How To Make a Lamp Out of a Vase
Last fall, I found this gorgeous and HUGE vase at a yard sale in my neighborhood for $3. Score! I knew it has so much potential and would be a fantastic lookalike for some of the high end pottery I have seen. Even though painting it would have been such a simply project, I put it off for nearly a year waiting for the right inspiration to strike!
A few weeks ago I scored this beautiful pleated shade at Goodwill for $2, but didn't have a lamp to go with it - inspiration struck!
I'm sharing how exactly I turned a few thrifted pieces into a high end lamp for only $12! You read that right! Read on for the full tutorial!
DIY Lamp
What you need
large vase
lampshade
small lamp
optional
How to Make it
I started by painting my vase with acrylic craft paint. I layered several neutral colors - black, brown, cream, and a little blush. Start with your darkest color, let that dry, and then continue with lighter tones. With every coat, I wiped away excess paint with a damp rag for a worn pottery look. My vase already had some beautiful texture to it, but you can always add a little baking soda or flour to your paint for texture! There's no wrong way to do this, Just continue painting until you like the color! I absolutely love the look!
I looked at several options for how to convert this lamp into a working lamp. A light kit from your hardware store is definitely an option, but would have cost me $25. Instead, I scoured my local thrift shop for a lamp with a small enough base to fit inside my vase. I found this slender silver lamp for $5!
At this point, it is completely up to you if you want to move ahead with drilling a hole for the cord. This is the most inexpensive option and we already had the materials (and a handy husband!) to drill and add a new plug to my lamp. You CAN use a battery lightbulb that works on a remote so there's nothing to plug in. However, these types of light bulbs only recharge when installed in a plugged in lamp. So in order for them to work in this DIY lamp, you need to buy a 2 pack, and have the second one charging in another lamp. Really, all that means is swapping the light bulbs between a plugged in lamp and your DIY lamp any time your DIY lamp light bulb dies.
BUT, replacing a plug is actually very simple and I'm going to take your through it step by easy step!
Replacing a Plug
The most inexpensive way to make this DIY lamp is to drill a hole in the vase using a ceramic drill bit. Once you have drilled your hole, cut off the plug from your lamp and thread your cord through the hole.
Take the end of your cord and separate the 2 wires. Strip both of them with wire strippers/cutters.
Open up your new plug using a screw driver and insert each exposed wire into a terminal and turn the screws to tighten and hold the wires in place.
Gather the 2 wires together so that they come out of the hole in the plug when the plug is closed. Close the plug by tightening the screw(s).
You just replaced a plug, baby!!!
Similar lamps cost $300-$400! I'm so thrilled with how this lamp turned out and it provides gorgeous mood lighting on top of our dining room credenza!
Make sure to follow along on Instagram for more simple DIY inspiration, affordable home styling, and a peek inside our every day life!
xoxo, L
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