DIY Network

Lamp Shade Makeover Add ribbon to give a lampshade a whole new look. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-103

Guest Leslie Neblett explains how to transform a plain lampshade by adding some decorative ribbon.

advertisement

Find out how to spruce up your lampshades with ribbons.

Materials:

grosgrain ribbon
straight pins
fabric glue
brightly colored acrylic paint
black acrylic paint
clothespin

Lamp Shade Makeover

• First Design.Using grosgrain ribbon, trim the bottom of the shade. Measure the bottom of your shade and cut the ribbon about one inch longer than needed. Starting at the back of the shade, place the ribbon directly over the existing trim. Using straight pins, attach the ribbon, pinning at several intervals along the way and especially on the corners if your shade should have them (figure A). Once the ribbon is completely pinned to the shade, begin to glue the ribbon into place using fabric glue. Keep the pins in place until the glue has dried.

• Second Design. Using two different, yet coordinating pieces of grosgrain ribbon, you can easily slide the edge of the ribbon under the lampshade trim, top and bottom. Using two pieces of the same color ribbon, edges touching, you can create the look of a much wider ribbon. Glue the two pieces together directly on the shade. To conceal the seam and any glue marks, lay a single piece of coordinating ribbon over the seam and glue the top piece underneath the original shade trim, using fabric glue. As these ribbons are glued in a vertical fashion, you can use a clothespin to keep it in place until the glue dries (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

• Third Design. Lightly sketch three balloons onto a lampshade. Using brightly colored acrylic paint, paint each balloon a different color (figure C). Using black paint, create the lines to resemble pieces of string that look as if they are attached to each balloon. Draw the three black lines in a downward manner to converge at one point. Using a thin piece of ribbon, tie a bow in the ribbon and glue the bow onto the fabric of the shade at the converging point of the black lines to create the look as if the balloons are tied together.

  Note: You can paint any design on the shade and decorate the image(s) using ribbon.

GUESTS :

Leslie Neblett
E-mail: leslieneblettarchitecture@gmail.com