I recently fell in love with a pair of lamps at a very popular home store that were wildly outside my budget. What can I say, champagne taste – beer budget. I immediately scoured the internet for a good dupe, but no luck. I couldn’t find anything remotely close. Enter the baking soda/paint hack trending all over social media. You basically mix baking soda and paint to create a chunky texture and paint that on your object. I have seen more amazing transformations of vases and bowls than I can count. It it truly remarkable what a little baking soda and paint can do. I knew I had to try it on lamp. The before versus the after doesn’t even look like the same lamp! Next up, I’ll walk you through how to update a lamp with paint and baking soda.
*Thank you Fleet Farm for sponsoring this post!*
I stopped at Fleet Farm to pick up all the supplies which included spray on primer, paint, brushes and a spray on matte finish. You can use any brand of supplies you like. For reference, the paint I used is Rust-Oleum Milk Paint in the shade eclipse. Below are the directions and supplies list.
Supplies List
- Spray Primer
- Paint brush
- Stir stick
- Paint
- Paint container
- Baking soda
- Spray on finish
Directions
Step 1: Prime lamp and let dry.
Step 2: Pour a bit (a cup or two) of desired paint into a separate paint container. I’m going to be really honest with you, I used a red solo cup for this and it worked perfectly. What can I say? I’m chic(ish) like that.
Step 3: Mix in one tablespoon of baking soda at a time to get to desired texture level. I did this a few times because I wanted there to be a lot of texture on the lamp.
Step 4: Paint that beautiful lamp. You may need a few coats. Make sure to allow the paint to dry completely in between each coat.
Step 5: Seal with a spray on finish (I used a matte finish).
Step 6: (Optional) You may need to clean up or paint some hardware on your lamp. I used a gold spray paint.
Here she is in all her glory!!

A close up so you can get a better view of the texture.




How do you feel about DIY? Do you dabble or does it scare you? Maybe you’re an expert. The world of DIY fascinates me. I love watching how a space can be transformed with just a few tools, supplies and a bit of elbow grease. I started easing my way into DIY last year with a few simple projects. You may remember this holiday wreath I created last year. It was so simple and therapeutic to create! I think that’s what I love most about creative projects – it’s kind of like therapy. And in today’s world, I think we can all use a little more therapy. I hope you enjoyed this how to update a lamp with paint and baking soda!
Happy DIY’ing, friends!
See ya on the next post.
-The Chic(ish) Chick
I just saw you on Paula Sands today well part of it. Do you have a store?? Or what are you? Besides amazing??
Author
Hi Cheryl! Thank you so much!! This comment made my day! I have an online store where I sell a few products. You found the website already but feel free to check out my social media pages where I share lots of ideas, tips, tricks and shopping links. I can be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok @thechicishchick.
Lovely! Did you use white spray primer?
Author
Yes, the primer is white!
Hi!
Beautiful transformation!
How do you clean the base when it’s dusty? Can you use a damp cloth on it without ruining the finish?
Author
Thank you! I typically just dust off using a duster. You could probably use a damp cloth and it would be just fine if you’re gentle and don’t scrub.
I had the blue heart lamps too – and I repainted them white. What size drum shade did you use on the lamp? Im having trouble determining the size!
Author
The bottom of the shade is 16 inches in diameter! Hope that helps.