If you have watched even one episode of Dream Home Makeover or followed Studio McGee on Instagram, in all likelihood you have fallen in love with their use of pottery. Whether it be an aged bowl on a table or a pot with a Ficus Audrey plant inside it, you were persuaded to pop around the internet to see the prices of pottery, and you may have been a bit surprised at the cost.
I have always appreciated the look of clay, cement, and stone pottery, so this trend is very appealing to me. We all know that following trends and buying new can be draining for your budget. For my decor, if I bring in a new piece, an old piece leaves the house. I hate facing the dilemma of what to take away. I had this lamp, sitting in our garage, waiting for its trip to Value Village. This piece, a once loved item, just didn't bring the same joy as it used to. It happens, your tastes and style change. However, the idea came to mind to transform it into a gorgeous stone look-a-like lamp and reintroduce it to my decor.
I hope to inspire you to look at your own decor, and see if some simple techniques can change how you see it. Here is a step by step guide on how I transformed this glass into a stone/clay-based lamp.
What you will need:
- Lamp, glass jugs or vases, terra cotta pots, or any other pots you may have.
- Wallboard joint compound
- Masking tape - Drop cloths and gloves
- Putty knife
- Dirt
- Paint color of your choice
Step 1.
Wash all the dust off, if any.
Step 2.
Use masking tape to protect areas you don't want to be affected by the treatment.
- Put down drop cloths, and wear gloves. It will be messy.
- Add wallboard joint compound to cover the surface.
- Allow 24 hours to dry after applied.
Step 3.
- Apply a second coat for full coverage. If you are wanting more texture, as I did for this lamp, add some dirt to selected areas and let sit for a couple of minutes, and then brush off.
Step 4.
Lightly sand down the area with 220 grit sandpaper after the compound is completely dry. If you want more texture with ridges and bumps, a very light sanding is recommended. Remember we want this to have an aged stone look.
Step 5.
Apply your choice of paint to the surface. I chose Sherwin Williams Web Gray #7075.
After you have covered the surface, put some more dirt on selected areas of the piece, and let sit for about 10 minutes, then shake off the excess. If you want a more smooth piece, the little bumps from the dirt may not be what you are looking for. I love the aged looked it brings. Allow drying time for about 24 hours.
Step 6.
I wanted this lamp to have a balance of tones, to mimic a stone look, so I brushed on some black paint in selected areas. I then dabbed on more gray (after this photo was taken) just on the parts that you see white coming through. Let it dry thoroughly.
Step 7.
Now the fun part. I sanded it, again, just lightly enough to soften the black and bring the gray and brown (from the dirt) forward. For these techniques, you are looking for deep and light tones, which gives it a really nice balance. I wanted to add some contrast, so I dry brushed on some white paint, just where the light will touch, and dabbed it off to blend. Let dry for a full day before you display your piece.
All done.
I really love how it turned out. It looks and feels like stone, which is exactly the look I was wanting.
If you're inspired to try this project, but want a smoother-looking piece, it is very easy to do. Just be mindful of the texture of the compound on the application, and how you place your paint.
What an easy and fun project, and a fantastic way to re-use decor you already own.
Happy decorating x
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