Style a Lampshade

Topping your beautiful lamp with a boring shade can be akin to wearing a baseball cap to a formal dinner.  So let's dress that shade up!  Here are a couple examples of how we've dressed up tired shades to create a little topper for our lamps that have a personality all their own!

This little beauty was created from a sweater (See our post "Felt Up!" for felting tips).  We shrunk this adorably cozy-looking cable knit grey sweater from Goodwill to use as our starting point.  It freakishly shrunk down to the perfect size and we were able to pull it over the top of the lamp just as if we were dressing a child!  Since it is felted and won't fray, we were able to cut off all of the extra material from the top and bottom and glue it into place with a glue gun.

To finish it off we glued on a coordinating rick rack and dressed it up with a pretty little lace flower.  The flower was created by hand-stitching lace around a large button (tutorial for making fabric flowers to come!)

This pretty little rustic lady was creating using one of the lampshade forms that you can find at your local craft store (JoAnn's has the best selection!)  While they can seem pricey (around $15), they are quite convenient if you are using a delicate fabric like the linen used here.  There is a sticky layer on the outside that adheres fabric beautifully, and the protective paper that is it sold in works perfectly as a pattern when cutting your fabric to fit!  Once the fabric is applied, simply hot glue the edges around the top and the base for a clean exterior. 

As for the embellishments, we hot glued a couple yards of lace around the bottom and topped it with inexpensive upholstery netting (only .75 cents a yard!).  To hide the seam of the netting we created a casual rosette out of torn muslin (tutorial to come!)

The possibilities for these lampshades are endless!  We would love to hear about any lampshades that you have created! 

Felt Up!

One FABULOUSLY inexpensive textural element to use for any of your interior projects is a felted sweater!  To seek out these little darlings, visit your local Goodwill store or other thrift shop for sweaters that have a wool count of at least 90% (bonus points for sweaters that are cable knit or have a cute pattern!)  To begin the shrinking process, simply:

Use hot water with or without detergent (you will definitely want to add some if the sweater smells like it has been packed away in Auntie Em's attic for a few years!)

Add weight to the washing machine!  If you don't have any other clothes that can be thrown in with this load, add an object like a flip flop or tennis ball:  The weight will enhance the agitation of the wool thus resulting in a thicker, more shrunken sweater.

Throw 'em into the dryer and dry completely!

After you are all finished, use your felt for projects such as reupholstering a chair, dressing up a lampshade (as we will detail here soon!), or making a cute little felted flower for your hair!

Our Story

Designed Sealed and Delivered was created in 2006 by Jennifer Boehler and Tiffanny Brandel after attending design school together and working at the same interior design firm for several years.  During this time,  we felt that there was a huge void in the design world:  Creating a style for clients that was both unique and affordable.  To us, this meant combining the quirkiness of vintage pieces, the textures of natural items, and the practicality of modern elements to create a fluid design that spoke directly to each individual client.  Following the birth of our children, we put this philosophy into action and began our company.  

Since our launch, we have not only been putting this philosophy into action with interior design, but also with holiday design and event design.  We have also recently began creating custom accessories and products using the same vintage+natural+modern formula that can be purchased on Etsy!  Our latest step is this blog, which is being created to bring everyday tips and techniques to our followers that can help everyone design a beautiful life!  Enjoy!

Welcome to our brand-spanking new blog!

At Designed Sealed and Delivered, we are passionate about all forms of design!  While our formal training is in interior design, we are also experts in the areas of event design, holiday design and creating custom elements for you or your home.   We have always had an affinity for vintage items and are delighted that the new "green movement" has breathed new life into these old gems.  Creating a well-rounded mix of old and new is a staple in our design philosophy.
This blog is a culmination of our love of design, our drive to re-invent vintage pieces, and our desire to share all we know with you!  Our goal is to provide tips on designing spaces as well as techniques on how to create custom pieces.  And not to worry--we won't leave out  tidbits we pick up about cooking, travel, gardening (etc.!)  Stop in often, and please contact us with any questions or design dilemmas you may have, we are happy to help!