Upcycle a Lamp with Ric Rac
This farmhouse chic project really takes this lamp from drab to fab!

Make a plain lamp fabulous when you add one simple craft material to the mix! Dress up an ordinary lampshade with this farmhouse chic tutorial. Ric rac adds texture and movement to the lampshade which sure adds interest! If you've never worked with this lovely ribbon before, give it a try with this project. You'll be done with this tutorial in minutes, and almost instantly you will have a great new lamp for your living space. Lamps don't have to take the back seat when you're thinking up your interior decor. Make this one pop with a little extra detail. It makes all the difference.
Estimated CostUnder $10
Time to CompleteUnder an hour
Difficulty LevelBeginner
Project TypeMake a Project
Materials List
- 1” Polyester Large Ric-Rac Trim – Black from Expo International
- 1/8” Rayon Mini Ric-Rac Trim – Black from Expo International
- 5/8” Rayon Medium Ric-Rac Trim – Black from Expo International
- Candlestick Style Lamp Base
- Round Lampshade
- Flat Black Spray Paint
- Painters Tape
- Scissors
- Hot Glue Gun
How to Upcycle a Lamp With Ric Rac:
-
Mask off the cord and socket of the lamp with painter’s tape, then in a well-ventilated area (or outside) spray paint lamp base flat black. Apply several light coats to get the best coverage and let dry completely. Once dry, remove painter’s tape.
-
Starting at the lampshade seam, apply 5/8” Medium Ric-Rac to the circumference with hot glue. Take your time and apply small amounts of hot glue, so the finished product looks neat and the glue does not show. Trim end of Ric-Rac with scissors and then seal edges with hot glue, to prevent fraying.
-
Repeat step two with one row of 1” Large Ric-Rac, two rows of 1/8” Mini Ric-Rac and a final row of 5/8” Medium Ric-Rac. I love the pattern and texture that the three different sizes of Ric-Rac gives to this project.
This project is part of our National Craft Month promotion, where a new project is featured every day in March! View the full lineup:National Craft Month 2020

Tags / Related Topics
Your Recently Viewed Projects
Join our community of 5 million crafters!
- Get free craft projects, exclusive partner offers, and more.
- Privacy Policy
- Information Use