Lamp re-do, pt 1

My mother recently asked me to make her guest room cuter, and I was happy to oblige. I'm a big fan of making things cuter, especially when I get to spend other peoples' money -- it's much more fun than spending my own. Mostly because you can't buy very much with $5, which is pretty much how much my husband is allowing me to spend right now...something to do with my overwhelming desire to constantly change our paint colors I think?

So here's the before: 

I bet my mom's embarrassed right now. In her defense, the messed up bedding was totally my fault. But the Winnie-the-Pooh wallpaper border? I take zero ownership for that.  My parents didn't even buy this house until after I had gone to college.

My first task was to get my parents a set of matching guest room lamps that wasn't brass. My mom loves her set of brass lamps, and to each her own. So we'll just move those bad boys into her bedroom. I checked out some thrift stores to find some I could makeover but didn't find anything I liked, so I just went for Wal-mart lamps. Each lamp base clocked in at $17.98, and the matching, fabulously nondescript drum shades were $14.99 I believe. I also purchased a set of finials at Kmart because the harp came with reaaaally unfortunate ones:

Ouch. Not cute, 'Better Homes and Gardens' brand 8-10 inch adjustable harp. Not cute.

Here's the fancy before:

The first step was to prep the lamp for painting! I sure do love paint. I wiped the lamps down really well to get rid of any dust or dirt, and covered several inches of the cord and any electrical parts that might not function as well covered with spray paint. I used blue painters tape for the cord and aluminum foil for the light bulb-doohicky part.

I also secured the finials by setting them on the sticky side of some painters tape.

Then... I primed! I used Rustoleum Painter's Touch white primer spray.

Ooooh. They already look so much better. These lamps were not meant to be white, though.  They were meant to be...

Orange! Well, technically 'Cinnamon' -- another Rustoleum Painter's Touch spray paint. The cap looked like it had a bit more red in it, a little spicier. But I'm still happy with the color.

After a glossy topcoat...

...part one of my lamp re-do is complete.

Stay tuned to see how I'm going to make those basic lamp shades look a bit more custom, a whole lot cuter!

Linking up to:

Funky Junk Interiors

Under The Table and Dreaming

Between Naps on the Porch

Hope Studios

Just a Girl

Finding Fabulous