Before & After: Lamps

Check out the finish product of the DIY lamps that I purchased from TJ Maxx for a steal! From "just okay" to Wow! I sprayed them with Valspar's soft blue satin spray paint for any surface and then I sprayed them down with a high gloss clear coat. I think they turned out pretty great.

Here is the before and after detail shots.

Fab Finds: Lamps!

This past weekend while David was working in the kitchen and I was twirling my thumbs, I decided to go out and try to find some window hardware for the living room. I've shopped on-line and in the stores and can't seem to find something that I like and also willing to pay the price for. So I went to Kmart, JC Penny's, Sears, and few other stores. I knew I'd probably find something at Target so I went out to Tiger-Town. (A outdoor strip mall like the Summit in Birmingham but defiantly not as yuppy/trendy...) Before I headed straight to Target I wanted to check out the TJMaxx and Ross. Well low-and-behold, I find something awesome! I go out to get curtain rods and I come back with a pair of great lamps for only $20 each! I couldn't pass up this deal. Just take a look!

Since I purchased two lamps I thought it was wise to forgo my hunt for curtain rods right now. After getting back to the house, I was so proud of my great find, I couldn't wait to show David. Well, just like any male. Here is his response, "Lamps? Why do we need lamps? $20 for a lamp is expensive, where are they going to go? They don't match either." Not quite the response I was looking for. Ok, so I had to explain this to him. Here's my response, "First $20 for a nice lamp is not expensive at all, they look a lot like these lamps that I see on very popular blogs for $120-something or more! Plus I'm planning on spray painting these guys a different color so they match the guest room." He agreed, I think. FYI to the Ladies: always mention another product that looks just like it that is twice the cost to justify a purchase, but only when that is really true. My copy-cate inspirational lamps came from YHL's We're Diggin'. 

Pretty close match, huh? As I said before I plan to spray paint the ceramic base a nice blue color. I don't think it will be the same color as above, but I plan to coordinate it with the guest room bedding. Here is a pretty image of the collection from Pottery Barn and our work-in-progress of the guest room. 

 

I have a side table and the desk that both my mother and I grew up with on the other side of the bed. I need to paint the desk too. Maybe if it ever stays warm and dry enough I'll get to finish those projects. Well If this post couldn't get any longer, I wanted to show you a post from Little Green Notebook, which provided wonderful intriguing thoughts about color and design for hand-me-down desk and super cheap lamps. Wow! I love color, just take a look! You see what a little bit of paint can do? Thats what I'm thinking! Just wait!

Hooray for fab finds!