How to Dye a Lampshade

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

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!).

How to Dye a Lamp Shade

Supplies:

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

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Before

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!)

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Tie Dye

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!

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Adding Dye

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.

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Brushing Dye

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

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Plastic

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.

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Lamp

It looks awesome, don’t you think?

How to Dye a Lamp Shade_Finished

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!

2 Comments

  • julie latham says:

    Hello I have a green lamp shade I want to dye it white what do I need. Where can I buy the dye from never done this before.

    Kind regards

    Julie

    • Cher says:

      Hi, Julie!
      Unfortunately, if it is already a dark color, there really isn’t a way to dye it white. It’s possible that a color remover can be used on it (I would test it on a small area first) but I’m really not sure how that would work. Good luck with your project!

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