Future Graffiti Artist in the Making

A whole new world has opened up to me in the past few days. I've been looking at everything with an imaginary can of spray paint in my hands. Perspective can be key in any game, so this outlook has really made normal items jump out at me. Because I now realize that I can change the color, I was looking more for shape and size than just if it would match in the house. I went to a few stores the other night with my heart set on finding some cool pieces for my dining room. That end of the house is in sore need of some color, and what better way to change that than with some spray paint!?

My first stop was to Goodwill, which ended up being my jackpot of the evening. I glanced at furniture but found nothing. My reason for visiting tonight, however, was to find a lamp for the top of our gorgeous homemade buffet. Yes, Hubby made it from scratch. For me. Isn't he awesome? But that entire room has been begging for lighting other than the harsh, charming, overhead ceiling fan lights. Goodwill to the rescue!

I found a cool lamp with nice curves. The gals up front let me borrow a light bulb to check for proper operation. Since this was my first purchase at Goodwill, I wanted to make sure I didn't have a dud before I even got home! It worked like a charm and was paid for...$7.99! I was soon on my way to TJ Maxx. After not finding a lamp shade or additional accessories to receive the wrath of my spray paint can, I continued on to Walmart. Though I didn't want to spend $14 for a shade, that's how much this little guy rang up. Had I been able to wait, I would simply watch TJ Maxx for a great shade on clearance. However, since I had the lamp in my possession and was now on a mission to find the perfect color to top it, I couldn't wait for the cheap shade to come into my life. I handed over the $14 and went home.

The next morning I made an early trip to Home Depot after being disappointed with three stores' selections of spray paint colors. Home Depot came to the rescue with a beautiful "Lagoon" color by Rustoleum. I also picked up a can of Satin Nickel Metallic Paint to cover the brass fixtures. It's probably well-known by now, but I happen to think brass is of the devil. After I got organized at home and scrubbed the lamp from top to bottom, I began taping off to spray the metal parts. And it looked great! I waited a painstaking thirty minutes before un-taping and prepping the base to receive its beautiful, bright blue color!

And I absolutely love it!

What a difference a few swipes of paint can make! I am thrilled with the final outcome...a gorgeous, deep teal that pops from the buffet. The old lamp cord is brown, which perfectly blends into the wood and disappears. The lamp shade looks elegant and made for the piece. It's just a perfect lamp! And for about $22, I saved quite a bit by not buying one in the store. I must say, it feels incredible to take one thing and completely transform it into something just right for our home.

I hope I don't get addicted. This statement may be coming too late.