Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The Apple Cup Lamp

Hehe.  I couldn't resist.  A little tribute to my beloved Washington State and a play on my own blog name.  :)

OK, now down to the details.

Oh, and I know my potting bench isn't the best back drop for this lamp, but it is one of the very few places in my house with decent natural lighting and I really needed that to show you the finish on this lovely.

First, the lamp shade is painted Oil Rubbed Bronze and you can't tell in this photo, but it ***sparkles***.


Have you all read about the faux Mercury Glass paint treatments?  I've tried a few of them I've found on various blogs and haven't really been happy with how things turned out.  I decided that was because I was doing them on glass (duh?) and I wanted something more solid behind the finish.  Plus I hadn't really loved how the finishes turned out.  They looked TOO painted.

So today I think I found my magic formula.  Of course I don't have a before pic. . . I know, I suck.  But just think about those heavy bronze lamps that you see quite often in thrift stores.

I alternated spraying a very fine mist of water and a very fine mist of Krylon's Looking Glass Spray Paint in very quick succession, being careful not to let the water build up enough to run.



I took a zillion shots trying to capture the finish close up. This is as good as I could get.  See those whitish looking spots on the flat portion of the base?  Those are actually covering the entire base and are not white at all, but just create a nice 'texture' in the paint, although it is totally smooth when you touch it.  I really love how it turned out.  The brass offers a solid back and a when the light hits it you see subtle hints of amber beneath the finish.


Here are a few shots of the intricate details on the base.  Pretty, aren't they?


How about one last full shot.


I liked how it turned out so well I almost decided to keep it.  I need a lamp on my night stand, but this one is just too big and would be out of scale, but I may be on the lookout now for a smaller bronze lamp to call my own.

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I'll be sharing at Domestically Speaking's: Power of Paint

5 comments :

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    1. That's beautiful, Megan!! Even though I'm not a huge fan of silvers, I really like this piece!! ... and I love the backdrop!!!! I can't wait to put up the lamp I bought from you =) The basement is finished - btw, EXCEPT for our spare bedroom (although I still plan on setting it up as if it were done). I will post pictures soon - and thanks for your suggestions on the paint!

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    2. Thanks, Laurie. I can't wait to see your spare bedroom. That will be the very feminine room, right? Hehe, you need that in your house. Actually, I need that in my house too! hmmmmmmm

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  2. Very nice. Looks almost like a gunmetal in the picture. I had wondered what this paint would look like on things other than clear glass.

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  3. I have a wonderful beveled mirror with bright brass trim. I'm going to try this and try to get it out of the '70s. Thanks for sharing.

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