How-To: Gold-Dotted Lamp Base

Courtesy of Emily Hart
Emily Hart, a stay-at-home mom from Oklahoma City and home design blogger at recentlytheblog.com, creates DIY masterpieces. She enjoys turning off-the-shelf furniture and accessories into upgraded custom pieces. Her motto: "Patience and a willingness to do some digging go a long way when it comes to DIY."
Materials Needed:
- glass lamp that’s open at the bottom
- gold-leaf kit
- pouncers (aka round sponge brushes)
- crafts brush
- quart of latex paint
Step 1
Turn the base on its side so you can reach inside its open bottom. Wrap the cord that runs down the center of the base in painter’s tape.
Step 2
Dip different-sized pouncers into the gold-leaf adhesive (called sizing medium), and dab them inside the lamp’s base. Following the kit’s instructions, apply the leaf. Use the crafts brush to remove excess leaf. Let set for a few minutes.
Step 3
Pour about half the paint into the base and swirl it around to fully coat the glass. Stand the base on a paper plate and let drip-dry. Remove the tape, screw in a bulb and add a 10-to-12-inch-diameter shade.