How to Cover Lamp Shades

If your lamps are beginning to show signs of wear or simply no longer fit with your home decor, you may think your only alternative is to throw them out and buy new ones. But, before you go to the expense of buying new lamps consider covering your lamps shades with new fabric or other materials to breathe new life into the room. Covering a lampshade is easier than you may think and opens possibilities for new and unique designs you won't find in the store.

Things You'll Need

• Lampshade
• Fabric
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Embellishments

Instructions

1. Select a lampshade. You may wish to use the existing lampshade on your lamp, but if you want to shake things up a bit, check the attic or visit yard sales and second hand stores for old shades. You can often purchase these for pennies. The condition doesn't really matter as long as the frame is in good shape.

2. Choose the covering you would like to use. Browse fabric stores for new and interesting fabrics. Keep the overall color scheme and design of your room in mind as you choose a new cover for your lampshade. A splash of bright color can add life and style to a room, but it should coordinate with the existing color scheme.

3. Wrap paper around the lamp shade to create pattern for cutting your fabric. Trace the outline of the shade onto the paper and add a 1/2 inch seam allowance on all sides. Cut out the pattern.

4. Place the pattern on the wrong side of your new fabric. Trace a cutting line and cut out the fabric. Your new covering is now ready to apply to the shade.

5. Center the shade on the fabric so the 1/2 inch seam allowance overhangs on all sides. Align the ends with the back seam on your shade. Run a strip of hot glue along the inside top rim of the shade. Fold the seam allowance to the back of the shade and glue in place. Work around the rim of the shade creating a smooth seam. Repeat with the bottom rim smoothing away wrinkles as your go and creating a taut cover to the shade.

6. Fold the seam allowance under to form the seam at the back of the lamp. Glue in place making a smooth even seam. Add decorative trim or braid to hide the seam if preferred. You may also wish to add decorative trim around the rim of the shade with hot glue.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose decorative trim that complements the color and design of the fabric.