Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Moose.
Moose who?
Moose lamp!
I should admit up front that one of the photos here was lightly photoshopped — but I’ll explain why it was worth it.
This whole story started when I spotted a moose lamp at a moving sale in West Virginia while we were there to update Granny’s bathroom. I couldn’t resist picking it up for ten dollars.
The lamp wasn’t perfect: the shade was an odd size and the paint on the moose was flaking in places.
Even so, I knew the lamp could go from log-cabin tacky to log-cabin chic with a little spray paint and a new shade. So I got to work. I sprayed the moose to freshen the finish and planned a fun fabric shade to finish the look.
When it came to color, I considered lots of directions (a blue moose would be pretty bold), but white felt right. White makes the lamp read more like ceramic and gives me freedom to use a bright, patterned shade. I have a specific fabric in mind for the shade, but it’s tied to a book project that isn’t public yet. When the book launches I’ll be able to share the exact pairing I used — for now I’ll just say that I pictured the moose in a playful, colorful girl’s room.
The best reaction came from Clara. Before I primed and painted, I held the lamp up and asked her what it was. She shrugged and replied, “I don’t know what it is.” I told her, “It’s a lamp with a moose on it.” She immediately said, “I want a moose with a moose on it!” Then she repeated very deliberately, “moose… with… a… moose… on it,” which cracked me up. Kids say the funniest, most literal things.
After a quick coat of spray paint — I used Rust-Oleum Universal because it includes a primer — I paired the moose with a shade I already had. It ended up being the original shade from some glass-based lamps that had been replaced after an unfortunate painting incident last December, so the fit felt almost serendipitous. Clara loved it right away.
Now Malcolm — yes, that’s the moose lamp’s name — is slated for Clara’s big girl room. She says goodnight and good morning to him and sometimes offers him imaginary snacks. It’s sweet how a small, whimsical object can become part of a child’s routine and encourage imaginative play.
About the photoshopped image: I experimented with a patterned shade digitally to show how a printed fabric would change the lamp’s personality. I also mocked up the moose sitting on a painted surface to illustrate how contrast can make the white moose pop — for example, on a soft celery-green table or a rustic wood dresser, the lamp looks much more intentional than sitting on a plain white surface.
Moose, there it is.
What projects have you been tackling lately? Anyone else giving animals a fresh coat of paint and a new life as home decor?