope you give this easy DIY a try friends!