Why buy a boring lamp when you can make your own from old household items?
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to spend thousands of ringgit on lighting just to make your place look modern chic. Upcycled light fixtures that are popular in contemporary restaurants and stylish cafes can also make an appearance in residential homes. By reusing household objects, industrial cast-offs and vintage farm tools as lampshades and other forms of lighting, you can give your old clutter a bright new life.
Before you begin upcycling, remember to research your home electrical system and make sure the items you’re using are compatible.
Desk Globes
Not literally, but if you have a desk globe that you no longer use, those can be converted into pendant lamps. A desk globe lamp is perfect for study rooms, work areas or as reading lights near bookshelves.
Glass Bottles
Liquor bottles are wonderful vessels for plants, but they can also be cleaned up and turned into artsy lamps. Once you’ve added bulbs or fairy lights, voila! You’ve got yourself a new lamp. Just remember to dry the bottle out completely before doing any wiring in it.
Wire Baskets
Regular or intricately designed wire baskets turned into lamps will cost you a fortune! A trip to any light-speciality store for a price check will prove this fact. But there is a way to achieve the industrial lighting look and add it to your space without burning a hole in your pocket. You’ll just have to DIY it alongside someone who knows the ins and outs of simple wiring.
Tea Sets
Yes, really! Take a page out of Martha Stewart’s book and turn vintage tea sets into hanging lights for an Alice In Wonderland type of vibe. Turn teacups into unique lampshades and use them in spaces like your kitchen or in your daughter’s bedroom, for Victorian-inspired vibes.
Food Graters
The idea of using food graters for lighting fixtures may strike some of you as odd, but it’s a really creative way to add flair to kitchens, dining areas and restaurants. Just take care not to cut your fingers while upcycling this item.
Junior Drum Set
Ah, kids. One minute they want to get into drumming, the next they want to play something else. Well, if their shiny new drum set was as short-lived as their interest in playing it, fret not. Turn them into lights and use them to light up walkways or as stand lamps in your kids’ room.
Trash Can?
One man’s trash is another man’s… DIY light project! This may be crossing the line for some, but dust bins can make pretty unique light pieces. Find a trash can that’s still in good condition, give it a good scrub, leave it to dry and then get to work on turning it into a lamp.