Materials: Ceramic or Glass Lamps; Paper or Fabric Shades
Let there be light, sure; but its source should be a thing of beauty, too. If yours isn’t, you can fix it in a snap. Two caveats about painting shades: Paint will block light, so limit it to small details. And because latex paint is water-based, expect a slight amount of crinkling where you paint a paper shade (fabric shades will be fine).
Step 1: Protect the cord and the lightbulb socket first by covering them with painter’s tape, then spray-paint the base (for the technique, see Step 2 of Makeover Your Coffee Table With Paint. For a glazed ceramic or glass base, use Krylon Fusion, the only spray paint out there that adheres to slick surfaces problem-free. For a matte ceramic base, regular spray paint, such as Krylon Interior-Exterior, will do a fine job.
Step 2: To make over a shade as shown here, measure in one inch from the top of the shade and place the end of a roll of painter’s tape below that line; continue measuring and taping around the entire circumference, leaving a one-inch border above the tape. Repeat the process on the bottom of the shade.
Step 3: Use a soft-bristle brush to fill in the borders with an even coat of paint (latex on paper, acrylic fabric paint on fabric). Let dry completely before removing the tape.

Shopping List

One can Krylon Interior-Exterior (shown in Tidepool), $3 to $5; or one can Krylon Fusion, $4 to $5: www.krylon.com

One quart Pratt & Lambert Accolade eggshell latex (shown in Ventana), $9, www.prattandlambert.com for stores. Or one one-ounce tube SoSoft Fabric Acrylics, $1.50, www.decoart.com for stores.

One two-inch-wide roll Scotch Safe-Release Painters’ Masking Tape for Very Delicate Surfaces, $8 at hardware stores.

Soft-bristle brush, about $1 at hardware stores.