Unfortunately, we’ve lived in a throwaway culture for far too many years—thankfully the tide is turning. No more “out with the old, in with the new.” It’s now trendy (dare we say “cool”) to breathe new life into old things. From vintage clothing finds to furniture resale shops and everything in between, we’re slowly realizing that reusing is not just a good idea, but a fun one, too.
While you’ve probably refinished old furniture, you might not have given much thought to restoring a light fixture. Truth is, there’s lots of life left in many old lamps, and A Shade Better’s owner, Tom Driskell, helped shed some light on the situation.
“Reusing and repurposing old lamps is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to remodel a room,” he explains.
AShadeBetter-Cincinnati.com | 9545 Fields Ertel Rd., Loveland | 513.489.0880
3 Ways to Revamp Your Lamp
- Fix a flea market or yard sale find. There are some great vintage pieces, lamps included— if you score one, bring it to a lighting store for a repair quote. “Let us make suggestions— there’s more than one way to rewire a lamp. Or, if you’re looking for parts, bring the old or damaged part with you—it’ll make the whole process easier,” Tom says.
- Overhauling an heirloom. The number-one concern with heirlooms is safety. “Oil lamps converted to electric can be difficult to bring up to current code, because people in the Depression era [often] crafted them themselves,” Tom explains. “It can be done. Let the people who know what they’re doing help you—it boils down to parts, tools and experience.”
- Swapping shades. One of the easiest ways to update your lamp’s look is to replace its shade. Swap big for small, white for grey—the options are endless. Shade-shopping? “Bring the lamp with you, and come with an open mind—you’ll end up with the best result. Plus, different shade styles fit differently—we’ll make sure whatever you purchase fits properly.”