This post is a long time coming. Robert and I installed our globe pendant in the living room spring of last year, and I’ve been promising a tutorial ever since.
It’s probably no secret that I can be horribly picky when it comes to light fixtures. I have debated the subject before, and I think the only light we’ve installed without modifying it in some way is the Flat Stock Flush Mount light from West Elm that Robert bought me for my birthday in 2011. (Sidenote: If they ever bring that light back I will buy at least one more in a heartbeat.)
If you follow me on Pinterest, you might have seen me pinning a lot of globe light fixtures last year. (Clearly it was before I decided to use more search-friendly pin descriptions.)
I had a few issues with all the lights I pinned. Even though the West Elm Globe Pendant was on sale for $79 at the time (and currently is again), I felt like Robert and I could make something less expensive that we liked a bit better.
So I searched online for quite a while until I found this 12″ clear globe for $27.32 a mylampparts.com (the same globe is sadly $67.32 now).
I paired the shade with a 4″ threaded “uno” threaded fitter, a keyless brass socket with “uno” threads, and gold cloth-covered wire. I can’t remember exactly which fitter and socket I used, but I know that if I were to do things over again I’d likely either use this socket from Grand Brass instead of the standard press-in metal shell kind, or this fitter with a ceramic socket. Together with an $8 Edison bulb, this project ran us around $80. We also have some cloth-covered wire left over since Sundial requires a 10 foot minimum order.
When it came time to think about a light for the laundry room, Robert and I liked the look of the Carlton Pendant from Lumens.com, and the Azusa from Schoolhouse Electric, but not the price tags. The Carlton Pendant is $276, and Azusa says it starts at $99, but the pictured light is $153.
We decided to DIY something similar, so I ordered this shade from Antique Lamp Supply, a brass fitter (with socket) and ceiling canopy from eBay, and Robert picked up some black 18/2 wire from his store (he runs an auto part store). Robert actually called it “trailer wire”, but it’s 18-gauge, 2-conductor wire. We got it from his store because Lowe’s didn’t have what we were looking for.
Of course, as soon as the shade arrived we decide it would look awesome over the sink (replacing a $20 seeded glass pendant from a few years ago), so we ordered supplies for a second light. Then once we installed it we started wondering if the second light would be bright enough for the laundry room. Ultimately we decided to put the second light in our pantry, and we’re back to square one on the laundry light. D’oh.
The lampshade was $39.90 (closer to $50 with shipping), the canopy was roughly $8, the fitter with socket was $18, and I have no idea how much the wire was so I’m estimating $3 for the foot or so that we used. That means this light came in right about $80 as well.
Anyone DIY any lights lately? Or have any ideas for our laundry room light? I can’t decide if a 60w Edision bulb will be bright enough.
Swivel Plate Caster, 8 In Dia
We DIYed a light–or at least did the best we could in an apartment complex–not too long ago. Can’t wait till we buy a home of our own so we can upgrade with awesome hard-wired fixtures like you’ve done.
((http://myfriendstaci.com/2012/11/09/weve-got-swag/))
That’s a lovely light fixture, Staci!
Hard-wired fixtures are a lot of fun, but sometimes getting the wire where it needs to go is a pain in the behind. (There wasn’t a fixture over the round table previously, so we added a junction, which involved a lot of attic-crawling on Robert’s part. Also cursing.) To avoid doing that again, we’re planning to do a modified swag light in our pantry because we don’t want to add a junction box in the ceiling at the moment.
Nice solution. I think swag fixtures can look really cool, anyway :)
I agree! :)
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