The newest little boy in our family is my great-nephew Milo, born in November 2025. His creative parents skipped the usual nursery themes of sailboats, toy trucks, and cuddly critters, choosing instead a mystical world filled with dragons and castles.

The room’s focal point?

A hand-painted mural designed by my niece, Saige, and brought to life by her, her husband, Jake, and me before Milo arrived.

Inspired by this magical kingdom, a Goodwill-found lamp was transformed into a one-of-a-kind statement piece—complete with shimmering gold dragons and a castle tower marked with an “M” for Milo.

And the best part? You can create your own Dragons’ De-Light to bring a little enchantment into your space and place.

Here’s how:

1. See the Light (and Your Good) at Goodwill

Every great quest begins with a treasure hunt. Head to your favorite Goodwill nonprofit retail store and explore the electronics section for a lamp that sparks your imagination. You’ll likely find something perfect for your project—while staying on budget and keeping items out of local landfills. A true win for everyone!

For this project, I chose a lamp with a round, flat base and clean lines. The base provided a perfect foundation for a fantasy scene. If you can find one with a shade included, even better—bought together means more gold to keep in your own treasure chest.

2. Gather Your Dragons

Every castle needs its guardians. At my favorite Goodwill store on New York Avenue, NE, there’s a section near checkout filled with bags of small items—perfect for DIY adventurers. In a previous lamp project, I used toy dinosaurs from one of these bags to transform it.

For this dragon-themed creation, I sourced small plastic dragons online (a slightly less thrifty move—but worth it for the magic!). Smaller dragons give you more flexibility as you design your scene—perching, climbing, and plotting their next adventure.

3. A Coffee Cup Becomes a Castle Tower

To add height and drama, transform a sturdy cardboard coffee cup into a castle tower. Cut along the side seam and trim part of the bottom (which becomes the tower’s top), then wrap it around the lamp’s pole. Secure it with hot glue.

Cut a small cardboard circle and glue it on top to create a platform for your dragons to perch and survey their kingdom.

Design Idea:
Add texture by “drawing” with hot glue. Create raised lines that mimic winding vines or ancient stonework. This simple step adds instant dimension—like weathered castle walls touched by time and legend.

4. Make Your Mark

Every castle bears a crest. Personalize your piece by cutting an initial from cardboard and attaching it to the front of the tower. Corrugated cardboard was used to give it a little more visual weight and texture.  I added an “M” for Milo—now officially marking this as his royal domain. 

5. Secure Your Dragons to Their Destiny

Now comes the fun—bringing your story to life. Use hot glue to place dragons around the base, climbing the tower, perched on top, and even scaling the lamp’s pole. Think movement and storytelling—perhaps two dragons right next to each other, communicating about their next magical adventure.

Remove the lamp’s finial and crown it with a standing dragon—your kingdom’s watchful protector.

6. Spray Paint for a Golden Glow-Up

To unify your piece and give it that treasure-worthy shimmer, spray paint everything gold. 

Painting it in a solid, uniform tone will direct eyes to the shapes of each dragon and the parts that make up this mystical space. 

Use plastic bags and painter’s tape to protect the cord, switch, and socket.

Place your lamp, finial, and extra dragons outside on a drop cloth. Apply several light coats of spray paint, allowing time to dry between layers. Rotate your piece as you go to ensure every dragon, turret, and curve gets its golden armor.

Once dry, remove all coverings and admire your gleaming creation—it’s now fit for royalty- the cute little kid of yours!

7. Give Your Shade Some Dragon Style

Reassemble your lamp and attach the shade, securing it with your dragon-topped finial. Make sure your “guardian dragon” faces forward, aligned with your tower’s crest.

With your glue gun, add a few more gold-painted dragons to the lampshade—position them as if they’re climbing, flying, or circling the tower. These finishing touches will bring your piece fully to life.  An added bonus? When you turn your upcycled lamp on, these little creatures will sparkle magically.

8. Stage Your Storybook Scene

Place your Dragons’ De-Light on a side table near a rocking chair—perfect for story time in your castle. Surround it with colorful books, castle-themed toys, and other thrifted treasures.

This lamp doesn’t just light a room—it sparks imagination, tells a story, and may very well become the crown jewel of your nursery kingdom for many moons to come.

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Tim Kime

Artist, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach

Tim Kime is an artist, life coach, and connector. He is the President of Kime Leadership Associates, offering executive coaching, meeting facilitating, and motivational speaking. He is also the Chief Creative Force of Transformation Junkies which upcycles furniture and other household items into functional works of art. He combined his two passions—unleashing the potential in people and transforming items with the launch of the Art of Possibilities Workshops. These workshops are part upcycling, part dreaming, and part goal setting.