About 20 years ago, my condo was decorated in a New Orleans theme with some added Mardi Gras items to 'Jazz' the place up. The main bedroom was more of an old New Orleans feel so no Mardi Gras touches, but I found this lamp and it fit in perfectly at the time.
Approximately every ten years+/- or less, I have to change my decor because not only do styles change, but I get bored looking at the same old things and colors. So, with saying this, any touch of New Orleans was removed from the bedroom, including the lamp which ended up in the garage. Since it was in perfect condition and worked, I thought I would try selling it online. I received a lot of hits, but no sale. My experience with selling used items online is very similar to a garage sale. The things that you think will sell don't and vice versa. I have also had some items sit for a year with no activity and then all of a sudden interest is instilled and the item sells. I'm sure this lamp would have eventually sold, but I decided to have some fun and experiment upcycling it.
What's the first thing I did besides cleaning it up? I painted gesso all over it of course! 😉What a difference with just whitening it up, huh? I forgot to take the photograph before I added color to the finial, but you get the idea.
I next had to choose my colors. Taking note of current & upcoming trends in home decorating, terra cotta and coastal blues & greens are gaining popularity, and I must say that I am really liking it which is weird. I always said that I would never have blue in my home which is another reason I don't say never anymore. Actually, it's the only reason. I don't know why I said otherwise...
Here's the lamp with just the deep terra cotta color painted on. I actually had to apply three coats because for some reason, it came out very splotchy in areas. I shook up the bottle well, so I have no idea why this happened, but it did.
I then started adding in the coastal colors and added in the lavender for the flowers and plum, for the grapes. Plum for the grapes, ha. I also added some coral on the scroll work.
And it was at this point that I decided that I totally detested the green color of the leaves and the coral on the scroll work. Yuck! 🤮
Now seriously, isn't the change of colors so much better above? And as you can see, I added in my signature black and white on this lamp which I feel really ramped it up. Of course, it's not everybody's style, but it's mine and maybe there are others out there like me. Or maybe not. It's going to go back out on the market, so I'll see.
I used flat paint on this lamp which I tend to favor. If I decide, after the item is painted that I want a sheen, I will add it on with a sealer. Also, just as in the current trend for countertops and cabinets, flat is in and shine is out. Of course this will change just as fashion does, but why am I bringing this up? Well, as you can see, the finial is shiny, and this was after I added on a MATTE sealer. Not happy.
Here's the final result and just so you know, I will be adding that MATTE sealer on the entire lamp begrudgingly. Time to find a true matte sealer now...ugh. Oh, and as far as the lampshade, I am going to attempt to make one myself using the 'bones' of the original one. That will be a in a future blog. 🤞
NOTE: I have exerted my email limit this month because I was trying to solve issues with some of my subscribers having my emails go into their spam/junk files. Hopefully all will be back to normal next week.
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