Cheap Chic: Inexpensive Lighting Solutions for Kids & Teens

Whenever my kids get a hankering to redecorate their rooms, a new lamp is usually on top of their wish list.

Buy it used

One of our favorite resources for finding lamps are at the thrift stores. The thrifts are filled with lamps of every shape and style, in all kinds of condition. Some are fabulous to use as is, such as the pop atomic lamp I found for $5 (picture #2). Others are pretty plain and need a little help.

Wall lamps are pretty common and can be found between $1-5. Smaller table lamps run between $5-10. Most of them have shades that are either non existent or badly dented. High quality shades can be rather expensive and really not worth it for a inexpensive lamp. I search for cheap shades at discount department stores. Discount stores have a wide selection of inexpensive shades that can be found for less than $10.

Paint it up

Once you have found a shade, you can decorate it to suit the room. The lamp shown (picture #1) was decorated with scribble paints and ribbon. To attach the ribbon, punch a series of holes along the base of the shade using a hand held hole punch. My daughter tied little bows. The ribbon could also be wrapped, like a rawhide wrap, or threaded like those old fashioned sewing cards.

For boys, try stenciling dinosaurs, astronauts, or lizards. We once spattered a shade with black and red paint, using an old toothbrush. Spraying with metallic or granite paint also looks dynamic.

Instead of painting the shade, why not wrap it with some colorful scrap fabric? Use fabric glue to hold the material in place. Punch holes at the base and top of the shade, and use a contrast colored ribbon to decorate the edges. Or instead of ribbon, try wrapping it with twine, lanyard plastic strips or a thin strip of rawhide.

Shop the import markets

Import stores are great resources for cheap paper lamps (picture #3). We like the Chinese lanterns and the ones that are shaped like an over-sized star. These lamps hang from the ceiling and retail for approximately $20.

Make it yourself

If you can't find just the right lamp for your teen's bedroom, why not make your own? Table lamps can be made out of practically anything; a set of stacked boxes, old wooden toys, even a table leg. The easiest way to make your own lamp is by purchasing a special lamp making kit called the "Make Your Own Light Kit". These kits retail for less than $15 and have all the electrical components needed to make your own one-of-a-kind lamp.