Lighten Up~

I have been wanting to brighten up this drab little corner in our dining area for quite a while now. It just wasn't doin' it for me. So I drew up a little plan and went to work.

First up...change the lamp. The gold isn't part of my color scheme anymore. Ever since we switched the carpet in the living room (which is open to the dining area) I have eliminated the golds, reds and browns from the color scheme, and added more blues and whites.

But I like the lamp. I like the shade. I just didn't like the color. So what's a frugal girl to do? Why spray paint the lamp, of course!

I followed a tutorial from Janell over at Isabella and Max rooms. So rather than reiterating it here. I'll simply give you all the link.

I will however, share a few super-duper exciting photos of my lamp spraypainting adventures.

First, leave it to me to realize I was out of painter's tape AFTER I had been to the store for the spraypaint. So I improvised with a shopping bag and electrical tape. It worked just as well...luckily.

In her tutorial, Janell used Rustoleum spraypaint. I used Krylon. I like both brands, but I will say that the clear coat from Krylon was not as glossy as I had hoped. It has a nice sheen, but not a high-gloss. Just sayin'. (Of course, that could result from the fact that my main coat was in a flat finish...I already had the paint so I went ahead and used it...but perhaps a semi-gloss would have been better to achieve a glossier final product.)




Because this lamp is short and squatty, the only way to reach the bottom was to hang the lamp upside down to spray it. Worked like a charm.

And here she is all pretty and white. I'm lovin' her new softer, gentler personality.

Tomorrow...step two in the Lightening and Brightening process for this little corner.

Oh, and just a note that I took down my Formspring account. If you recently asked me a question on Formspring, and you didn't get the answer before I removed my account, feel free to email me. THANKS!

Have a great day~