How To Embellish Lamp Shades
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Have you ever wondered how to embellish lamp shades to decorate your home? These DIYs show you how others have embellished their own lampshades.
Embellished Lampshade I Made:
Below is a lampshade that I embellished years ago.
I started with a plain white lampshade. Then I began adding linens from my linen basket. I overlapped the linens and hot-glued them onto the lampshade.
Then I began adding smaller embellishments, such as vintage doilies, fabric yo-yos, and vintage gloves.
The result was quite interesting and just what I was going for with this lampshade embellishment project!
Transfer Lampshade:
Christy from Confessions of a Serial DIYer created this floral lampshade by using a Meet Me In The Garden transfer from Redesign.
Washi Tape Lampshade:
This Washi tape lampshade was created by As The Bunny Hops. Washi tape was cut and added to the lampshade until the entire shade was covered.
The White Rose Lampshade:
The blogger behind The Heathered Nest created this lampshade by cutting white fabric into circles of varying sizes. Then she shaped them into a rose shape with her fingers and hot-glued one on at a time.
Pleated Fabric Lampshade:
The blogger behind This House Becomes a Home created this pleated fabric lampshade. She carefully ironed both sides of the fabric strips she cut, then hot-glued them to the lampshade, overlapping them.
Linens & Doilies Lampshade:
I found this lampshade on Pinterest, and there was no source to link to. But it was so beautiful, I wanted to show it anyway. It was made much like mine was, by overlapping vintage linens and adding other embellishments.
Fabric, Cross-Stitched, & Paper Lampshades:
This blogger has a blog in a foreign language, but it is translated into English. She created her lampshades with paper, fabric, and embroidery yarn to make them beautiful.
Colorful Fabric Lamp Shade:
You could use fabric or wallpaper for this project. Or if you are good at art, you could even paint the lampshade yourself.
Doily Lamp Shade:
This one was created using vintage doilies. This is a good way to display those doilies you collected over time.
Decoupaged Lamp Shade:
This lampshade was DIYed with cut-out shapes of watercolor fabric, which were then decoupaged onto the shade.
Ruffled Burlap Shade:
This lampshade was embellished with burlap.
Felt Lamp Shade:
This project was created with felt. The DIYer used the templates’ shapes to trace them onto felt.
She says to download the templates and print them off, resizing them as you desire. Then, trace the shape onto the felt with an embroidery marker pen.
Fabric Or Wallpaper Lampshade:
You could use fabric or wallpaper for this lampshade, whichever you prefer. Then, you could attach it with glue.
In this photo, a black ribbon accents the bottom of the shade, adding a bit more frill.
DIY Photo Lamp:
Maybe you want to display photos of family or friends, but have run out of surfaces to place framed photos. This idea will let you display quite a few images at once.
Embellishing Lamp Shades:
There are many ways to embellish lamp shades and make them look special. I have used lace, embroidered linens, and ribbon.
You can create a unique lampshade that no one else will have because you created it yourself.
Love these lampshades – I often see old, yellowed lampshades at Thrift shops that would be good candidates for a make-over. Your examples were so pretty like in the fancy decorating magazines and didn’t look that difficult if one is crafty.
I love the photo lamp shade! What a cool way to display your photos. I have a lamp that I hang crystals from the bottom rim of it. Since it’s metal, and the crystals have magnets on them, they were easy to attach, and it makes a huge difference in how beautiful the lamp shade is now. I also ordered some really cute felt houses from Etsy, and I didn’t really have anywhere to put them. I just thought they were pretty. Well, I clipped them onto the top rim of the lamp shade using tiny clothes pins, and it turned out so cute. And I bought a lamp shade that had beaded fringe hanging off the bottom. They are all so fancy looking.
Lots of beauties here! I’ve never tried because I know I’d make a huge mess. Definitely missing that decorating gene. LOL
I remember When you were in that lamp shade decorating contest. That was about the time I found your site. I loved your embroidered vintage scarves you put on your shade. I voted for you every day. That was a very beautiful shade. I really lusted after that shade.
Some of these are really pretty. I’m not too crafty so I’ll have to check some of these sites and see if they’re doable for me.
I have two plain white lampshades. I am going to try putting the photos on them. These are great! I never thought of embellishing lamp shades.
I’m going to have to get an inexpensive shade to practice one of this. Always wanted to do this. These are gorgeous
Never tried this but its very cute idea!!
I have never attempted to embellish a lampshade but I have 2 ginger jar lamps that I put some twine around the neck and I can tuck or clip seasonal decorations onto it. Easy. As I get older my get up and go gets up and goes! Stay cool everyone.
There are lots of original ideas here for inspiration. I remember you posting pics of your beautiful embellished lampshades from time to time…maybe you saved them on Pinterest? Hope your weather is cooling off. Wisconsin is being broiled today with high temps and high humidity, too. I hate to wish for fall so soon…but 🌡️🥵. I have several birdbaths where I have to change the water a few times a day because it gets so hot!
I have embellished my lamp shades in the past and loved the way they turned out. These are all wonderful. I love the photo shade how sweet and fun it that one! Have a great rest of the week. Hugs. Kris