Creating the perfect Farmhouse Lamp

I bought these beauties at a Garage sale during the summer. I paid $5.00 for the pair! I thought with a little work, They would make great Farmhouse lamps for our bedside tables. The wood upper wasn’t bad but I wasn’t digging the brass bottom. I think they turned out great! Just a quick note: This technique can be achieved on just about anything. Even metal. You just need your piece to have good bones. Here’s what I did to achieve the look:

• 

• 

First I cleaned them really well with soap and water

• 

• 

I then mixed up some chalk paint from some paint I found in the OOPS section of my local Home improvement store. You can use any color that resembles a wood tone. If you don’t make your own chalk paint, you can buy white chalk paint and mix in a small amount of any flat paint. Were going for a matte finish. Apply one to two coats depending on if your first coat covered completely.

• 

Then take any stain of your choice (I used Minwax Dark Walnut) and apply it with a small chip brush, getting into all the small crevices. Let it sit for about 2 minutes. Take a lint free rag and wipe away the stain in what should be the direction of grain. What you’re trying to do is achieve the look of wood grain.

• 

Let the stain dry completely! Since its cold here and the stain in the crevices was still a bit sticky, I let mine dry for 2 days. Working in small sections I then applied white wax ( I used Waverly) with a small chip brush. You’re going for the same technique as above. Brush on, let sit a few minutes and wipe off in direction of the grain. Make sure to apply and wipe off the wax evenly on both lamps. It doesn’t have to be perfect but you want them to match.

• 

• 

• 

Let dry and you’re done! I got the shades off of some old lamps I wasn’t using anymore. Super easy! I really love how they turned out and even better I hardly spent anything : )

• 

• 

• 

• 

•