On of the simplest and relatively inexpensive ways to change the look of a room is by recovering a lamp shade. There are several methods of recovering a lampshade. Here is the easiest way to do it. First gather some material that you want to use on the shade, scissors, a hot glue gun, braided gimp to coordinate with the fabric and a self adhesive lampshade. Then simply follow these instructions….

I purchased a lampshade with a self adhesive surface. Most lighting stores will carry these. I find mine online at Fogg Lighting. It will have a paper pattern covering the adhesive surface. You simply remove the pattern, trace it on a piece of fabric, cut the fabric out and apply to the sticky side of the lampshade. When the fabric is applied completely, you trim the top and bottom excess fabric off. Then you apply braided gimp with a hot glue gun to the side seam and the top and bottom of the shade to cover the raw edges of the fabric.

Now you have a “decorator shade” that is custom made for your decorating style. It only takes about a half hour to do too! Click on the pictures to enlarge for detail. Do you have lamps that need updating? Give this a try!