DIY raffia lamp / part 2
Introducing the second edition of our DIY Raffia Lamp series – a couple of ideas you can use independently or together to give new life to a forgotten table lamp. Our first in this series showed you how to create a raffia wrapped lampshade, and today we will step you through the process of applying a whitewash finish to the lamp base.
The concept for this DIY was inspired by the whitewash vase DIY created by Geneva from Collective Gen. This is a really simple transformation you can apply to so many objects in the home, and works wonders with finishes such as the raffia we used for the lamp shade. This textured effect adds such a lovely raw, tactile element which complements natural finishes so beautifully.
Our lampshade was a matt concrete which took to the paint really easily. This method also works on ceramic bases, if they are a glossy finish you may just need to apply a few additional coats to cover the original surface.
You will need:
A lampshade
A paintbrush
A warm white interiors paint (we used Dulux Whisper White)
Bicarb soda
A bowl and mixing spoon for the paint
Cotton Buds
Step 1
Put some of your paint in a bowl and add your bicarb soda one spoonful at a time. Mix the bicarb in thoroughly so you don’t have any large chunks visible. Keep adding a spoonful at a time and mixing into the paint, you’re aiming for a thick paste consistency.
Step 2
Apply to the shade base being mindful of your brush stroke directions. While the paint is still wet you can correct any unintentional strokes, the more you disturb the paint as it dries the more textured it will become. The beauty of this is you can be as messy or neat as you like, which will vary the amount of texture.
Step 3
Use a slightly damp cotton bud to tidy the finish around the cord or top attachment. Leave to dry fully between coats then apply another until you’re happy with the finish.
We hope that you found inspiration in this DIY Lamp series, should you create your own please let us know and tag #sundaymade.