Fabric-Covered Lampshade

Do you have any plain lamp shades that you are bored with? Or maybe you want to update your living space a bit, but you’re on a budget?

I searched Pinterest for ideas to update my boring lamps.  I found a great DIY article by The Creativity Exchange which demonstrated how to cover a lamp shade with fabric.  Looked do-able, so I decided to go for it!

The directions are well-outlined and fairly simple.  It took me about an hour – not bad!  I still have a little detail work to do on the inside of the shade…but at-a-glance you’d never know.  (More on that in a minute.)

Materials needed:

~ A drum-style lampshade

~ Fabric (1/3 yard to a yard…depending on size of shade)

~ Hot glue gun

~ Hem tape

~ Binder clips or clothes pins would be helpful

The step I skipped at this point is covering the excess fabric inside the shade with hem tape.  I was excited to have completed the outside and wanted to be finished for the day.  Here’s what the inside looks like at this point:

I do intend to finish the detail work, but honestly you can’t see it, so for now…on to another priority.  Overall I’m pleased with how this turned out, so I think I’m ready to update a larger lampshade in my living room that also needs a makeover.  I wanted to try this accent lamp first, as a practice piece.

Go for it, and have fun!