Have you ever looked at a lamp in a store and realized that you would like it a lot better if only the shade was different? Perhaps you’ve actually been starting at the lamps in your own home and thinking about how they could really use a makeover in the shade department to make them look a little more updated. We’ve been finding ourselves on similar thought tracks too lately, which is why we’ve been keeping our eyes peeled for DIY lamp shade tutorials of all kinds! Sure, we could just go out and buy new shades from the store, but we always feel a little more satisfied when we’ve made something ourselves.
Just in case you love the idea of making your very own lamp shades from scratch as well, here are 15 best ideas that we’ve found ourselves bookmarking so far in our search for inspiration and guidance!
Have you actually already got an idea of how you’ve like to make your new DIY lamp shades look in terms of style and embellishment but you still feel like you could use some guidance because you’d really like to make the base from scratch yourself as well? Then we think you’ll find this tutorial from Welcome to The Woods that shows you how to make a plain, totally basic lamp shade that’s perfect for embellishing in just a few simple steps.
Perhaps you are feeling quite intent on making yourself a lamp shade from scratch but you’d much rather create something with a different unique shape rather than working with a more classic looking lamp shade based? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Miss Information used string to create a stunning, totally retro looking sphere shade that’s perfect for putting around an otherwise plain pendant light.
Are you actually just looking to update the shades you already have (or perhaps the basic one you just made like we showed you above) but you’re aiming to do it really neatly and simply because you’re still kind of new to this whole DIY game? In that case, we’d definitely encourage you to take a look at the way Place of My Taste covered theirs nice and smoothly with pretty floral fabric using simple decoupage techniques.
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about the concept of making unique DIY lamp shades for your pendant lights but you’d prefer something very modern and minimalist looking rather than something quite so crafty and retro as the string idea we showed you before? Then we think you’ll really appreciate the way Homemade Modern used homemade concrete to make an awesome DIY pendant shade that looks very industrial indeed.
Are you the kind of crafter who always enjoys a project more when it’s also an opportunity to do some upcycling and transform something old that you’re not using into something new? Then we think you’ll really appreciate the way Unskinny Boppy repurposed an old sweater in order to make this very comfy and cozy looking sweater lamp shade that’s perfect for winter.
6. West Elm inspired perforated pendant lamp cover
Have you ever found a designer piece in a store that you really loved but that you simply couldn’t justify the brand name price of? That’s the kind of craft we love trying to recreate ourselves in a more DIY way! This fantastic perforated West Elm pendant lamp cover tutorial from Mad in Crafts is the perfect example of what we mean.
In the last few years, ombre crafts have been some of the trendiest designs going and we’ll fully admit that we love them just as much as the next person. That’s why we were so excited when we came across this fantastic DIY ombre lamp shade featured step by step on Paper Buttons! They actually show you how to make it happen using hair dye, believe it or not.
Are you actually more of a chandelier person because you love the fancy look of them but you’ve also gone out of your way to built a pretty wooden heavy, slightly rustic looking theme throughout the house elsewhere? Then perhaps you’d get along a little better with something like this lovely wooden bead chandelier outlined step by step on Designer Trapped.
Are you actually looking for another kind of lamp shade that will really suit wooden and rustic themes but you can’t really make the kind of shade you need out of wood, since it’s more of a classic lamp? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how The Handmade Home use string wrapping techniques to make this homey looking jute shade instead.
Are you a huge fan of the idea of doing some string wrapping but jute string just doesn’t quite give you what you need because you really want to add some colour to the room? In that case, we’d absolutely encourage you to follow in Vintage Revivals‘ footsteps by wrapping horizontally instead and using brightly coloured yarn instead.
Are you really feeling the idea of making awesome functional decor pieces from soft supplies but you’ve never really been a yarn crafter since you’re more of a sewing enthusiast? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at the way Simply Ciani twisted and swirled strips of fabric to make lovely rosettes that can be affixed all over a basic shade.
Have you actually been scrolling through our list hoping to find an awesome metal cage style pendant light cover because you love the way they look so modern and clean, but you’re not sure a shiny metallic finish will actually suit the rest of your room? In that case, we’d absolutely encourage you to take a look at how Pearls and Scissors made and painted this one with a matte black coating of paint.
Did we actually really catch your attention when we started talking about metallic cage pendant lamps but you’d actually rather not cover the metallic sheen we were talking about earlier? In that case, we think you might get along a little better with this copper version outlined step by step on Vintage Revivals.
Have you actually always been the most confident in your hand painting skills of all of your learned DIY techniques? Well, particularly if you’ve always been a huge fan of seaside, mermaid, and fantasy themes, we have a feeling this fantastic stencilled and hand painted fish scales lamp shade from Deco Art might be right up your alley!
Have you actually been scrolling through our list hoping to find something incredibly unique and whimsical that will really catch the attention of any family, friends, or visitors coming to see you on a regular day? Well, particularly if you love birds and their cheerful morning chirping, we think you simply must take a look at the way Dwellings by Devore made this stunning birdcage shade in just a few simple steps.
