A bit of dark drama, a bit of metallic sophistication, a bit of Victorian nostalgia, and a bit of whimsy…. what have you got? This quirky yet glamorous DIY Victorian Gothic Black Lamp Shade.
There are just some pieces that simply scream your name when you’re in a thrift store… You guessed it – this floor lamp was one of them!! Between the ornate baroque details and the black & gold coloring, this lamp was destined for my basket. I pick up a lot of trash at thrift stores and make it my mission to turn them into treasures… but this lamp was pretty great already!
It just so happens that several months ago, I found a space in my house that was calling for a floor lamp. I was in the midst of doing a lot of furniture and accessory rearranging when I came to that conclusion, and the floor lamp ended up on a long list of “you know what would look great here?!?!”… a list that was put to the side as I was distracted by other projects. And then this beauty came into my life… as if the universe tapped me on the shoulder to remind me of that list. hmmm… speaking of my list – Does anyone have an ornate sideboard I might like? or a few gothic wall sconces? no? ok – list getting put aside again.
Back to the lamp. Black and gold are my two favorite colors to decorate with. I have black & gold walls, furniture, curtains, mirrors, accessories, you name it. This lamp was going to fit right in. But I will admit that I was not totally in love with the specific gold coloring, and I wanted to tone it down a bit. I pulled out my trustee Rub n Buff Sampler pack
The lamp also obviously needed a lamp shade… Because of the double armed light bulb sockets, I was limited in the shape of the shade. I typically like those Victorian Shaped Shades, but even the largest ones I owned pressed up against the light bulbs. I needed something with a flat wide shape. Despite the limitation… you know where I headed… the thrift store of course! I was hoping to find a drum shaped shade, but when you’re thrift shopping beggars can’t be choosers. I found this one instead. Well.. I actually found one I liked much better but I got into an argument with the girl at checkout over the price and she wouldn’t let me buy it. I’m still mad. A curse on the checkout girl! Anyway, this one fit on the floor lamp, so I adopted it for my little project.
My plan was to create a black shade with a metallic gold lining, and for some fun…. because c’mon, you have to have a little fun…. trim the shade with fringe.
What you’ll need to recreate the look:
- Fabric Lamp Shade – Here’s a Linen Drum Shaped Shade
you can order online
- Painter’s Tape
- Black Matte Spray Paint & Primer
- Black Screen Printing Ink
- Paint Brush
- Sanding Block
- Gold Spray Paint
- Polycrylic Clear Spray
- Black Braided Trim
- Beaded Fringe
- E6000
- Fray Check
- Binder Clips
you can order online
Start by taping off the spider of the shade. OK… I admit I had to look that up… who knew those metal bars that attached to a lamp finial was called a spider. Learn something new everyday!
Spray paint the shade black, inside and out. Do this lightly. 1st of all, you do not want to spray so heavy that you get drip marks. Those will be visible later. 2nd, painting a lamp shade can be a tricky thing because the light that shines from behind the shade will show if any of the paint was uneven. So, add very light coats several times. Note however that this is simply your priming step, so there’s no need to stress over the shade looking completely black… it won’t.
Once dry, using a paint brush, paint the screen print dye onto the outer side of the shade. I found it was easiest to do this while the shade was actually sitting on the lamp with the lights turned on. Once the light reflects thru the shade you can really see what you are doing, and ensure you have an even coat of dye all around. You certainly don’t want a splotchy mess! Warning – the dye stays sticky for a long time, and will continue to come off on your hands when you touch the shade. I have a solution for that, but in the meantime, use caution when handling.
Allow the dye to dry as long as you can. I let it dry overnight.
Using painter’s tape, tape off the top and bottom edges at the inside seam.
Use the sanding block to remove any unavoidable drip marks from the inside lining. You can also use the sanding block to smooth out the layers of screen print dye on the outer surface. I liked the way it roughed up the surface a bit and gave texture.
Flip the shade upside down, and spray the inside gold. This paint is incredible. It provides so much coverage so easily, and has a gorgeous metallic finish! I used the same paint on the Gold Skeleton I created for the Head of my Halloween Table. Repeat until you are comfortable with the coverage.
Once the gold is dry, attach the shade back onto the lamp, and spray the entire outer surface of the shade with the polycrylic spray. I am obsessed with sealing my projects…. but I’ll tell you what… every time I touched this lamp shade I was getting covered in screen print dye. One coat of polycrylic spray, and no more bleeding!
Using E6000 glue, attach the braided trim along the top outer edge of the shade. Use the binding clips to hold the trim in place while it dries. E6000 glue should be left to dry overnight.
Next, attach the bottom fringe in the same way. Fringe look familiar? I used the same tassels on those Antiqued Dark Angel Napkin Rings I made. Luckily I had just enough of that fringe left over to add to the lamp shade.
Voila!
I think the solid black shade works well with the ornate details of the lamp, and I love the surprise of gold metallic on the inside. And while the lamp shade would’ve still looked great with a less ornate trim… these over the top tassels make me smile!! Who doesn’t need a twisted smile once in a while?!
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How lovely!
Thank you Candace!!!
As always. A beautifully stylish upcycle my friend. It will surprise you not to learn that I, too, have an upcycled lamp, with black and gold shade and fringing that I have yet to blog about but oh my! The stand is nowhere near as gorgeous as your amazing find! I’m also now regretting not using more ornate fringing! 🖤
It definitely does not surprise me! We always seem to think alike! I’ll admit I was initially on the fence about that fringe. While I worked on it, I kept holding up other more “reserved” options, and finally decided go big or go home…. Quirky is better!!
This is amazing! Can’t believe I only just found this site!
Hi Sary!! Thanks so much! So great to meet a fellow blogger!!
that is Gorgeous!! esp with the antique gold inside. I found a floor lamp that is needing some artsy touch on it, thanks for the advice. The base is coral– white with pit marks. You’ve probably seen the look. Think I will make it look even more ‘holey’, with black and dark green in crevices. AND paint the shaft black. The shade will have to be done to match the room. The room is done in black and purple. Some of the purple is like a grungey sponged on look. 😛
Hi Lizzy! Sounds like your lamp has some amazing potential!! Good luck with the project!!