Is there a product made for this?
The light coming through this glass shade is very harsh and a killer on my eyes, and I’d like to buffer the light with spray paint. Is there a certain type of paint that won’t overheat and peel and/or ignite with the heat of a regular 60 watt light bulb? I should also mention that we keep this lamp on almost 24 hours a day as a night light for the house.
Anybody have success with this type of thing?
I’m not sure, but I do know the paint will have to resist far less heat if you put in one of those energy-saving ligthbulbs. They’re really fluorescent tubes folded up, so they get no more then hand-warm. They save electricity too, while emitting just as much ligth. They (like ordinary lightbulbs) can be had in any shade, from Harsh White to Brothel Pink.
There is a type of paint available for high temp applications at most craft stores (Michaels, Franks, what ever you have in your area or on-line). It comes in various degrees of transparancy but is a brush on type paint not a spray. I have used this paint on 25 watt bulbs with no problems, but seen it smoke quite a bit with 40 watts. If you are just painting the inside of the glass it should do better than on the bulb, especially if it is vented. Some stores carry painted bulbs, these might work well for you.
I know those bulbs. We actually tried a lesser wattage flourescent bulb in this lamp to reduce the glare. It sorta backfired, though, as it didn’t put out enough light.
After I paint the shade, I we’ll get a brighter flourescent bulb to cut down on heat. Thanks for reminding me!
Have you thought about other options? You can attach gels to a shade to tone down the light, or a fabric covering. That way they are removable should you ever want to use the glass for the full light.
Oh I don’t know how well I’d do with a brush… The end result may ruin the lamp. And the shade is vented, sort of. It’s a floor lamp with the shade pointed up so it gets plenty of air. The idea of painting the shade is to buffer the light coming down toward my desk, but keep all the light going up & reflecting off the white ceiling.
I’ve considered using one of those pink or blue bulbs, but I think those may not put out enough light and look tacky to boot. It would be different if the lamp were in my bedroom, though.
Fabric or gel might be a good idea if the shade faces up, especially with a bright flourescent bulb. If there is a way to suspend stuff from the shade that might work too. As an example: One Christmas we had these 6 inch clear plastic icicles that we did not want to put on the tree so, on a lark, we hung them from a generic round ceiling fixture in the kitchen. The effect was good enought that we left them up until we moved (removing only to clean the shade). Sort of a diffused look to the light with some sparkle added to the fixture. Perhaps something like this would work, or some tassels or something like the ones at the bottom of a lot of antique lamps, to diffuse the light coming down without effecting the light going up.
How about one of these, then? Spotlightbulbs are designed to have their sides shaded off, so the light can only go straight up.
gigi- do you mean putting fabric or some kind of plastic covering on the inside of the shade? Would that scorch or (gulp) set my house ablaze? I think a strip of white linen would sufficiently diffuse the downward light. But I don’t know what kind of gel you’re talking about.
Maastricht- I can tell you really want to help me! Thank you. We had a spotlight type bulb in there before and it didn’t provide enough downward light for my desk. Of course, the bulb I used was painted a reflective silver on the side. I haven’t checked if there are more options (no silver).
If I had the extra dough, I’d just get a new lamp for my office. But then, I’d have to figure out how to buffer this lamp for any other room in the house. It just puts out too bright a light no matter what kind of bulb.
I bought this lamp on eBay years ago. I love the style and especially the shade. It’s sort of a sculpted & frosted clear glass number. I thought the frosting effect would be enough to soften the light, but the frosting just isn’t heavy enough.
I guess my goal is to bump up the frosted effect. I don’t want to paint the thing to where it’s opaque. Just an even but light spray.
Seems silly, but this lamp has been giving me fits for months.
Gels are sheets of plastic in various colors, used to color stage lighting, etc., so they’re made to stand up to heat.
For fabric covers, you can make a simple cylinder of fabric and then gather the open ends, kind of making a pouffy cover. Not sure about flammability tho.
These beaded lamp shade covers are fun too.
Bingo.
Multiple coats should do it.
Kitchen Wench may thank me, in any suitably sexual manner. 
AH HA!!! Well, sumbitch! That’s just what the doctor ordered!
:eek:… :o (embarrassment. Not a BJ, ya perv!)
Thanks, Bosda.
If it’s glass, etching/roughing the inner surface might do the job without introducing any foreign substances that might scorch or peel.
I would have to have any etching done professionally. I don’t trust myself to do an even job.
I think the spray coupled with a flourescent bulb (to cut the heat) will be ok.
Here’s another of that type of product. Speaking of etching, you could always use an etching product and just not remove any of it; seems like that would leave a similar effect to the frosting paint.
As a side job I make brass lamps. A beautiful new shade can be bought for about $20 from a small vendor.
However, I am intregued by the Krylon paint.