Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Moose.
Moose who?
Moose lamp!
I’ll admit some of the photos were edited, but there’s a simple explanation.
It began when I noticed a moose lamp at a moving sale in West Virginia while we were there to makeover Granny’s bathroom. I couldn’t resist picking it up for ten dollars.
Its shade was an odd, too-small shape and the paint was flaking in spots, but I could tell it had potential. A little spray paint and a better shade would take it from log-cabin tacky to log-cabin chic. So I grabbed it—yes, I got on that project right away.
Choosing a color was fun because the lamp could have gone many ways—blue, green, or even a bold pattern—but I settled on white. White makes the moose feel more like a ceramic figure and gives me freedom to do something playful with the shade. I have a patterned fabric in mind for the shade, but that’s part of a book project so I can’t reveal it until the book is released on the 6th. When the time comes I plan to pair the DIY fabric shade with Malcolm—yep, that’s the moose lamp’s name—and use him as a colorful, whimsical touch in Clara’s big girl room.
The best part was Clara’s reaction before I even primed or painted the lamp. I pointed at it and asked, “What’s that?” She shrugged and said she didn’t know. “It’s a lamp with a moose on it,” I told her. She looked me deadpan and said, “I want a moose with a moose on it.” Then she spelled it out like she was making sure I understood: “Moose… with… a… moose… on it.” That line completely cracked me up—she’s got such a sense of humor.
After I sprayed Malcolm with Rust-Oleum Universal—which includes a built-in primer—and fitted him with the new shade that was hiding in our cluttered playroom, Clara was sold. The secret shade actually turned out to be the original from another lamp we’d replaced, and it fits perfectly. Now she insists Malcolm live in her big girl room; she says goodnight and good morning to him every day and even offers him snacks sometimes. If you ever need help encouraging manners and sharing, consider introducing a moose lamp.
About the photoshopping: I composited a patterned lampshade in one of the photos to illustrate the look I had in mind. I also experimented digitally with how a white moose on a white table might appear bland, and showed how painting the surface—say a soft celery green table or a rustic wood dresser—can make the lamp really pop instead of disappearing into the background.
The transformation was simple: clean the surface, sand any flaky paint, apply a good spray paint with primer, and pair with a thoughtfully chosen shade. That combination keeps the moose feeling fresh and intentional rather than kitschy.
So Malcolm’s story is a tiny lesson in creative reuse: an inexpensive find, a little elbow grease, and a touch of paint turned a quirky garage-sale lamp into a charming accent. And it turns out, the right lamp can also be a surprisingly effective roommate for a child’s imagination.
What projects have you been tackling lately? Anyone else finding animal-shaped decor at sales and giving it a second life?