DIY Cheap and Chic Polka Dot Lamp

Today I have an awesome DIY for you! I am going to show you how to turn an ugly thrift store lamp into an adorable polka dot lamp you’ll enjoy for years to come. I love lamps! However, I don’t have too many of them around my home because the ones I like are always out of my budget. I was at my favorite thrift store the other day, and they had a table full of ugly brass lamps. I am not a fan of brass lamps, but I did like the shapes that they had, and decided to try to spiff one up. I decided to polka dot mine, but you could make it even easier and spray paint the lamp a solid fabulous color. Or you could experiment with stripes or even other shapes like stars or hearts. So fun!

Here’s What You Need:

*Thrift Store Lamp( I picked up this one for $8)

*Spray paint (2 different colors)

*Painters tape

*Contact Paper and a round punch or stickers of your choice. I like contact paper because it is not as sticky and I don’t have to worry about it pulling up my paint

Please forgive the lack of pictures. I somehow lost all but a couple….

Step 1: Tape- Tape off the light bulb socket area and cord with your painters tape.

Step 2: Paint under color- In a well ventilated area spray paint your lamp in the color you wish to be the color of your dots. I used white because I wanted white polka dots. It is best to spray a few really light coats so you don’t get drips. Let dry completely.

Step 3: Add dots- I used contact paper and a round one inch paper punch to punch out dot stickers for my lamp. Peel the backing off of your contact stickers or other stickers and carefully smooth them out onto your lamp in a pattern you like. If you have stickers that don’t stick down all the way you can always touch up areas later with craft paint and a brush. A few of my dots were more like ovals and therefore needed touch up.

Step 4: Paint overcoat- Again in a well ventilated area spray your stickered lamp with the color you choose for your top coat. I picked a sweet coral. Spray a few light coats until you are happy with the coverage.

Step 5: Remove Stickers- While the paint is still a bit wet, carefully peel off your stickers revealing your dots. Let lamp dry completely, and then touch up any areas you may need. The smoother the surface, the better the shape will come out. My lamp had quite a few ridges and dips in the design, so I had a few dots to touch up. And you are finished, pretty easy right!

I really love how this lamp turned out! I really like the color, and the size of the polka dots. It’s bold and sweet at the same time. I found some paper flowers in the dollar section of Michael’s that matched my paint, so I hot glued them to a plain white lampshade. I ended up with a great looking lamp and the total cost with the shade was less than $30. This is a really fun and easy project, and it can be customized in so many ways! So next time you are at the thrift store, pick up that old ugly lamp and make a fantastic piece for your home!

Happy Crafting!