Can You Dye or Stain Lampshades?

Tea

• Tea is an age-old natural dye that can be used in crafts to create an aged look. Simply brew a pot of black tea, allow it to cool and pour it into a large container. The lampshade can be dipped or soaked in the tea to create a natural-looking stain.

Fabric Dye

• Lampshades can be stained or dyed with fabric dye. Follow the directions on the fabric dye for the best results and to ensure the coverage on the lampshade is completely even. Alternatively, the lampshade can be dyed with multiple colors, or some parts of it can be covered with other materials in a pattern so you dye only certain areas.

Kid’s Lampshades

• Painting fun patterns and colors on lampshades can be great for children’s bedrooms, or even other rooms throughout your house if they match your decor. Painting lampshades yourself can also be a fun craft project for children and adults alike. You can print out interesting patterns on paper and then trace them onto a lampshade for painting, or use sponges cut into shapes like hearts and stars for a custom-painted lampshade small children can help create. For this type of lampshade painting, acrylic paint is the best option, because it will withstand the heat of the lamp light.

Fabric Paints

• Lampshades can be painted or stained with fabric paints for a uniform look with no color or coverage variations. These fabric paints can be applied with a brush, but some brands offer spray fabric paint for better coverage that is easier to use on textured surfaces such as lampshades.