How to Dye a Lampshade

Changing the Color of a Lampshade with Dye

I have a lampshade that I made… Unbeknownst to me, a leak formed in the roof of the house and dripped onto the dining room table where the lampshade was sitting. The water stained the shade as it soaked up the water. I looked at it as an opportunity to add color to a plain white lampshade. I’m going to share how to dye a lampshade and make it look completely different (and hide the water stain!).

Supplies:

• Plain white lampshade
• Fabric dye of your choice (<– affiliate link!)
• Paint brush, if necessary

So here is what my lampshade looked like after I discovered the stain… Darn it!

I used Tulip One-Step Tie Dye in a navy blue color to change up the lamp shade and cover the stain. (Not affiliated in any way with Tulip – I just love this product!)

I applied the dye full-strength to the bottom third of the shade, using about half of the dye in the bottle. I had to spread the dye with a paint brush because it wouldn’t quite soak into the fabric on the shade. How the rain water did, I will never know!

I added more water to the dye bottle without adding more dye. This way, the color will be a bit more diluted. I applied the diluted dye to the next third of the shade, brushing it as I went along. I rinsed the brush, then used plain water to saturate the last third of the shade. It started very lightly soaking up the dye.

I wrapped the shade in a plastic garbage bag and let it sit overnight which is recommended on the dye instructions.

The next morning, I used the sprayer on my outdoor sink to rinse the shade until the water ran clear. Then I hung the lampshade on the clothesline to dry.

I used the shade on a plain liquor bottle lamp that I spray painted white.

It looks awesome, don’t you think?

I love this dye! It is so versatile and saved my lampshade from looking like a total disaster! Have any questions on how to dye a lamp shade? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2015-06-05 08:00:27.