How to Make Custom Lamp Shades

Custom lamp shades can be the crowning glory of any lamp. If you feel lamp shades are to be dressed and seen, you can transform shades to suit your home's personality and style. Learn to make custom lamp shades that are individual works of art.

Things You'll Need

• Plain lamp shade
• Black permanent marker
• Black latex craft paint and small craft brush
• Buttons, assorted trim and hot glue gun (optional)

Instructions

1. Design custom lamp shades to perform double duty. Take a plain four-sided lamp shade and with a little black craft paint and a black permanent marker, make two custom lampshades from one.

   Select wording for the lamp shade. Use lyrics from a special song, an excerpt from a favorite novel or poetry that has meaning for you.

2. Using the black permanent marker and your best handwriting, print the wording or use a longhand script to make custom lamp shades like the one pictured.

   Write from the beginning of one side to the end of the second side in one continuous line. Repeat wording until the two sides of the lamp shade are completely covered.

3. 

   Outline "leopard print" shapes with the permanent black marker randomly over the remaining two sides of the double duty custom lamp shade. Fill in the leopard "spots" with black latex craft paint. Continue until all spots are filled.

4. 

   Recycle affordable lamp shades that you pick up at flea markets or thrift shops to make custom lamp shades. Glue buttons, fringe, rickrack, etc. as fringe to customize the look in minutes.

   Tea dye natural or white lamp shades by steeping tea bags in a kitchen sink filled with hot water and immersing lamp shade into the hot liquid. Use your imagination to create custom lamp shades with a minimum investment of time and money.

Tips & Warnings

• While shopping for used lamp shades, keep your eye out for old shades with great lamp finials. Some of the older finials are very decorative and will add to the dressing of custom lamp shades.