sierraclub.org - sierra magazine - july/august 2012 - repurpose-kitchenware-lamp-diy - repurpose: kitchenware lamp
KITCHENWARE LAMP
A dishy lamp lights things up
By Wendy Becktold
Lori EanesMy kitchen cupboard is cluttered with dishware I don't use: a souvenir North Dakota dinner plate, duck saltshakers, retro surfer-girl coffee mugs, and more. I hold on to these relics for sentimental reasons, so I was happy to learn that kitchenware can be transformed into beautiful, one-of-a-kind lamps. Phoebe Palmer, an artist in Central California, has made hundreds.
My favorites are a desk lamp made of meat grinders and a floor lamp fabricated from 27 Jell-O molds. Inspired, I drilled holes through a measuring cup and some bowls and inserted a lamp rod. I attached the harp and electric hardware, used a colander for the shade, and cemented it all with silicone glue. Now my dishware really lights up the place.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 8 | CONSTRUCTION TIME: 4 hours
Drilling through glass and metal requires caution, know-how, and special drill bits. Wiring can also be tricky.
Wendy Becktold
- An assortment of dishware
- Lamp harp (6 to 8 inches)
- Threaded Lamp Rod (about the length of your stacked dishware or longer)
- 3 to 6 nuts to fit on the lamp rod (optional)
- Socket, cord, plug, and switch
- CFL bulb
- Silicone glue
- Dremel and/or drill with proper bits to cut through ceramic and metal
- Hacksaw
- Goggles and gloves
Inspired by the designs of Phoebe Palmer at peterfels.com.