What could be more beautiful than the satisfaction of an original craft created with one’s own hand, which will become a bright accent in the drabness of everyday life? We offer several simple models, the manufacture of which does not require professional skills or financial costs. Let's get to work!
Every day we have to throw away empty tetrapacks, but meanwhile this is an excellent basis for an openwork chandelier. We cut strips 5 cm wide, fold them into the required shape and begin to carefully glue them together. To prevent the structure from falling apart prematurely, assembly can be done on a round piece of suitable size.
Disposable spoons make a pretty decent lampshade. Take a 5-liter plastic container and cut off the bottom. We break off the cuttings and mount the remaining parts onto the base using a glue gun, imitating a pineapple peel. It is better to use a low-temperature light bulb for safety reasons.
Ordinary wooden hangers are transformed with a creative approach. Simply by cutting them in half and placing them in a circle, you get a modernist chic lamp from the 30s era. A completely surreal option is also possible - pass a strong thread through the suspension attachment point and simply string the hangers, unrolling them a little.
Funny Gummy Bears are the perfect solution for a nursery. The difficulty lies in the accuracy of the placement of individual figures, so we recommend making a template with radial holes through which we lower the white threads. Don't even think about using lollipops - these are acrylic figures!
The effect of a dense forest in the bedroom is achieved by whimsical chiaroscuro. A few stylistic roots, wire, skillful hands - and an original ball under the ceiling will plunge the room into the world of the unknown. Or collect the rhizomes, clean, dry and bind them however you like. It is better to varnish the finished product.
Has your drum kit lost its former appeal and is gathering dust in the garage? An extravagant chandelier can be easily mounted from a boring musical instrument - fortunately, all fasteners are included in the kit. Original and beautiful, and most importantly – quiet!
If you are the owner of a bicycle workshop, then you probably have a container with unusable spare parts in the corner. A little creativity and a welding machine - you will get a unique product, similar to the ancient inventions of the crazy Mechanicus. Of course, you can’t hang it in the living room, but it’s just right for a nightclub.
A leaky galabash (African gourd bottle) lends itself well to engraving. Intricate patterns, contrasting transitions of textures from shiny to matte, elegant perforations scatter ethnic ornaments of the Dark Continent on the walls.
It's all in the bag - a funny tandem of a top hat and a bowler hat creates a solid ambience for a cigar club for gentlemen. If you're not an English dandy, don't despair - an old Stetson, a bright sombrero or a straw brill will work too. It is important not to be hostage to sanctimonious dogmas.
Paper cups for cakes will become an elegant accent to your interior. This is not at all difficult - we glue them together in two, straightening the bottom one, and connect the resulting “flowers” with a thread in a spiral. We cover the original night light with glue or varnish for strength.
Banal iron graters look very original above the bar counter. You need 4 tubes with electric sockets and a meter piece of 2-core wire. Don't forget about fire safety - metal lampshades get very hot.
Have your lace doilies served their purpose? Don't rush to part with them! We inflate a white balloon, find a brush and PVA, straighten the material on the surface and coat it generously. After an hour, the elegant lampshade is ready for use.
Cutlery can decorate a meal beyond just serving. Spoons gathered into a bun resemble a silver tulip. And connoisseurs of Kandinsky or Dali will appreciate the avant-garde cube constructed from knives and forks. Bon appetit!
An interesting effect in a children's room is created by small light screens in the form of a cartoon cloud. The light bulb located behind it dimly illuminates the walls without blinding the eyes. By adding some more funny clouds, we get a romantic sunset.
Several brightly glowing globes will dynamically enliven the space above the stairs. Oceans and continents will light your way - an original and charismatic solution with deep implications. Choose the right proportions for your unique installation and get charged with positivity.
Don't know what to do with the mismatched remains of the services? Drill holes in the cup and saucer, place the socket in the middle and connect with a hollow tie - just like in a regular lamp. White porcelain perfectly diffuses light - hang the composition above the coffee table and enjoy a fragrant drink.
A ball of yarn can be successfully used as a chandelier. Several skeins of thread, a white balloon, electrical fittings and glue - we randomly wrap the base and spread it generously with astringent. Wait until it dries completely - and your unique masterpiece is ready. They cannot play football, but the product is quite reliable.
Is it possible to make a table lamp from beer cans? It turns out yes! Only we will need a lot of them - after all, we only use valves for opening. We knit a frame of the desired shape from rigid wire and begin to braid the base. It turns out something like shiny chain mail. Unfortunately, the exact amount of raw materials is unknown.
This charming lamp in the shape of a cute alien animal is very easy to make. The most labor-intensive process is cutting narrow paper wedges. We connect several wire rings together to get something like a sphere, and use tape to attach the prepared parts in layers. All!
An option with pronounced charisma will appeal to confirmed bachelors and lovers of noisy parties. Having seen the impressive installation above the table, guests will immediately understand what awaits them in the next couple of hours. Cheap and cheerful, but with soul...
What to do with endless plastic bottles? If you are tired of fighting them, we suggest you turn their myriad of them to your benefit, at least partially. Cut off the bottoms, and you will have a lot of small parts in your hands. Connect them randomly with threads - there are no restrictions on the shape.
Each homemade piece of furniture can fill your home with special comfort and warmth. In addition, such crafts will not only look great in any room, they will become a completely exclusive item. Chandeliers made on your own using scrap materials will look very original in your home. This is a great idea!
To create such a beautiful product, discover the inimitable design talent that is present in every person. It is this newly discovered quality that will bring not only bright light into the house, but also a cozy atmosphere.
Save
DIY kitchen chandelier
Such a handicraft product will look very elegant and graceful in the kitchen. And when guests come to the house, they will not even be able to guess that such a chandelier was made with their own hands and not purchased from an expensive designer store. Imagine their admiration if they find out that it was you who were able to create such a masterpiece as a chandelier with your own hands. It's always fabulous in the kitchen with such a product.
Save
You will need the following materials:
- A leg that can be removed from an old chandelier.
- A hemisphere that is made of metal.
- Any light fixture that has been used in the home in the past. You can disassemble and remove the necessary part. If this is not available, then an old school globe, previously cut in half, will do.
- Sandpaper. It may not be useful, but it should still be available just in case you need to do some cleaning to get the surface perfect.
- Wallpaper glue. Use this type because it will dry completely transparent.
- An ordinary sponge.
- Dye. To make a chandelier, you can take a matte one, which is also used for painting walls.
- The fabric is white.
- Artificial leaves and flowers.
- Half beads.
- Beautiful ribbon.
Save
So, all the necessary materials are at hand, you can go straight to making a beautiful chandelier for the kitchen.
- First, dilute the glue and drop a piece of fabric there. All material must be completely saturated with glue. Now you can lay a sticky piece of fabric on the previously prepared hemisphere - this is the future lampshade. To make it more convenient to make folds on it, you can use any sharp object to make small cuts. Wrap everything that is left sticking out inside the product. The lamp must be completely covered.
- Give the product time to dry.
- Take a sponge and use it to paint the surface (inside and out). Once the paint is completely dry, it is better to apply another layer to be safe. Now you can attach the resulting product to the leg.
- The next step will be decorating the lamp. But first, think everything through carefully. Decide what you want the final product to look like. You can make several sketches on paper with different design options. Once you have decided, you can move on to further work on the lamp. First, glue the decorative leaves in random order. Then comes a layer of flowers. If you happen to have figurines of ladybugs, for example, you can attach them too.
- To complete the composition, you can decorate everything with a beautiful ribbon. But fasten it in such a way that it is under the leaves, it’s more beautiful.
- At the end, you can add half beads to the composition. The lamp is ready.
Save
Chandelier made from old plastic cups
Save
Many people are engaged in creating amazing and beautiful things that are ideal for decorating the interior of their home. But often everyone forgets about chandeliers and lamps. Or maybe there is simply no idea for creativity... That is why people so often ask the question: is it possible to make a chandelier with your own hands using what is at hand? Yes of course!
Necessary materials:
- Plastic glasses (approximately 300 pieces).
- Staples and stapler.
- Bolts.
- Washers (one large and one small).
- The light bulb is energy-saving (this type is chosen, since a regular one gets very hot).
- Cartridge with wire.
Let's move on to making the chandelier:
- Use a stapler to staple three glasses. It is best to start connecting from the bottom and then move to the very top. What we got is the basic design. The resulting product is attached to the remaining cups. The conical design ensures a sphere. And we must not forget that when everything is ready, you need to leave one hole for the cup empty. It is in this last glass that you burn a small hole. Place a large washer inside.
- The electrical wire is tied in a knot and then pushed out through the holes.
- Now attach the cup with bolts and small washers. If any breakdown occurs, the whole thing can be easily disassembled. Using the same technology, you can also make a floor lamp by finding a suitable and beautiful stand.
Save
Openwork sconce or floor lamp
Chandeliers (lamps) and sconces that are made from scrap materials with your own hands always look very beautiful. You can use any glass jar as a lampshade, and a container for bulk products is also suitable. Knitted openwork lace will be used for the lampshade decoration elements.
Save
To make the lamp you will need the following materials:
- Glass container and tin lid.
- Hex nut.
- Drill with drills.
- Electric wire.
- Bracket and cartridge.
- Electric lamp.
- A napkin or any lace product.
- Aerosol glue, as well as paint.
You can get started:
- It is necessary to drill a hole in the very center for fastening. You also need to make four holes in a circle to avoid overheating.
- Now we attach the bracket, nut and socket, and then install the light bulb.
- A layer of glue is applied to the surface of the jar, and then the lace is applied. They can be applied to any part. It all depends on the imagination.
- If you plan to make a sconce, then the openwork napkin can be attached with ordinary tape. After which everything is painted with spray paint. When the product is dry, the napkin can be removed, but the painted form will remain.
Save
Rose petal chandelier (DIY pendant lamp)
Save
This is a very romantic version of a pendant lamp.
Stock up on the following materials before you start making:
- Wooden hoops (you will need 3 pieces of different sizes).
- Rose petals (you can buy them in a special store for decoration or make them yourself by cutting them out of thick white fabric).
- Silk thread.
- Starch for paste.
- White acrylic paint.
- Fishing line.
Let's get started:
- We cut out white circles from the fabric, and then glue them with paste in pairs. Lay a white thread between them. The length should be approximately 40 or 50 cm.
- Now let's move on to painting the hoops. You need to use white paint. Then we hang them on a fishing line in the following sequence: the largest ring comes first, the middle one comes after, and the smallest ring comes last.
- Now tie the threads with petals to the hoop. Glue a circle of fabric to the place where the binding is made. This process is very labor intensive. But the result will be excellent.
Save
Chandelier in the shape of a wire butterfly
This is a very original chandelier that will bring a constant feeling of summer and warmth to your home. Flocks of butterflies will literally come to life after a slight breeze blows. And the best part is that such a chandelier is very easy to make with your own hands. The idea of using a beautiful butterfly to make a lamp is very good.
Necessary materials:
- A lampshade that has two rings.
- Decorative chains.
- Scissors.
- Silver paint (preferably in aerosol form).
- A very fine marker.
- Transparent plastic.
- Pliers.
- Silver wire.
Completing of the work:
- The lampshade is painted with silver paint.
- A stencil is made in the shape of beautiful butterflies. Here you can use your imagination and do everything yourself or find ready-made samples on the Internet.
- We cut out butterflies from plastic using stencils.
- Several butterflies need to be painted silver. The rest should remain transparent.
- You need to cut chains 10 cm long. Now you need to put transparent beads on them. Thus, the product can be given a very beautiful look, since the beads will shimmer every time the sun hits them.
- Next, you should attach the butterflies using pliers and wire. We attach the remaining end of the chain to the lampshade.
Save
Making from disposable spoons
Save
Such a simple item as a plastic spoon can become a real masterpiece in the right hands. Let's consider how to make a chandelier from such material.
Necessary materials:
- One plastic bottle with a volume of 3 liters.
- Glue.
- Wire cutters.
- Plastic spoons (one large package).
Chandelier assembly:
- Using wire cutters, separate the heads of the spoons.
- Next, cut out the bottom of the bottle.
- Starting from the very bottom of the bottle, we proceed to gluing spoon heads over the entire surface of the bottle. Each new row must be glued so that it overlaps the previous one. Arrange the spoons in a checkerboard pattern.
- When you approach the neck of the bottle, you need to stop. At this point a ring is made that resembles a bracelet. We make it from well-glued spoons.
- For this chandelier, you must use only energy-saving light bulbs, since regular ones get too hot. And this will ruin the design.
Save
Original idea: thread lampshade
Save
Threads are another very beautiful and simple material at hand that can be used to make a beautiful chandelier with your own hands. The result will be a very unusual lampshade.
Making a floor lamp with your own hands is not at all difficult if you apply a little imagination and creativity. This task will certainly require some time, special tools and materials, but the end result will definitely please its owner. A lamp made independently will have individual features and features, since no one else will have something like it. This creative process allows you to create floor lamps of any required size and style that best suits the room. It is often difficult to find a suitable option on sale, and it will not be cheap, but in order to make a floor lamp with your own hands, you can use any available materials. Some difficulty may lie in installing wiring for lighting, but even the fairer sex can do this. So, let’s look step by step at all the processes of making a lamp at home, as well as various types of lampshade design.
DIY floor lamp: preparatory process
Before you start work, you need to draw up a sketch of the proposed lamp, decide on the desired height, shape of the lampshade and its design, and take appropriate measurements. A standard set of tools that may be needed includes: drill, pliers, knife, scissors, screwdriver, special glue, pencil and tape measure.
We say “basic” because, depending on a particular model, additional accessories may be needed. The individual elements from which the floor lamp will be assembled with your own hands are: a wooden or aluminum tube for the frame, fasteners, an electrical system, including a cord with a plug, a switch, a socket and a light bulb, wooden boards for decorating the stand, a body (mesh, openwork plastic bucket, etc.), material for lampshade design and decorative elements.
A beautiful stylish lampshade can be built using a wide variety of materials, for example, colored wire, fabric, paper, unnecessary plastic bottles, wallpaper, etc. A do-it-yourself floor lamp (the photos in the article demonstrate this) can be made with a completely original design if you use decorative clay, which is a fairly plastic material, dries quickly and lends itself well to decoration.
For decoration, beads, beads, shells, rhinestones, appliqués made of fabric or paper are often used, while the decoration is carried out taking into account the stylistic direction of the room in which the floor lamp will be located. The simplest approach when creating a new lighting interior item is to reconstruct the old one.
How to update a lampshade for a floor lamp with your own hands
No matter how beautiful this or that piece of furniture is, and, in our case, a floor lamp, over time it may lose its aesthetic qualities, or may no longer correspond to a new renovation carried out using a different style. In this case, it is not necessary to resort to purchasing a new model - it will be quite enough to redesign the lampshade for the floor lamp with your own hands, and there are many types of implementation for this.
The simplest of them is to cover the lampshade with wallpaper. All you need for this is wallpaper and a special glue for it, which can be purchased at any hardware store. When choosing wallpaper, you should illuminate it with a light bulb in order to immediately understand what kind of light the floor lamp will produce when it is turned on. Having previously measured the circumference of the lampshade, we cut off a suitable piece of wallpaper. The lampshade must be removed from the floor lamp leg and wiped with a degreasing compound. After such preparation, wallpaper glue is applied to the lampshade, then the wallpaper is applied and fixed on the surface of the lampshade. You should not press them too hard, as unwanted bumps may form, which are difficult to eliminate, and the aesthetic appearance of the lampshade will be lost. When the structure dries thoroughly, it is returned to the leg. The updated do-it-yourself floor lamp is ready.
An excellent way to decorate a lampshade, as well as its partial restoration, is to use the decoupage technique. For such work, it is recommended to take napkins with a solid pattern, having shades that match the interior of the room (for example, for the kitchen you can prepare napkins with images of fruits, for the nursery - cartoon characters, etc.).
The lamp shade is initially primed with white matte paint. This is necessary to ensure better adhesion to the napkin. After drying (about 1 hour), we begin, in fact, the gluing process itself.
It is worth noting that in the case where the napkins are multi-layered, it is necessary to carefully separate only the layers with the pattern. Glue (PVA or wallpaper) is gradually applied to the prepared surface of the lampshade and napkins are glued. You need to act as carefully as possible, since it is quite difficult to correct an incorrectly fixed napkin without damaging it. When the lampshade is completely processed and the design is created, it is left to dry, and then treated again with glue and left to dry for a day.
At the final stage, you can coat the lampshade for the floor lamp, decorated with your own hands, with acrylic varnish to give the finish strength and moisture resistance. Such a floor lamp can be decorated with beads by gluing them with a glue gun.
There are actually quite a lot of techniques for decorating a lampshade. Some craftsmen braid it with satin ribbons in a checkerboard pattern and decorate it with bows, use appliqués and embroideries. One of the extraordinary and original solutions for updating a floor lamp with your own hands, and, in particular, a boring white lampshade, is to cover it with used photographic film (the lampshade should have a cylindrical shape). Refracting through the frames, the light will cast bizarre patterns into the interior.
DIY floor lamp
Independent production of this floor lamp involves three main stages: constructing a leg with a base and electrical wiring, designing a frame with a lampshade and, in fact, assembling the entire structure together.
When starting to build a floor lamp with your own hands, the first thing you need is a stand. It can be made from gypsum, the amount of dry mixture of which is about 3 - 5 kg, depending on the size of the lampshade. You will need an aluminum pipe as a leg. Some savvy craftsmen use a fragment of an old tubular metal cornice as it.
For the frame you will have to purchase a mesh, the width of which will be equal to the height of the desired lampshade. The mesh is bent in a circle until the desired diameter is obtained, the excess part is cut off, and the edges are fixed by bending the wire. For structural strength, you can run aluminum tape along the entire circumference. Thus, the basis for the lampshade was obtained.
Now it's all about fantasy. You can process the frame of a floor lamp with your own hands from a metal mesh in a variety of ways. For example, tie it with fluffy threads using the macrame technique, and tie flowers on top.
In the middle of the last century, things made using the macrame knitting method were very popular, and, as they say, everything new is well forgotten old. If the floor lamp is being made for a room in a modern high-tech style, the best solution would be to braid its frame with black wire, leaving gaps, and then paint it with black spray paint.
DIY floor lamp made of fabric
You can also make a floor lamp with your own hands from fabric. In this case, the frame will be a structure made of thick wire. Any material can be used as a fabric, but preferably opaque (so that the frame is not visible), such as cotton, taffeta, dark silk, etc. The most suitable colors will be blue, yellow, orange, green or red - they will give a warm light. If you choose a fabric with a floral print and decorate the lampshade with elegant ruffles and bows, you can get a wonderful floor lamp for a room in a country or Provence style.
DIY wooden floor lamp
If the interior of the room is decorated in the Scandinavian or eco-style that is quite popular these days, you can make a floor lamp from wood with your own hands, or rather, from tree branches, which can be found in any park or forest. A massive, tripod-shaped branch will serve as a good base for a floor lamp, and the upper part will serve as a place for a lampshade attached to a rope. Or, on the contrary, the trunk can be mounted in a plaster stand, and several lampshades can be fixed on the diverging branches. The trunk can be decorated with multi-colored threads and lace. Please note that wood is a flammable material, therefore, for safety reasons, such floor lamps are equipped with LED or energy-saving light bulbs.
In conclusion, I would like to say that anyone can make a floor lamp with their own hands from scrap materials. Using the tips posted in this article, you can completely decorate your home with a new stylish lamp without investing any special financial costs. Below, see photos of beautiful options for decorating a floor lamp with your own hands.
DIY floor lamp: 30 photos of beautiful options for making a floor lamp updated: September 27, 2017 by: Kyiv Irina
Every person wants to decorate their home with decorative items. This brings something lively and completely unconventional to the interior of the house. This transformation also affects lighting, lighting fixtures made by yourself - this is an excellent option to transform your life. This article will tell you how to make a lamp with your own hands.
There are countless ideas, this applies to both the design itself and its appearance. This could be a floor lamp or a chandelier shade, or even a table lamp.
Materials
It is worth paying attention to safety precautions and using non-flammable materials. You should not use paper, plastic and similar materials that have a fairly low combustion temperature.
As for the lamps themselves, it is worth using LED lamps, as they have many advantages, such as a long service life and do not overheat. It also has several shades and, of course, saves energy.
Ideas for lamps
More recently, it has become fashionable to create interesting lighting fixtures from completely useless materials; a striking example of this are lamps made from empty glass bottles.
There are countless ideas, however, if you have a desire to do something similar, but the idea is not ripe, then you can look on the Internet for photos of lamps made by yourself.
The simplest and most effective way to create original lighting is to create a lamp from an ordinary glass jar with a screw cap.
Place the jar in hot water with detergent in it to remove labels and dirt. The next thing you need to do is drill a hole for the base. Now you need to insert the base into the cover and secure it.
The main thing is not to forget to solder the wire with a 220V plug, otherwise you will not have a power source. Finally, screw in the light bulb and screw on the lid of the jar. Done, now you have a very simple lighting device that stands out from the general concept of classic everyday life.
By the way, you can decorate the jar with painted engravings or a knitted thread pattern. This is a very original and beautiful solution. For example, you can make a lamp with a knitted pattern in the shape of a flower.
Wooden lamps
This type of lighting fixture is completely different from simple designs. After all, a lamp made of wooden driftwood will look truly extraordinary. However, the work requires more time and care when handling tools and materials.
But at the same time, almost anyone can do such work. And wood can be found in forest plantations. The technology is quite simple; you need to clean the wood and sand it with sandpaper.
Now drill holes for the wiring in the necessary places, but this must be done where the wood piece will be installed closest to the ceiling. For greater effect, you can make small grooves in the wood where the wiring will be installed.
After laying the wiring, part of the wood with the wire can be puttied, and after waiting for the putty to dry completely, sand these places and open the entire driftwood with colorless varnish.
All that remains is to install this lamp. Of course, after the work done, the skill and understanding of this will appear, and now, with a high degree of probability, you will be able to repair the lamp yourself.
Lamp made of planks
Not everyone is satisfied with a spotlight, but you can assemble structures from scrap materials. When working with wood, in particular with boards, there are often scraps left over, and even they can be used. You can make an excellent decorative lamp from them.
The best thing about this design is that you don't need to use nails. To create such a lighting device, you need 17 planks that will be the same size.
Now, each plank needs to be shaped into a wedge and a base is made where the cartridge needs to be installed. The next thing, using a drill, we will make a pair of holes in the base for each plank and, accordingly, in the blanks.
Let's take wooden pins and fasten the structure. This lamp is very easy to make and looks very impressive.
If these ideas do not suit you, then on the Internet you can easily find master classes on making a lamp in video format.
Photos of DIY lamps
Ceiling chandeliers are lighting fixtures that perform two functions simultaneously. Firstly, they are used to organize the main lighting in the room. Secondly, devices are one of the main elements of decorative decoration of a room.
Numerous manufacturers offer equipment of different designs, but it is not always possible to find something truly worthwhile that fits into the overall interior of the room. In other situations, the cost of the chandelier you like may be too high. This is why many people are interested in how to make a ceiling lamp with their own hands.
Hand-made products will be unique and original, thanks to them you can express your taste and character. Making such devices yourself is not so easy. The work requires a certain imagination and perseverance. On the other hand, a ceiling chandelier can be created from improvised means and objects that have become trash for you.
Choose any materials for production - wood, plastic, metal or glass. Chandeliers constructed from wine bottles, wooden skewers or straw look very original. Let's summarize: the choice of material for a homemade lamp depends entirely on the imagination and idea that arose in the head of the apartment owner.
Types of lighting fixtures
The final stage of any repair and construction work will be the purchase of lighting fixtures. Often the main one is a ceiling chandelier, installed in the center of the room, provided its geometry is correct. There is a wide range of lamps on the market, differing in design, shape, principle of operation and even the presence/absence of certain structural elements.
Today, all people want to save money, so it will be important to use a chandelier with energy-saving or LED lamps. It is advisable to choose products with partially or completely closed shades in which the lamps are hidden. Due to this, you will protect the ceiling structure and be able to protect yourself in the event of a light bulb explosion (the fragments will remain inside the lampshade).
If you still like a chandelier with an open arrangement of bulbs, then inspect it and make sure that after installation the light flux will be directed downwards. There is also a simple rule - the simpler the product, the easier the subsequent installation.
Another point that should be taken into account when choosing a chandelier is the purpose of the room and its dimensions. In spacious rooms with high ceilings, volumetric pendant lamps should be installed. For small rooms, saving space is required, so focus on flat (flattened) options.
Conventionally, ceiling chandeliers can be divided into two main types:
- classic hanging;
- flat with placement as close as possible to the ceiling.
And the latter are divided into two subcategories - built-in and overhead. Overhead lamps are considered the best solution for bathrooms, corridors and kitchens. The presence of a separation platform ensures their rapid cooling and high fire and electrical safety.
Recessed luminaires are also called spotlights. They are often installed (more correctly, built in) into furniture, suspended ceilings or arched structures. Manufacturers provide a wide variety of shapes, colors and design solutions for both traditional and flat lamps.
Finally, in addition to the design features of the lamps themselves, the type of light sources used is distinguished:
- An incandescent lamp is one of the most common and simple options. The cheapest possible light source. When exposed to mechanical stress, it quickly fails due to the vulnerability of the structure, and burns out relatively quickly (in the case of continuous operation, it can burn out in two or three days).
- An energy-saving fluorescent lamp is one of the best types of housekeepers. The advantages of the product are related to efficiency and long service life. Along with LEDs, it is the most common light source in developed countries.
- An LED lamp is an expensive product, the popularity of which is increasing every year. The efficiency factor exceeds 90%, and in the case of high-quality devices reaches 98%. They are characterized by a longer service life and increased reliability.
An example of a homemade lamp
Let's look at one of the simplest examples of a DIY ceiling lamp.
For production we will need:
- plastic bottle 5 liters;
- plastic spoons - their number depends on the size of the bottle that will become the frame;
- quick-drying glue for plastic;
- sharp knife;
- cartridge with wire.
First, prepare a frame from a plastic bottle. Remove any labels from the item, rinse it and dry thoroughly. After this, feel free to cut out the bottom. Cut off all the handles from the plastic spoons, but so that small pieces of 2 cm remain.
Glue the resulting scraps with “scoops” onto the base of the frame made from a plastic bottle. To do this, we just need the remaining pieces of the handles, which need to be poured generously with glue and pressed tightly to the surface (the convex part of the scoop should face outward). Cover the container in a circle until the entire surface is hidden. Ideally, the spoons are placed in a checkerboard pattern and then shifted to ensure a tight fit and no visible areas.
The sockets with wiring can be removed from an old chandelier, then installed and fixed in a new product by pulling it through the neck of the bottle. A decorative bowl can be decorated with the same blanks using glue and placing them on the neck.
To make sure the product is working, at the final stage, screw a light bulb into the lamp and connect it to the power source. If successful, all that remains is to install the chandelier on the ceiling.
For a more stylish design and change of colors, you can paint plastic spoons. This will increase the originality and attractiveness of the product.
Style selection
In addition to the points listed in the first chapter of the article, when choosing a chandelier you need to focus on a specific style. This is also true for those cases when you decide to make the product yourself. Comfort, coziness and how pleasant it will be to be in it depend on the interior created in the room.
The ceiling chandelier is the main element of decor, therefore, with a competent approach, the perception of the environment will improve, but with a careless approach, it will completely deteriorate. As you know, “breaking is not building”, therefore, to ruin the interior, it is enough to choose the wrong style.
Decide in advance on the design of the future lamp. The most common styles for chandeliers are high-tech, modern and Provence.
High tech
This includes products made of glass and metal. Modern appliances fit perfectly into the design of the bedroom and living room. Externally, the chandelier may look chaotic (with a random arrangement of decorative elements). An excellent option for people who want to modernize an apartment or private house, but do not want to make something too complicated. Any errors made during the manufacture of the chandelier may look like an original design solution.
Modern
In accordance with this style, devices are made of glass and wood. The ceiling lamp is characterized by perfectly smooth and clear lines and has the correct geometry.
Provence
The most complex design, which is suitable for people who understand the principles of hand-made. Various fabrics, colorful ribbons, beads, and embroidery can be used to decorate a chandelier. The lamps are delicate and suitable for creating a romantic atmosphere. A Provence style lighting fixture is suitable for decorating any living space.
Installation materials
For ceiling installation of the lamp you will need certain materials and tools:
- the lamp itself;
- junction box;
- screwdriver (curly);
- switches;
- as an alternative - dimmers (rotary toggle switch to adjust brightness, turn on/off a light bulb);
- wires;
- electrical tape;
- indicator (tester);
- pliers;
- connecting blocks.
Ideally, electrical wiring should be laid using connection blocks. If such products are not available, then twist the bare ends of the wires using pliers and hide them under a thick layer of electrical tape. The connections can also be placed under polymer caps. Make sure the wires are tightly wrapped around each other.
When laying the cable, pay attention to the material from which it is made. It is advisable to twist aluminum with aluminum or copper with copper. When wires made of two different materials come into contact, gradual oxidation will occur, leading to burnout and loss of contact.
Sequence of work
Before installing the ceiling light, determine the phases of the wires. To do this you will need an indicator screwdriver or a special probe. If you apply the working surface to the phase conductor, the light bulb will begin to glow. Otherwise, the wire belongs to the zero phase.
Next, you need to determine the phases on the wiring of the lighting fixture. Plug two wires into the outlet, but never touch the third one. If there are several bulbs on the chandelier, then about half of them will light up. Leave any wire in the socket and insert a third one instead of the second one. The second half of the bulbs should light up. Thus, the wire that is constantly in the socket (and when connected in turn with the other two turns on the light bulbs) is the zero phase.
Attach the lamp to the ceiling. To do this, use both a classic hook sticking out from the ceiling and a mounting rail (included in most modern devices). If there is a hook from an old chandelier, it is advisable to dismantle it.
Connecting lamps
If you need to connect a floor lamp or chandelier with a two-core cable, difficulties should not arise at all. Simply connect the ends of this cable to the two ends of the wiring. If the lamp consists of several parts and there are more wires, then they should be twisted correctly in pairs, subsequently connecting to the desired residential electrical wiring in the apartment.
A three-core cable indicates the presence of two normal and one neutral phases. Follow the scheme described above to find the zero phase. After this, connect the device to the house wiring.
Traditionally, the zero phase on the lamp has wires with blue insulation, while the normal phase has brown, black or red insulation. If there are several blue wires, then they need to be connected in pairs, and then connected to the zero phase. Proceed similarly with other colored parts.
Products with four cores are much less common. The latter is intended for grounding and is usually colored yellow-green. It should be screwed to the lamp body using a regular screw. Be sure to insulate all connections.
Any materials can be used to make ceiling lamps with your own hands. The main thing is to choose the style and shape in advance and navigate the installation location. Also, before starting work, it is advisable to draw a sketch of the future product. Everything else is limited to your imagination.
Connecting homemade lighting fixtures is carried out according to the same scheme as purchased ones. Using our instructions, you can easily connect ceiling chandeliers with two, three or even four wires. The main thing is not to forget about safety rules and ensure complete insulation of the wires, excluding short circuits.