We don’t know about you guys, but the DIY bug has got us firmly in its grips this late spring. Something about the longer days, warm nights and freshness all around always gets us at Prestige Painting itching to break out the hammers and nails and get a few new projects in the works.
You might think that creating your own light fixture requires a lot of technical expertise with tools and wiring, but that’s not always the case! Give these projects a go in your own home, and see how simple it can be to transform the energy in an entire room with one little DIY fixture.
The Mason Jar Lamp
Anyone who’s spent a little time on Pinterest (or maybe more than a little, for some of us!) knows that mason jars are just about everywhere these days. The rustic look references the past in a nostalgic way, but by repurposing them, mason jars take on a contemporary edge. These light fixtures make use of that dual nature in an excellent and easy project that can be hung or mounted on a wall.
You’ll Need:
a large mason jar (big enough that the bulb does not touch the inner walls when inside)
1 light bulb
a pendant light kit or wall socket with a ring that has thread onto which a ring can be screwed
a metal or plastic ring that can be screwed onto the above socket (often comes with light kits)
a nail or wood screw
a flathead screwdriver
a pencil, pen or marker
a hammer
scissors or pliers
1. Take the socket or light fixture and remove the ring (if on). Remove the lid from the Mason jar and place the bottom of the socket (the side from which the light bulb will project) against the lid of the Mason jar, centering it.
2. Trace the shape of the socket onto the top of the jar lid with your marking device.
3. Use your hammer and nail or wood screw to puncture the lid around the circle you have drawn on the lid, making a ring of holes. Then puncture the lid a few more times in a wider circle around your first one.
4. Use your hammer and screwdriver, punch through the space between the holes of your inner circle.
5. Pry the metal disk inside the circle out with your pliers or cut it out with your scissors.
6. Place your light socket through the lid, then screw the ring onto the socket from the other side, so the lid is trapped between the ring and the socket.
7. Screw the bulb into the socket, then screw the lid onto the jar.
8. Now hang it where you want it!
The Scrap Paper Lamp
This one requires a globe paper hanging lamp, but it’s one of the simplest, if somewhat time consuming, lamps on the list. This one costs almost nothing, and when done right looks like you’ve purchased a designer look from a fancy store.
You’ll Need:
a globe paper lamp, found at most stores with lighting and decorations
scissors
glue (preferably something decently strong that dries clear)
scrap paper or any paper you like the look of
1 pendant light kit
1 light bulb
1. Cut your paper into long pointy strips with your scissors. These should be somewhere around 10 to 16 inches long and should be flat on the non-pointy end and of equal length on the two other sides.
2. Hang your globe lamp temporarily so that it is easy to get at all sides of it.
3. Starting at the bottom around the hole of the globe, glue the paper scraps in an even ring around the hole so the pointy ends hang down. To do this, apply glue to about a centimeter of the short flat end of the paper strips and then place the glued section against the globe so the strips hang vertically downward.
4. Repeat step 3 moving upwards from the first ring until you have ringed the entire globe.
5. Let this dry fully before proceeding. You may need to apply a few layers, let them dry and then continue if your glue is slow drying.
6. Use a pendant light kit and install it through the top of the globe (these globes usually have built-in pieces to do this.
7. Install the bulb, hang, admire.
See how easy it is to revolutionize a room with a cool DIY light project? All you have to do is use a few items, take a few steps, and voila! A whole new look to your room.
Original Source: https://paintedbyprestige.com/how-tos-and-diy/light-and-lovely-hip-diy-light-fixture-ideas
