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Paint a chimney lamp!

Have you ever wanted to paint a chimney lamp? Or even had the thought?

I didn’t – until now! These are also known as a hurricane lamps (there is a difference and I’ll get into that!).

Here is how it came about:

Patrick and I set up a fabulous backyard scene on our patio, complete with twinkling lights strewn across the trees, and solar lights anchored by the huge nopal cacti we have. Then a monsoon/haboob rolled in and ripped out one of the trees in our lovely landscape.

We went to the home improvement store afterwards to buy items to fix the backyard. While there, I came across two things I had never noticed before: chimney lamps and umbrella lights. And just like that, I came up with an EPIC idea!

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Painted chimney lamps! There are so many possibilities, you can paint portraits, flowers, patterns and the light will shine through beautifully.

The technique I chose for this project was making the lamp look like stained glass, and then I added puffy paint on the outside fo texture. 

What are the purpose of chimney and hurricane lamps?

chimney lamp

Living in Arizona, this was a new one for me. We don’t have hurricanes and rarely use our chimneys. So this was fun to research!

Both hurricane lamps and chimney lamps are types of oil lamps that were popular in the past. They are still used today for their aesthetic appeal and practicality during power outages or outdoor activities. However, there are some differences between the two.

A hurricane lamp is a type of oil lamp that is designed to withstand high winds and other harsh conditions. It has a cylindrical glass globe that surrounds the flame, which protects it from the wind and allows it to burn more steadily. The globe may be clear or frosted, and is often made of glass or plastic. Hurricane lamps may also have a metal frame and a handle for carrying, and are often used for outdoor activities such as camping or picnics.

A chimney lamp, on the other hand, has a glass chimney that surrounds the flame, but does not have the same wind-resistant features as a hurricane lamp. The chimney is designed to increase the airflow around the flame, which allows it to burn more brightly and cleanly. Chimney lamps may also have a metal base and a handle, but are generally used indoors for decorative or lighting purposes.

In summary, while both hurricane lamps and chimney lamps use a glass component to surround the flame, the key difference is that hurricane lamps are designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, while chimney lamps are used for indoor lighting and decoration.

Decorating a chimney or hurricane lamp

I thought these chimney lamps would be perfect for a craft session. If you paint the inside of them, use a battery-operated light for illumination.

If you paint the outside of the lamp, use it over a candle jar, or even tea lights or fairy lights.

They would also work nicely for centerpieces, holiday gifts and more.

 

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Supplies for a painted chimney lamp:

Clear Chimney lamp or hurricane lamp

– LED battery-operated Umbrella light (I couldn’t find these on the Lowe’s web site, but they are in the umbrella area and run about $8 each. 

– Paint

– Decoupage medium

– Plastic cups, stirrer

– Wire rack

– Puffy Paint

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Stained glass effect

First, squirt some decoupage medium in a small plastic cup. Next, add a TINY drop of paint (you can also use fabric dye or even food coloring) and stir well.

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Pour it generously around the opening. Mix another batch and pour from the bottom. For a two-tone look, mix up a complimentary color and pour it over the open areas. Roll it around so the paint covers as much of the open areas as possible.

You want only a THIN coat of paint so it will dry quickly. in that case, I went out back and shook the lamp hard over and over to shake off the excess. Set the lamp on a wire rack so it can dry. You want for the paint to look thin and like stained glass.

Decorate the outside of the lamp

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Here is the green one. It really wasn’t quite dry yet, but I figured since I wouldn’t be touching the inside, I went ahead and added puffy paint designs in black. You could also use gold if you wanted!

Once you have it all decorated, set it back outside to dry.

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Here is the orange and pink lamp. See how it is starting to dry clear?

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Using house paint will give a bit more of an opaque look, but if you use dye or food coloring, it will look more like stained glass. You could even use stained glass paint too!

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I used clear plastic plates from the dollar store to set on top of the umbrella lights, then I set the chimney lamp on top. Wow, don’t they look stunning? The lights are so bright!

Doesn’t this give you so many ideas?

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I feel inspired looking at these pictures!

 

Painted Chimney Lamps by CraftyChica.com.

And that’s how ot paint a chimney lamp – well, one way at least!

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