Stiffel Lamp Renovation- For Sale

This is my second lamp renovation within a 2 month time span. For some reason I just keep finding old lamps with great potential pleading for a makeover!!! And me being the nice...thoughtful person that I am...I just can't refuse :) This new lamp renovation is one of my favorites. It is a little more involved than the first one I did, but the results make the extra work so worth it.

First off, I found an old Stiffel lamp at a local store in Frederick, MD for a great price. I loved the details on the lamp base and the shape of the shade. Some of the things I did not like was:

1. The lamp shade fabric was old and yellowing
2. The brass on the lamp looked dingy and dark
3. The wiring in the lamp was old and no longer worked.

I know this is a long list of negatives.....however, I was willing to take on the challenge because I really wanted to learn how to rewire a lamp, and I also wanted to try a new idea I had for a lampshade. This lamp was a perfect candidate!

Once I got home I researched the Stiffel lamp and found out that they are a collectors item and are worth  anywhere from $180.00 to $300.00 on ebay. How exciting! I had no idea it was worth that much when I bought it. I knew then that instead on painting over the brass I wanted to just enhance the finish so that the lamp still retained its signature look.

So here is the reveal.........

Before:

Not quite the looker!!

Dark Brass....ewe.

AND AFTER!!!!!

The first change I did with the help of my husband Ryan was to re-wire the lamp. The old cord not only did not work, but it looked like a fire hazard. So I bought a rewiring kit from Home Depot. You can find them in the lighting section.

I then added a new 3-way bulb and held my breath as I turned the knob....and it WORKED!!!!!

So now I have a functioning 3-way lamp!

Second, I refinished the lamp. To do this I used a little product called rub'n buff, in the color: Antique Gold. The antique gold color gives a warm finish as apposed to the cold brass. This stuff works great! You buy it in a little tube but one tube could refinish two floor lamps!

I applied mine with a paint brush as apposed to a rag. I liked the texture that the paint brush gave.

The last step was to transform the lamp shade. I cut off all of the former fabric to reveal the inside frame. I then sewed a linen fabric with a lining underneath to fit around the frame. Be sure to allow some extra fabric to be able to create the gathers. Then I added the grommets to the top and in the middle. To create the gathers you insert ribbon through the grommets in the middle and tie them around the fabric with a bow.  I love the look of this shade. Plus the shade is completely adjustable due to the ribbon which is another great aspect of this design. The shade is fun and flirty and takes away some of the formalness of the lamp!

I am putting this lamp up for sale so if you are interested in buying it please send me a message. Until then I am going to enjoy it in my own home.

Thanks for reading!!!!! And Merry Christmas!!!!!