Emily Traxler is a busy wife and mom to four sons, who loves cultivating beauty in her home and garden. As one of our Top 3 Finalists in the 2022 Brand Ambassador contest, Emily shares a DIY lamp tutorial.
Let’s make a DIY lamp (or three)!
Kids are headed back to school, days are getting shorter, and evenings are getting cooler. Fall is almost here, which means it is time to start adding all the cozy touches to our homes. One of my favorite ways to add cozy vibes is with lighting, especially the soft glow of candles and lamps.
It can often be hard to find the perfect lamp, so why not make one? If you can drill a couple of holes and lace a wire cord through those holes, you can make a DIY lamp!
What you will need:
- lamp base – get creative. Almost anything could be transformed into a lamp
- lampshade
- lamp wiring kit (found on Amazon, at Walmart, or your local hardware store)
- drill and drill bit
- glue
I wanted to create unique lamps that would add the perfect seasonal touch to my decor so I found a few unconventional items to use as lamp bases, a tall candlestick, a large pinecone, and a set of wooden corbels.
Let’s get started!
Step one
Drill a hole through the back of your lamp base.
Step two
Drill a hole through the top of the piece.
Make sure you drill a hole large enough for the wire to pass through, but small enough that the mounting pieces (inside the lamp kit) will fit. I used a 5/16 inch drill bit.
This candlestick is hollow, but if you’re working with a solid piece, you can find extra long drill bits at your local hardware store.
Step three (optional)
Paint your piece to make it a little more “you”!
Step four
Lace the wire cord from the bottom hole up through the top.
Step five
Pull wires through the lamp socket and glue in place, using strong glue.
Step six
To finish wiring, follow the instructions included in the lamp kit.
Step seven
Step back and enjoy your handy work!!
Tips and Tricks
- There are all sorts of drill bits, some to drill through wood, to drill through glass, long drill bits, short drill bits, etc., make sure to get one that suits your project.
- If you’re having a hard time lacing the cord through the holes, try using a thin piece of wire to help guide the lamp cord.
- Once you have laced the thin wire through the holes, wrap the wire tightly around the cord.
- Pull the wire and the cord will follow. When wiring these corbels into sconces, this little trick was quite helpful!
Can you believe how easy it is to make a DIY lamp!
My mind is swirling with ideas for future lamps. Imagine how amazing it would be to make sconces out of a pair of big antique corbels, or a table lamp from a stack of old books, the possibilities are endless!
This is why I love creating through the power of DIY, you can turn your visions into beautiful realities!!
To see more of Emily Traxler’s creativity visit her Blog and Instagram
Be sure to visit Cottages & Bungalows Instagram for Brand Ambassador voting between Saturday, September 11th and Monday, September 13th. Our 2022 Brand Ambassador will be announced on September 15th, 2021.
