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sommar_gw

Paint color ideas for lamp base.

4 years ago

I am thinking about painting this lamp base and would love some color suggestions. The couches are a very dark brown color.


Comments (35)

  • 4 years ago

    I would do the classic look for these lamps — white with matching shade.




    sommar thanked Jilly
  • 4 years ago

    Wow! How did you find the picture of the exact same lamp base? Our lamp is almost 40 years old! Hmm, never considered white. The thought was to reuse the shade but a light colored shade sounds like a good idea. I can use the red one somewhere else. Do you think a drum shape lampshade would look better?


  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I used to have some very similar, and coincidentally had been looking them up recently. I so wish I’d kept mine! I have my circa-‘80’s plaster floor lamp still, love it. :)

    Really, any shade would work. I prefer the ones from back then — like the above or a knife-pleat (which is coming back in style).

    Some search terms if you want to see others:

    Vintage southwestern lamps … plaster southwestern lamps … stone southwestern lamps … just to name a few.

    Here’s mine, in my dh’s music room:



    sommar thanked Jilly
  • 4 years ago

    Thank you so much for all this information! There are some white spots where the color has come off so I was wondering what the material was called. We will definitely look for another shade. Thanks again. So helpful!

  • 4 years ago

    My pleasure! It’s fun seeing these. :)

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago
    sommar thanked Jilly
  • 4 years ago

    Thanks! That is a pretty shade but does it look a little small as the hardware is visible? What is IG? MY dh likes the drum shape so I ordered one from Target to try.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I'm so sorry, I just saw your last comment — I haven’t been getting notifications.

    I think it’s the angle of the photo (the one I posted above).

    I’ve just been obsessed lately with retro pleated shades. :D My daughter got me this for Christmas:



    IG is Instagram.

    Please update when you get the new shade, would like to see. What did you decide about painting the base?

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    That's a beautiful lamp and shade! The drum shade I ordered has not arrived yet but I found a pleated shade in our basement ! Haven't made a decision about paint color. My husband likes the current terracotta color since I replaced the shade. I'm still undecided. Tried to attach a picture but it doesn't work at the moment. Will try later.

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you!

    Looking forward to seeing your different shades. I’m a bit of a lamp fanatic. :)

  • 4 years ago

    I'm glad that you are a lamp fanatic :-) I can certainly use the help. Not sure why I can't attach the picture. It is on my desk top but i greyed out when I try to attach it. I might have to clean out some things from my computer.

  • 4 years ago

    The basement find.

  • 4 years ago

    I like that shade a lot, but not with the base that color. What do you think?

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I'm definitely tired of that color after almost 40 years. Do you have any suggestions about color? The shape of the shade seems to work. I will try to attack a picture of the rest of the room, a mix of Sweden and the Southwest.

  • 4 years ago

    The rest of the room

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you! I think that is a good suggestion. We might pick up some paint samples at the local Sherwin Williams store today. I really appreciate all your help!

  • 4 years ago

    I’ve enjoyed it! Can’t wait to see what you decide. :)

  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I would go bright and contrast





    Inspro from Pottery Barn


    sommar thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    or white and natural/linen





    here i an inspiration from Pottery Barn


    sommar thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
  • 4 years ago

    Thank you for taking the time to create those images! I like those lamps from Pottery Barn. Still waiting for a drum shade to arrive in the mail. It is a beige color. Might paint the base som off white color if the shade fits.



  • 4 years ago

    The drum shade just arrived. Left the plastic on in case I need to return it. Too big?

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I’m having so much trouble posting today. Hope this goes through.

    I can’t get the pic to enlarge, so it’s hard to say. Do you like how the shape looks? I like the others better for your room, the vintage southwestern look, but that’s just my own preference. Any work fine, it’s whatever look you like. :)

    ETA: You may want to wait to see which shade works best after painting the base.

    sommar thanked Jilly
  • 4 years ago

    I got part of your earlier message in an email but couldn't see it on the website for some reason. Yes, I think some of the other shapes are better. I like the pleated but the old shade I found in the basement could have been a little wider at the bottom. It is also a little beat up. My husband likes the drum shade. We'll see. I will take your advice and paint the base before we decide...and take the plastic off :-) Got lots of paint chips from Sherwin Williams but so hard to choose.

  • 4 years ago

    I hear ya — I’m the worst at deciding paint colors for my projects! Good luck. :)

  • 4 years ago

    I think I’m being tracked. I went to Etsy just now, for something else, and they’re showing me plaster lamps as suggestions. 😄

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/965453575/architectural-plaster-table-lamp-ribbed?click_key=082642a08de99055653b31200015f68f04a2c615%3A965453575&click_sum=a904ac7b&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=vintage+plaster+lamp&ref=sr_gallery-1-14



    That happens on Instagram, too … I’ll leave a thread here, open IG, and get all these suggestions for whatever I was looking at here! :D

    sommar thanked Jilly
  • 4 years ago

    Yes, that happens to me as well. Funny, I haven't seen any of these types of lamps anywhere in the last 40 years :D


  • 4 years ago

    Without plastic. The “hems” at the top and bottom are not blu IRL.

  • 4 years ago

    Something does seem off about the size, but it’s hard to tell without seeing in person. Color is hard to tell on monitors, too … is it grayish?

  • 4 years ago

    It’s a light beige color, called burlap.

  • 4 years ago

    It looks so different in this latest picture! I like it now. :)

    sommar thanked Jilly
  • 4 years ago

    Might exchange it for a smaller size tomorrow. :-|


  • 4 years ago

    I got sidetracked with some other stuff but painted the lamp base with Sherwin Williams "Greek Villa". Love the pleated lampshade that you posted earlier. Now I just have to find it somewhere.


  • 4 years ago

    Greek Villa is such a nice color!

    I’m actually looking for a pleated shade, too, for a lamp I recently got …. been looking on Etsy, Lamps Plus, etc.

  • 4 years ago

    Hi Jinx! Found a lampshade at Amazon a few months ago. Large Box Pleat Empire Lamp Shade 7" Top x 20.5" Bottom x 10.75" High x 12.5" Slant (Spider) Replacement with Harp and Finial - Brentwood Wanted to let you know but wasn't able to find our discussion until now. You had found this exact shade on IG. I think the shade is perfect but now I'm unsure about the color of the lamp base. Should there be more contrast between shade and lamp base?