I am excited to introduce to you, for the first time on IC, Kim from Sand and Sisal. She is one of my new contributors. I asked Kim to join the ranks to show you her serene sense of decorating. She is a beach lover and brings that into her home through simple accents and sea-inspired décor. Today she is showing you how to make a sisal covered lampshade which looks straight out of Ballard Designs magazine if you ask me. Please give a warm welcome, and get click happy over at Sand & Sisal
Hi everyone! I’m Kim from Sand & Sisal and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to be a contributing writer for Infarrantly Creative! As you might have guessed by my blog name, I adore sisal! Decorating with natural fibers adds warmth and texture to your existing décor and using sisal rope is an easy and inexpensive choice. Today I want to show you how to take a boring, plain lampshade and transform it into a custom Sisal Shade.
Supplies:
A lamp shade
1/4 inch sisal rope (approximately 2 rolls)
a hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
Rolls of sisal rope can be found at most hardware and big box stores. The two rolls I purchased ran under $6 each. Let’s get started making our Sisal Shade. Find the back seam of your lamp shade. This is where you will want to start. You may choose to start at the top or the bottom of the shade. I chose the bottom. Apply about 3 inches of hot glue along the seam and press the sisal rope into the glue. It is important that your first row is aligned evenly along the seam and that the seam is not showing under the rope. All your other rows of rope will be based off of how straight you glue that first row.
Continue wrapping the sisal rope around the shade, gluing as you go. Pay attention to where the end of your sisal rope roll is. If you are nearing the end, then simply cut the rope so that it will line up at the back seam. This is where you will start again with your second roll of sisal.
Finish gluing the sisal rope, ending at the back seam. How easy was that? In just a short period of time, you’ve created a custom sisal shade which will add interest, texture, and softness to your table scape! Think of other shades you might try this out on, like mini chandelier shades or a drum pendant. How cute would that be? You’re only limited by your imagination!
Thanks for letting me share this DIY Sisal Shade with you all today!
Kim
This is fantastic! Janell
Very cute! But does the heat from the bulb being on loosen the hot glue? I made a rosette lampshade and once I had the light on for a bit they started coming off. Maybe because it was a small shade so the bulb was much closer.
I have done this to lamp shades that are in my boys room. I LOVE them…and they look amazing. The only problem that I have though is that the shades seems to smell funny. I’m not sure if it’s the sisal rope, or the light bulb heating the glue. Has anyone else experienced this? Maybe it’s because I have two lamps in one room….too much for the space?
I love it! I want to do this to a vase.
That is beautiful! I have a new love for sisal. I made a lamp last week with sisal and now I am trying to figure out what else I can cover in the house with it! :o)
Beautiful! It adds such great texture to a room.
Hi Kim~
I’m so glad you like the lamp! This shade has a 16″ diameter base & a 75 watt bulb and I’ve never had a problem with the glue. If you are working on a small shade and are especially worried about it, you could always use “High-heat” glue sticks instead.
~ Kim @ Sand & Sisal
Hi Elizabeth! They’d be adorable in a boys room! The smell is the rope. It does take a few months for the smell to fade, but to speed up that process I’ve found you can unwind the roll of sisal and set it outside for a week. Hope that helps! 🙂
Simply ingenious and beautiful!!! I must try it!
I love it… but my cats would think I made it for them to sharpen their claws on! They love sisal!
I love it! You made it look so easy, Kim. 🙂
Thanks Amanda! It IS EASY!!! 🙂
Thanks Kristi!
Thank you Jane! I appreciate that!
Oooo, very creative! Love it! Thanks so much!
Oh how kind of you to say that Sherry! Thank you!
Haha! I had no idea cats loved it! How funny! Thanks!
Great idea – so pretty! Where did you get the lamp base? I love it!
Hi Patricia! The lamp was from Target 3 years ago. They have several similar glass lamps currently in stock. Thank for commenting!
Thank you Melanie!
hi kim this is wonderfull but kim what kind of glue is this,
is it the colourless paper glue,or what what kind of glue is this secongly why do you
heat the glue why should it be hot
thanks for your reply
Surely the light cannot penetrate the sisal ?
This project was actually done by one of my past contributors, Sandie. However, I believe the lamp would still give off light. You can certainly click over to Kim’s site and email her directly to see how much it limits the brightness.