With curated homes becoming all the rage, the need for characterful decor is only growing. Antique and vintage pieces are the new hot commodity, with designers opting for items that tell a story.
While we love the vintage look, hunting down specific pieces can be tricky as it's always a bit of a gamble, especially when it comes to vintage lighting pieces. But there's a trusty solution to this endless struggle – updating new (or thrifted) pieces to give them a more aged look. Drew Michael Scott (A.K.A Lone Fox) recently proved this theory by taking a lifeless lamp and transforming it into a one-of-a-kind characterful piece that feels both aged and sophisticated.
Drew documented his DIY project and shared it on Instagram, showing us exactly how he created the 'molten brass' lamp base. 'I was so happy with how these turned out they definitely look like a few hundred dollars at least, definitely not $19!'
The first step of Drew's DIY lighting idea is all about the prep. He removes the shade and tapes over the cord hole and the stem for the bulb. Noting the texture of the original base, he says 'So I taped them off and sprayed it with a universal primer just because they were kind of glossy'. To achieve that antique it's crucial to get rid of this shiny layer as it will make the lamp look new rather than aged and authentic.
Drew then goes in with an ingenious powder mixture that he uses to create the textural layer over the lamp. This is a product to get into your DIY kit as it can be used to create character and add a ton of texture to surfaces and is so easy to work with
'I used this product called hot mud which is a mixture of plaster of Paris and joint compound', he says. Hot mud can be used for all types of creations as it's a powder, 'You can mix however much you want', he says. Adding water to the powder, Drew creates a paste that he applies to the lamp with a paint spatula.
Now comes the fun part. Once most of the hot mud has been applied, Drew then goes in with his fingers and 'rubbed it on the entire lamp. I created this wavy, raked-like texture with my fingers.'
Once the texture has been created, store the lamp in a cool dry place and wait for the hot mud to dry. 'Once this dried I went in with some sandpaper and sanded off any of those peaks that were showing', Drew says. While texture is important when creating the piece, you want to avoid areas that are too raised. He says the goal is for the lamp 'to look like molten brass'.
Being mindful of mess, he uses cardboard to place around the lamps. To create that bronzed look, Drew says he 'sprayed the lamp down with a coat of black spray paint because it intensifies any metallic coat you put on top.' He then goes in with the second coat that provides the gold effect, saying 'I then sprayed on this burnished amber hammered spray paint'.
To finish the look, Drew says 'The star of the show is going to be our gold rub and buff which I applied with my fingertips so it hit the top points of the texture.'
Drew's taught us once again how fun DIY can really be. With a few materials from the hardware store, his thrifted lamps have been given an entirely new identity, transformed into a pair of bespoke, antique pieces.
