Ok, so I am not attempting to turn things into gold...more like turning goldtone metal into silvertone metal.  Since my Newport is an historic looking house with a more modern interior, finding appropriate light fixtures has been difficult.  Most lights on the market are brass and Victorian or ultra modern or plastic.  I've lucked out with a few that I really like, but some have the right shape but not the right coloration.

I had some luck painting one light fixture with acrylic paints, but the frame of it was wood.  Brass light fixtures are harder to paint since they are often shiny and acrylic paint just won't stick or shows the brush strokes.  So, I took one of my less expensive lamps and experimented with spray paint.  I've seen many people turn thrift store finds into high-end looking pieces in real life, but miniature is not always as easy.

The starting fixture in brass.

Here it is taped and ready for painting.  I couldn't remove the glass globe since part of the brass is attached to it.

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I put on a rubber glove and held the light in my hand as I sprayed.  It was the only way to be able to get all angles.  I then pressed the taped portion onto a loop of masking tape so no painted parts would touch the surface.

First, the primer: Valspar Premium Enamel.  There's no color name - just a matte grey cap.  I wanted a small can, but I could find only the large 12oz size.  One coat of primer covered the brass perfectly.

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I set it aside for about half an hour before moving on to the final paint: Valspar Odds 'n' Ends Fast Dry Enamel in Chrome.  This I was able to find in a small 2.75 oz can.  Again, one coat covered very well.

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I wouldn't call the finish "mirror chrome" but more a beautiful, crisp silver.  It would work well as a mimic for a brushed finish. I didn't expect (or want) a reflective silver finish.

The finish is extremely fragile.  It will scratch easily.  This may change after the paint has had time to really cure, but I would limit handling any item you use this finish on.