Upcycled Lighting

How to Create Your Own Upcycled Lighting

I’m sure you have probably noticed on various pages of my website I use the term ‘The Art of Illumination’. That’s because I truly believe that, if you have the right mindset, anything and everything could be transformed into an upcycled lighting piece of art. With a little bit of imagination it can be done (most of the time!) and it’s a great way of creating a unique light for a dark corner. Better still it can be done on any budget.

Think outside the box

If someone asked you to think of an everyday object to make into a table lamp what would be your first thought? Maybe you think you need something that’s a certain shape, like your typical lamp shade. Or an object that has a particular shape or material and already resembles something ‘’lamp-like’’. Forget all that, because the truth is that just about anything can be made into a lamp or a light fitting as long as you’ve got your creative head on and can appreciate things that are a little bit different.

A work of art by day, a beautiful lamp by night

If in doubt, don’t throw it out

Instead of simply throwing things away, consider recycling, repurposing or upcycling as alternatives. And if you’re not sure whether an object can be used for something else, don’t throw it away, unless you really, really, REALLY need to. 

There are three main options to consider when you are planning to repurpose or upcycle something into a totally unique light.

1. Use it as a base for a lamp
2. Creating a shade or reflector
3. Add a string of lights or multiple lights

1. Use it as a lamp base or stand

So, here’s an example of using an everyday object to create a really cool ‘designer’ base for a lamp. It started as a sad, little old oil can that I picked up at a local flea market. I knew it would make a good base for a lamp. Plus it still had the spout, which made it a lot easier for me to decide exactly where the light fixture was going!

But as I say, you can use almost anything to make a good base for a lamp. For instance, what about a stack of old books, a lovely rustic log of wood, an old cracked vase, a car brake disc, an unusually shaped bottle? Even a simple house brick! 

Upcycling another object for the lamp base can help eliminate some of the hard work required for the rest of the lamp because other components can be bought from local DIY shops, or reused from other lights, i.e. tubing, lamp stems, shades, fixtures etc.

Here’s another good example. This vintage tripod camera may not be great for taking a selfie, but it makes a fantastic and unusual floor standing lamp and with minimal effort too.

2. Creating a shade or reflector

I love creating this type of lighting! It can be a little more difficult finding suitable items to make into a lampshade because they need to have certain properties, such as the correct shape, suitable material, etc. But it’s worthwhile taking extra time to find something that’s just right. And it’s a great way of creating a lamp that will still actually resemble a lamp…well kind of. 

Take this unusual copper lamp, for example. Originally the shade was a rather dull old copper pot, probably used for a houseplant. But straight away, I saw the potential to transform it into a brilliant and unusual lamp shade.

The stem was all made from copper pipe and fittings to match the pot, and the base was simply a nice piece of reclaimed old oak out of the scrap bin.

Sometimes, with the right object, you can use it on an existing lamp. It can be as easy as replacing the old worn-out shade with something totally different just by having the right sized hole in the correct place!

Here’s something else that may not have been an obvious choice for creating a light, but actually worked really well.

A customer wanted a rustic pendant light for a tea room and asked me for some suggestions. I had these two copper kettles that I was itching to make into something. So, I started by removing the bottom sections, which made them into great light reflectors.

3. Add a string of lights or multiple lights

Believe it or not, this method is as simple as it sounds and can be super-effective. If you are not confident in adapting materials, don’t have the tools, or don’t like the idea of doing anything that might cause damage, then this could be the option for you.

DIY stores, and even some larger supermarket chains, now stock a great selection of cool light bulbs, fabric cables, vintage fixtures, LED strips, string lights, etc. They’re also widely available online. So, it has never been easier to repurpose an object into a light simply by draping a bulb fixture over it or by wrapping some LED string lights around it.

For example, this is a popular and effective method. Wrap some fancy cabling around an old wooden beam, add vintage-effect lamp holders and Edison-style bulbs, et voila! You’ve got big, bold, beautiful feature lighting with minimal work and a low cost.

A safer, more versatile alternative is to use LED string lights which I really love to work with. They can be stuffed inside a bottle, a mason jar, or wrapped around anything you like to make it look totally different.

A few upcycled lighting suggestions

I love using these cute little LED lights because the possibilities are endless. Here are a few simple ideas to get you started:

• Place them into your favourite wine bottle for a nice table feature
• Gather some twigs and branches and entwine them with LEDs in an old vase
• Wrap them around something big, like an old wooden ladder, for a bold feature
• Run them along floor edges or wooden beams for lovely soft lighting
• Entwine them around your stair bannisters or handrails to light the way
• Incorporate them into a tree or shrub in the garden

LEDs are available in different lengths, colours and power options – battery, mains, USB or solar-powered. So there’s an upcycled lighting option to suit any application, giving maximum effect for minimal effort!

Owen Duggan

LuxSabre – the art of illumination