DIY Network

College Student Living Room Learn how a funky flower lamp and puzzle table are created. From "From Junky to Funky" episode DFJF-204

Flower lamps and a puzzle table complete a very funky living room makeover for four college students.

advertisement

Thrift store lamp bases and shades are transformed and embellished with feathers and jewels to create funky flower lamps.

Flower Lamps

Materials:

wire lamp shade forms
lamp bases
craft wire of different gauges
handmade paper
white glue
acrylic paint
purchased electrical kits
threaded rod, couplings, nuts
fabric scraps, feathers, embellishments
water base spray polyurethane
wire snips

When shopping for lampshade forms, look for ones that are already flower shaped or that are exceptionally interesting. Also, make sure they're easy to attach to a threaded rod and that they have a good, sturdy "bulls eye" attachment (where the shade attaches to the lamp).

Tip: If you love the shade, but it doesn't have the typical "bull's eye", try cutting the end off of a ski pole. It has a smaller circle that could be wired onto the smaller end of the shade, and already has a center hole built into it to fit onto the threaded rod.

1. Inspect the lamp bases. See if the base and wiring are in good shape and re-usable, but also check for the size of the threaded rod needed. Check to see if the base will need additional support from the weight of the embellishments.

2. Remove the fabric from the lampshade form using a utility knife and scissors.

3. Reshape the form if necessary by bending, cutting or adding other wire--just be creative.

4. Consider adding thinner gauge wire in the gaps to suggest veining or added decoration. This will also help support the wet paper in another step.

5. Choose how long of a stem (threaded rod) is needed. Keep in mind the scale of the lamp base to the size of the lamp shade. Remember, the longer the stem and bigger the flower shade, the wider base you'll need to keep it from falling over.

Tip: Threaded rods come in a variety of lengths. Use the sizes that are already cut, and then add smaller pieces if necessary using threaded rod couplings.

6. To slightly bend the rod, create a clamping system by drilling a hole the size of the rod on the very edge of a scrap piece of 2 x 2. This will create a channel so the threads are not destroyed by the clamps. Clamp the wood to a worktable, and then tap several times with a rubber mallet. Remove the clamp, reposition the rod and repeat. Continue down the rod.

	Figure A
	Figure B

7. Screw the threaded rod into the base (figure A).

Note: With smaller shades it's easier to attach the shade to the threaded rod with two electrical nuts and washers acting as a "clamp" above and below the "bulls eye" and attaching all of the electrical parts before applying the paper. It was easier working through the gaps in the paper—if this is the case, make sure to tape off the electrical socket before applying the paper and the glue/water mixture.

Think about what you want to use to finish off where the threaded rod meets the lampshade (figure B). On the five flower lamps made in this project, a variety of things were used; the bottom of an aluminum bud vase, an ornate decorative medallion piece from another light fixture, and a piece of a plastic curtain rod finial. Anything funnel shaped with a hole will work.

Page  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5