Before + After: Antique Lamp

Before + After: Antique Lamp

The other week I finally got my act together and polished this old lamp and bought a new drum shade for it. This lamp was my grandmother’s, and she gave it to my mom when she was 17, and my mom gave it to me when I was about 15. And by gave, I mean I usurped it and it went into my room, and then came with me to college, and then sat in storage for 3.5 years until Tyler and I moved in together! The old shade was the one my mom had on it, but I re-upholstered it with the Anna Maria Horner fabric (sketchbook – ivory) that we had all over the old living room. This was probably the third or fourth time I had recovered it somehow. I decided I really still love the AMH fabric I used here, and I really wanted a drum shape shade, so I just bought a new shade. :) It definitely sits in this room much better then the old shade which was competing with everything else in here. I realize now, I haven’t really done an update for the living + workspace, or any “before” shots, so I should put that together soon. We are definitely not in a full-blown “reveal” state, but I want to start posting more “in progress” shots, especially considering how many months this room has taken to come together…
So anyway, back to when I got this lamp when I was in high school; This was my favorite lamp when I was growing up (I love the glass/crystal detail… I thought it was magic when I was a kid), so when my mom asked if I wanted it in my room I jumped on the chance! But, there was this thing going on in the late 90s where no one wanted anything to do with anything yellow gold or brass; instead, silver was all the rage! Like an idiot I painted this lamp with a silver marker so it would match all the other metals in my room (this was a primary concern of mine. I even spent my after-school-job money on brushed silver knobs for my desk. I guess I’ve been into this stuff for a while, huh?).  Never give an antique lamp to a 15-year-old with metallic markers! Or, at least make sure they know how to repair it later! So, I got out my trusty bartender’s friend and brass cleaner, and set to work. The silver pen came off rather quickly, only to reveal a layer of black gunk. We realized it was sooooooo dirty we really needed to take it apart.

We soaked all the bits in a vinegar/water solution and scrubbed with all manner of cleaners. I even scraped out years of gunk with a toothpick for hours! The results were quite impressive!
We might have over-scrubbed in a few areas, but it certainly closer to its former glory, and now it is BRASS again (♥)! What do you guys think?! 

Living + Workspace Series:
• (09/15/11) Living + Workspace Layouts
• (09/29/11) The Midas Touch ← mood board
• (10/04/11) Building Our Own Coffee Table
• (10/13/11) Living + Workspace; Built-in Sketches
• (11/11/11) Living + Workspace Update
• (11/14/11) Bookcases
• (11/22/11) Painting a Projector Screen
• (04/06/12) Before + After: Front Door
• (06/19/12) Living + Workspace: Current Layout and Mood
• (06/20/12) Living + Workspace: A Revealing Update

11 Responses to Before + After: Antique Lamp

  1. Emily says:

    WOW, I think this looks amazing! I love the color now….poor lamp, it’s been through a lot. :)

  2. Yes, it certainly has. I was so surprised (and happy!) that this color was lying under all that gunk and marker! :)

  3. jenelle says:

    WOW! Nice fix up! Can you come decorate my house please?

  4. […] Sketches • (11/14/11) Bookcases • (11/22/11) Painting a Projector Screen • (03/30/12) Before + After: Antique Lamp • (04/06/12) Before + After: Front Door Share this: ← A Laelia Outfit #20 Bookcases […]

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Welcome

Welcome to Visual Vocabularie! My name is Jesyka, and I am a designer, artist, mom to Laelia and Luca, wife to software engineer and UX designer Tyler, coffee lover, and all around enthused person. This is my blog; here I share my personal projects, whether it's a furniture makeover, a new painting, a birthday party, an invitation I designed, or a favorite outfit for my little. You’ll also catch a glimpse into our family life in Los Angeles.

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