Re-purposing Lamps

Do you like walking around thrift stores? You can find the most amazing things. I always browse the store in sections, and thoroughly, looking for hidden treasures. Sometimes, the most disappointing part is the lamps. Some don't have shades, others look ugly, but on a recent trip I came across a gem.

It was the perfect specimen for this kind of project. It had no shade with it, but just looking at the base of the lamp was beautiful enough. $5.99 went to the cashier, the deed was done. I checked the lamp before I dismantled it just to see if it would work. It did, but that didn't matter at this point.

I unscrewed the socket that the light bulb goes into. Leaving the the metal fixture that holds the lamp shade.

Then I cut the cord right below the base where it meets the socket.

The lamp also had some weird tube that protected the cord from the metal foot of the lamp. I pulled this out.

Then I pulled the cord entirely out of the bottom of the lamp, thus completely gutting the fixture components.

Then I used an old handheld candle holder, and unscrewed the part that holds the candle and set it on my new lamp where the old fixture was. I used pliers to close the lamp holders around the candle holder. At this point the candle holder was not completely stable.

I debated whether to whip out the glue gun but then saw that the cord I just pulled out of the lamp was a beautiful green with a gold stripe in it. A spark went off and... brilliance! I cut off the plug from the cord.

I took the cord and wrapped it around the entire part with the candle holder and the lamp shade holder. Starting at the bottom I secured the end piece by tightly wrapping it and then coiling up the fixture. Then I made a criss cross pattern to hold the coils in place. I tied the cord in the back and voila.

One, it's green, no electricity. Two it can be dangerous; be sure not to leave them burning if your not there. Three, if the power goes out, you'll thank me later.

I originally did this with another lamp I was just keeping in the closet because I broke the glass shade that it came with.

I also did a variation on it by taking old cream soda bottles I had sitting around and wrapping them individually in rope with a glue gun. I glued them together and stuck candles in the top.

This was a tall lamp so i decided to set it on the floor. I couldn't be happier with my finished project!

If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

D. James