Lighten Up! (Your lamps, that is)

You probably know by now I'm a *tad* bit obsessed with upcycling/repurposing/reusing my things. Love it all. Nothing makes me happier than getting ready to throw something out and realizing a quick coat of spray paint could make it rockin' again. That's what I've been doing with quite a lot of lamps around here these days.

We haven't gotten our under-cabinet lighting put in yet, so I always keep an itty-bitty lamp on my kitchen counter. You know, those $8 guys you can pick up anywhere? I've always loved the soft glow on the counter - while I'm getting dinner ready, or after the kids are in bed and "the kitchen is closed" (man, can I remember my parents using that line when I was a kid! And now I use it on my own!). But the little lamp was black. If you've been following ND, you know NOTHING is black in our kitchen or dining room anymore. So obviously it couldn't stay on the countertop anymore...

...or could it?!

Yes, of course it can! Just had to bust out my favorite spray paint shade these days, Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze, and get to work. I taped it up a little, gave it a few quick coats, and...

5 minutes later (seriously people, a few quick sprays and this is DONE!) now we have this cute little guy, that matches our kitchen perfectly:

All I needed to pick up was a little white shade at Lowes, and now I can use it again in the updated kitchen!

And I super love it at night....

It's not exactly the underhead-cabinet lighting that I'm dying for, but it does the job;). And it really shows off the beadboard wallpaper backsplash, which I love.

While we're at it, here are a couple more quick makeovers I've done on some lamps around here...

So next time you're about to spend money on a new lamp, grab that can of spray paint first! :)