9 Lampshades You Can Make Before Lights Out

If you have a tired table lamp, a lackluster lantern, or a pooped-out pendant, take inspiration (and instruction) from these fresh and easy DIY ideas—and let there be light!

By Marisa Villarreal | Updated Aug 18, 2015 12:56 PM

Zip Ties with Real Zip

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DIY 70s Lampshade

After seeing a similar design in a store window display, Courtney of the blog A Little Glass Box used chicken wire, the rim from a $4 Target lampshade, and spray-painted zip ties to create this inspired lampshade

alittleglassbox.com

Enticing Tea Bags

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Tea Bag Lampshade

This shade can be easily constructed by sewing tea bags together and hanging them from a rim. We suspect the chamomile lamp smells great.

tumblr.com

Veneer Vortex

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Veneer Lampshade

This woven veneer lamp from Poppytalk is far simpler than it looks! Form a sphere with strips of veneer and secure using a strong glue; use staples to keep everything in place while it dries. Add an Ikea Hemma cord set, and this stylish glowing orb is ready to shine from any ceiling.

poppytalk.com

String Theory

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DIY String Lampshade

Nina at Living In made two passes at this design before taking it to her blog. She found success by soaking cotton wool yarn in wallpaper glue, wrapping the yarn tightly around a gym ball, and then letting it dry on a bucket for a few days. Once the glue dried, she deflated and removed the ball, creating a one-of-a-kind statement piece. Beautiful!

livinginblog.com

Cool Threads

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DIY Lampshades

If you have an old lampshade frame, or can find one at a yard sale, you're all set for this project. Nikki at The Ambitious Procrastinator coated a frame in Krylon spray paint and wove thread across the frame's panels. This project is cheap, trendy, and easy to alter as your style evolves.

theambitiousprocrastinator.com

Woven Linoleum

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DIY Woven Lampshade

This near dead-ringer for a West Elm pendant lamp was made using strips of linoleum flooring and wire. You could just as easily use veneer and a higher gauge wire to achieve the same effect with a potentially sturdier design.

karapaslaydesigns.blogspot.ca

Lively Wire

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Wire Basket Lampshade

Another piece inspired by a store window display, this wire basket used to sit on the floor holding children's toys—and now it hangs brightly, high above the fray. 

ashleyannphotography.com

Twine Treatment

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Twine Lampshade

You may feel like you're DIY-ing in circles with this project, but rest assured, wrapping a tired shade with jute or twine will breathe new life into the lamp and lend the room a nautical feel. For more DIY ideas, check out these 20 ways to decorate with rope.

anightowlblog.com

Folded Paper

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DIY Origami Lampshade

This elaborate display of paper-folding was made using only sketch paper from the children's section at Ikea. Though creating this lamp isn't difficult, it will take time—so be patient, and keep folding!

ahyiyi.blogspot.com

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