Easy DIY Lamp Makeovers

A basket, a table runner, or a metal flower pot are some of the easiest ways to quickly change the personality of a lamp in an instant. See some more great DIY lamp makeovers throughout this post.

A white ceramic base

Prest-o Change-o – a rustic look.

I placed the white ceramic lamp into a basket so it would blend in with a rustic decor. The trick is finding a basket that covers the base completely. I covered the white shade by tying on a cream colored crocheted table runner with twine.

Before and After DIY Lamp Makeovers

All of these photos are from my book, Instant Decorating so they might look a bit dated, but I wanted to show you how easy it is to quickly change a lamp with items you may already have laying around your house.

The shade in the first photo is fabric shirred and glued on along the top and bottom. I glued decorative cord to finish the top edge.

The black shade was made of shiny black fabric fused to interfacing and pleated.

All instructions are at the end of the post.

Shade Slipcover using burlap and ribbon.

Shade Slipcover using bright colors for kid’s rooms.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Crocheted or Lace Table Runner Shade Cover

Lamp Shade Slip Cover

**For a less gathered look for the shade cover, you only need to add about 1/2 the bottom circumference, not double as stated in Step 1.

Shirred and Glued Lamp Shade Cover

Pleated Fabric Lamp Shade Cover