Before & After: Bamboo Floor Lamp

As I was wandering through my favorite local antique market the other day, the Sleepy Poet, I stumbled upon this floor lamp. It is made of bamboo that has been bent into the perfectly unique S-shape. The shape (and the fact that it is bamboo) really sold me on the lamp- I love how different it is from the standard straight-up-and-down floor lamps you often see.

It was covered in dust, and the bamboo "twine" holding the pieces together was coming unravelled. There was also some dried glue around one of the edges, from what appeared to be a DIY repair gone awry.

Based upon all these issues, I was able to bargain with the Sleepy Poet folks, and they ended up giving me a great deal on the lamp. At first glance, it's not much to look at. But I definitely had a vision for it- perfect behind an upholstered chair in a MoS nursery.

So, to get the lamp ready for the nursery...

First I gave it a good cleaning, to get rid of all the dust. I then removed all the dried glue, which was much easier than I expected. I purchased some replacement bamboo strips at my favorite local hardware and the began re-binding the pieces. I had to get the cord perfectly tucked in, which ended up working out fine.

Then, it was time to sand and paint, as the pup looked on. I'm guessing this lamp is from the 1960's or early 1970's, and most of the finish had worn off, which made sanding it pretty easy.

Finally, to paint! I just bought a can of good ole Rustoleum and went to town. I got the high gloss enamel in a shade between white and off-white (I can't remember the name of it).

A coat of paint really makes a difference!

Here it is in a temporary resting place in my living room.

The shade on it was surprisingly nice. It must have been replaced recently. I added two bands of navy trim to give it a more custom look, and voila!

The finished product! It will look better in the nursery where it belongs, once that room is ready to go!

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