Most of the time, if I get a vision for something it’ll turn out rather well. However, there are times when something vexes me so much, no matter what I do I can’t seem to get it quite right. This has been the tale of our livingroom lamp. It’s a cool, retro lamp, but I feel like the previous color scheme was making our livingroom a bit stuffy & old looking. So I painted the base white.
I thought that’d fix the problem, but the lamp bugged me even more. This time it was the way the lamp & the shade played together. Chris bothered me to re-do the shade, but I wasn’t quite seeing the vision. THEN, I saw the ruffled anthro shower curtain & thought that perhaps adding some texture to the shade would fix the problem.
Now this is what I’ve got. I’m not sure if I like it or hate it. I think it still needs help, but I want your opinion. Pretty please?! Should I put it out of its misery & find something better or is there some miracle thing that could be done to make this lamp really shine? Oh please I hope you’ll help me out!
Personally, I think it looks a little messy. I think it has to be super messy or neat, like smooth surface. That’s all I got! Sorry. I think it looks pretty cool though.
Looks like a preschool art project. Sorry. I usually love everything you do…
I think the shade might be the wrong shape for this lamp. It needs something Victorian, maybe with some beaded fringe.
I would use a blue lampshade. I love the base of the lamp but think that it would really pop with a bold color up top!
I think the lamp shade you made is cool but I would pair it with a fun, bright colored base.
I was thinking a touch of gold at the top somewhere…
I agree with DeeDee, the shade could be really cool with a pop of color on the base. I’d paint the whole thing mint green or hawthorne yellow. Break up a little bit of your neutrals…it’ll come together!
I think black and gold look really nice, but of course a black shade won’t let any light through… It’s detailed on the bottom, so you might not want too much going on at the top. Maybe a little gold on the top part of the shade…
Hope this helps in some way =P
Bellesme
I agree with the bright base suggestions – I’d do the whole base in one bright color (or even just a color, if not bright). To me, the top looks kind of like toilet paper squares. I would do a simple shade up top.
Honestly, I think it’s an eyesore. Put it out of its misery! 99.999% of your projects turn out awesome, so one out of a million is a pretty acceptable rate of design mishaps. :P
Melissa, love the shade, but I’m sorry… that’s one ugly lamp. Maybe if it was all painted white, or possibly black.
I think the lamp has a lot of potential and the shade has a lot of potential but not together. And I’m thinking maybe a crisp blue for the base instead of a white? Or a teal or turquoise? The white seems too stark for the design maybe. No suggestions for what shade would work with it though!
Sorry I think the room needs some patterned colour to give it a wow factor that the lamp just doesn’t do. Sorry.
I LOVE the gold, glittery orb deal in the middle of the lamp. It would be a shame to cover that up. I would paint the white parts on the base black/dark brown/or that “oil rubbed bronze.” Then I would de-ruffle the shade and make it a dark beigy-gold to mimic the orby thing.
The white makes it fade into the wall. A dark color would really make it pop, without going overboard.
Good luck, and let us know what you do with it! I think it’s a great find.
I think the room is in warm tones and the gold stone thing in the lamp is warm, but the white paint and white shade are too cool in tone and that’s why it’s not working.
I think the shade is awesome! Maybe painting the base would help, I would get rid of the gold, personally.
I think it’s the shade. A deep teal or maybe even a bold chevron pattern, but smooth. Nix the texture, there is already a lot going on.
you could try a more plain design for the lamp shade. Maybe an idea along the lines of this?
http://www.tidystuff.com/beautiful-butterfly-lamp-designs-by-stellavie/
i love the gold base color. you just need to compliment it with another color or something cause i think it looks off with so much… white going on. Maybe a leathery lamp shade? Or in the complete opposite direction, a transparent one.
I think the geometric shapes on the shade just don’t match the flowy-ness of angels lol so maybe something more along the lines of this:
http://www.maganslens.com/2011/02/personal-project-a-diy-lamp-shade/
I would clean up the shade with cleaner lines-see if you can find a shade that has thick bold horizontal stripes in two slightly different shades of white. or just use a plain white shade with grosgrain ribbon trim. that will get it more modern and less…70s shag carpet? I would also actually think about painting the gold orb white (keep the gold tassel) and get a shade with gold grosgrain ribbon lining. but who knows?! you have some other great suggestions here too. and maybe you’ll fall in love with the lamp all over again :)
and HI MELISSA! :) it’s been awhile since BYU and you’re still so crafty and amazing…so neat to see you continuing your artistic endeavours!
OOOOOOH I love the idea of a purple lamp shade:
https://www.fullersfurnishings.com/images/archive/purple%20damask%20shade.jpg
I like the base, but I agree, the shade doesn’t match the feel. I think all it needs is a sleek, white shade. Maybe you can find a plain white shade with an interesting curvy body (to match the curviness, curlicues, Baroquiness)?
i’m so sorry to say this, because i normally love everything you put your hands on (fighting so hard to not make a dirty joke right now. ANYWAY….) this lamp is fug. not sure it can be salvaged. :/ sorry!
hate it
Put it out of it’s misery, please.
Definately KEEP the gold orb thing – that’s what makes it unique and something you wont find on anything new. I would paint the white parts a dark walnut brown and find a lamp shade that’s not quite as tall and is smooth and possibly has some shape/curve to it. Color of the shade – not quite sure, but maybe a deep red?
yeah… this one isn’t salvageable. The shade is kinda cool, but the base is ALL wrong. Not the colors or anything, just the shape and style and everything else about it. Try a different (new) base in black or a beige with a sleek, simple design with the shade you have.
Good luck – can’t wait to see what you pull together!
Cool shade.
No on the base.
The lampshade is out of proportion to the base. Find a smaller lampshade, if you really want to keep it. How about finding some fabric with a not-too-busy print and cover the shade with it? Paint the white parts another color. Otherwise, pitch it.
I really, really like the base and think it goes well with your front room. I say no to the shade though. It doesn’t fit with the rest of the room.
Lady, you know I’m a fan, but I’d let this one go. If you’re really set on keeping it around, here’s what I’d do:
a)lose the tassel
b)paint the entire base one color (including that off-putting gold orb); I’d choose red
c)replace the shade with a plain white one
d)put it in Penelope’s room
I see the base of white as looking better black. Matte black, specifically. Unlike apparently everyone else, though, I enjoy the white shade! I think with the black/gold base it will look much better than with the white on white.
I agree about the white being better a darker shade, to pick out the other darker bits in the room and ground that corner. Right now it kinda floats there, being more glaring than glamorous. I think a dark brown or black would flatter the gold accents better as well.
Love the lamp. I think lose the tassle, and find a smooth, teal shade. Leave the base as is; I love that gold orb.
i think you need a clear form for the top, there is so much going on at the bottom of the lamp, the ruffle has no need to be there…
a white cylindric shade with a border of a golden pattern near of the bottom of the shade is the first thing i was thinking, when i saw your lamp. maybe a floral border or a lovely imaginery design. maybe just three thin golden lines…
and sorry for my bad englisch, i´m german ^^
kind regards
-ema-
I’m with Ema, a simple white shade would balance the rich base– the ruffle makes it too over the top and busy. You could also use thin gold contact paper on the inside of the lamp (or on the borders as some other people suggested:) if you wanted to make sure top and bottom had some cohesian. I do love all the projects you do and it is great to see a work in progress and to realize that we all second-guess, take risks, and aren’t quite sure sometimes:)
i think that you should spray paint the stand part all one color. a cute bright color like baby blue or yellow or something and then cover the share in a cute floral fabric
I can’t decide if it would be better to have the base all one colour or keep the gold part and change the white. Either one would probably work. In any case, the shade is too tall and narrow I think. Something wider would balance the base better, with a simple grosgrain ribbon trim complementing the base. Love your blog and style!
by the way: the golden part of the base looks like a golden strawberry, doesn´t it ? some red transparent ink would make a really funny eyecatcher out of the strawberry-base :D
Initial impression – hate it. But what does it look like on? I have a lamp that looks pretty crap until you put it on, then it is perfect.
I think the problem is that the base and the shade don’t really belong together in their current forms. I would paint the entire base white (the golden strawberry thing isn’t helping the lamp at all!) and then perhaps antique it to bring out the detail. Then, because the lamp is so busy, I would go with a simpler shade. Good luck! You’re right; this lamp has a lot of potential. I would call it a “work in progress” right now . . . not a fail.
I think you should try a beige instead of the white. it’s too harsh against the gold globe in it. Then I would tie it in with a similar colored shade but I would try to do like a layered paper mache look so that the light comes through with different intensities. if that makes any sense.
Though I’m not a fan of the base, I think that a lampshade with a chevron-patterned fabric (maybe running it vertically, kind of like it is now) would be nice. The lamp has so much texture and interest already, that the ruffles seem to much.
I think you scrap it and get something new.
I think I would like it more if it was painted ALL white!
Is not working at all, sorry different color shade maybe :/
Not loving it. The lampshade looks like it’s covered in white post-its.
I must be crazy, because I like the base, but the shade looks so home-crafty. Not a fan. Kind of like you glued on toilet paper squares. The size of the shade is awesome, though. Lose the tassel and keep the shade something minimal but bold (peacock blue?)
hate it – but love it because it is so funny / fun.
I agree with Marissa (darker bronze type finish for base, and then perhaps some vertical gold stripes on the shade (after the white ruffles are removed). The ruffle shade would look great with a brightly colored, simple base! Glad to know I’m not the only one who has craft mishaps!
I think the gold is too brassy for your living room. And the shade looks a little fish-scaley to me. I would suggest using round scraps, but then I think it would look more fish-like.
Maybe you could try doing long strips from the top that hang over the bottom edge. Layer it up 2 or 3 layers and see how it looks.
That’s all I can think of.
Don’t listen to the haters! That base is suhweet! But the shade is not working for me at all. Maybe something simple and a shorter, squat 60’s hotel room kind of feel? Along these lines…?
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_coLFC3lIx-M/SrD8p8ZAIpI/AAAAAAAAIH4/Oo6gHjs4HM0/s400/BUBBLE%2BSHERE%2BTABLE%2BLAMP%2BSOL%2B99.jpg&imgrefurl=http://aliciabdesigns.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html&usg=__oDOIidnDR3PZjKAwVgEArzx8gLU=&h=288&w=288&sz=11&hl=en&start=0&sig2=nDFDg6wJwKDMfH2XucJAhw&zoom=1&tbnid=37r-n7VQ7d94qM:&tbnh=166&tbnw=180&ei=-nCkTejaG8Hc0QHc7I3BCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshort%2Bsquat%2Blamp%2Bshades%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1168%26bih%3D670%26tbm%3Disch0%2C155&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=354&vpy=303&dur=326&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=156&ty=92&oei=-nCkTejaG8Hc0QHc7I3BCA&page=1&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0&biw=1168&bih=670