I love the nostalgia that mushrooms create in decor. They’re playful and make great accessories for spring. When I saw this lamp base a couple months ago at Value Village  for $7.99 I had a vision. Rather than  locating a lamp shade to work with the base, I decided to make it into a candle holder.

The colour had to go. Originally I thought I would like to paint it pink (inspired by Abigail Ahern’s use of the colour in her book), but while perusing the spray paints at Home Depot I decided to go with a more mellow approach. The colour I chose was Tremclad‘s Glacier Blue.

Before I could start the painting process, I had to disassemble the lamp. I pulled the cord out, and tugged with pliers until the other components came off the top. I also used a damp cloth to get rid of any dust and the remnants of the price sticker.

I had difficulty with a very stuck nut and bolt, which was too much for WD-40 to handle. I tried sawing it off with a small hacksaw, but because of the way the top is curved upwards, it wouldn’t work without doing damage to the base.

In the end, I just left it. I pushed the candle down until the nut and bolt carved a hole in the bottom of the candle. This makes the candle a bit more sturdy.

To paint the base without also adding a blue hue to my screen door, I had to wait for a day without much wind, which was challenging. I don’t know about you, but when I get an idea for a project, I want to do everything right away. It took a couple days for me to apply two coats so the colour would stick in all the grooves.

I like how the base really stands out. It’s very youthful and fun, but I think the colour makes it a bit more sophisticated.

Pastels are a great look for spring, and I have fully embraced them on my table! I think the look is fresh and really easy to work with in your own space. Even if you’re not ready to commit to a full colour makeover for your home, use accessories to follow colour trends and change them up each season.