How to Make a Driftwood Light Fitting Using Fruit Bowls

Our bach (modest beach house) needed new light fittings and we couldn't find anything in the stores that suited its unique inelegance or our unique financial beauty. We didn't really want to buy the light fittings we saw, as they were surprisingly expensive, especially as they weren't really what we wanted anyway. So armed with lamp fittings, driftwood and some $3 fruit bowls, we were ready to embrace something different.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

You will need...

Driftwood

2 Fruit bowls

2 Metres of electrical cable (two core or three core if you plan to earth it)

2.5 Metres of thin copper wire

Copper tacks

2 Mounting eyelets and hooks

2 Lamp fittings

2 Power Saving Light bulbs (15 Watts)

Ceiling rose (if you don't already have one)

Electrical connectors

Pencil & Tape Measure

Jigsaw or Hand Saw

Scissors & Pliers

Hammer & Chisel

Router & Drill

Screwdriver

Comments

[tinker234]

where could i buy the fruit bowl

[bvsmanya]

what a nice way of using old wood pieces!. green idea

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks bvsmanya

[daytripper]

Excellent creative concept carried out very well. 5 stars (and i'm also going to try and copy your idea (maybe treat the wood so it lasts long?)

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks for your encouragement... I'm sure you'll be able to improve on the idea :) - if you do manage to create something, please post a photo... thanks again

[Goodhart]

I REALLY like your idea and how this looks. Very "cabin in the woods-like" and would go very well with an exposed beam house type of thing for sure.

Another additional idea (and you probably have already thought of this, but I will put this out there anyways) would be to have the "tiles" replaced with something a bit more transparent with maybe a translucent or opaque symbol or picture on them; to cast a shadow other then just a square - what do you think?

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks Goodhart... I hadn't thought of replacing the tiles... but you are right, they could really add to the "I don't know what" as the French say... I might modify them next time I'm back in that part of the world... thanks again for your encouragement :)

[Goodhart]

You're very welcome

[frocket]

I mean i dont like it but whatever floats your boat. way to think outside of the box

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks frocket... I know some people can't stand seeing naked bulbs (and yes fruit bowls and driftwood is a little odd)...

[Goodhart]

Hmm, not odd as much as "rustic" :-)

[miphz]

nice lamp, very instructable and inspirational ... thx

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks miphz... I like your avatar

[vingtdeux]

i love your idea!!! thanks for the instructable!

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks for the encouragement

[porcupinemamma]

Ditto!

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks for the ditto... you're very kind :)

[ourmoneypit]

Very nice, elegant solution. I, too, find lighting hard to shop for because the fixtures I find attractive are invariably priced 10 times what I feel they're worth. I've thought of making my own but was afraid they would look horrible. You've shown me it can be done with very nice results. In case you were not aware, had you not desired to have a pattern showing on the tiles of the fruitbowls, or a different pattern, there is a paint, Ceramica 150 by Pébéo, that you could have used. You can find it at those large craft superstores, and I've also seen it at other fine arts store chains as well (here in Canada)

[rocketsurgery]

Thanks ourmoneypit... and thanks for the tip on the tile paint... I had seen recently a fellow who makes light fittings using water pipes (taps/faucets etc) and it really appealed... I have started to think that unless you can find something that really fits your room and tastes then why not construct your own? Thanks again for your encouragement...