Though this lamp features a vertical trio of vintage cameras, you could also make something similar using a single antique accordion-style camera or crank-winding TLR at the base. This paint can chandelier shouldn’t cost much to make. You’ll have to buy the cord-and-socket sets, but one of your neighbors will probably pay you to haul his dried-up old paint cans away. The maker of these salvaged object lamps sells at interior-design-oriented Market Central in Midtown Memphis. They’re made from architectural artifacts, vintage machinery, old farm implements, and repurposed musical instruments. we’re especially enamored with the water pump and parking meter lamp bases. Rustic barn pulleys have been hot items in the repurposed lighting world for a number of years now. If you find one cheap at a rural flea market or yard sale, buy it fast. Even if it’s not to your taste, you can resell it for a profit. The arched-top, cast-iron lamp base on the left is made from an antique summer fireplace cover. The Victorians used to disguise and decorate their fireplace openings during warm weather. If you don’t want to turn yours into a table lamp, This Old House has a tutorial for repurposing fireplace covers as log racks. The repurposed lamp on the left―we think that’s an old trombone without a slide―shows just how sculptural a musical instrument can look. Just to name a few alternatives, you could also use a trumpet, French horn, clarinet, violin, or even a tambourine. A repurposed piece is always more meaningful if you know its history. If you look closely at the photo, you’ll see that the pulley wheel has PAT. NO. 316789 embossed on its cast-iron surface. Out of curiosity, we looked it up. It was manufactured by the Champion Blower & Forge Co., and it’s recorded as a “device for converting motion.” The patent was issued to Henry B. Keiper in 1885. The team from Carpenter & Carpenter Design bought the pottery piece used for the base for $10 at a junk shop in Memphis. It was a cone-shaped vessel covered with any number of painted-and-glazed clay masks. Considering the final result, this quirky lamp ended up being a real bargain―even with the cost of professional wiring and a good shade. Had they wired the lamp themselves, the cost would have been even less. This concept is pure DIY, but the execution is amazing. The work quality looks better than most of the uber-expensive lamps we see for sale in gallery-style stores. If such as thing existed, we’d nominate Stacie as today’s DIY lighting queen. We’d even make her a DIY crown to go with the title, but we know she could make a much better one for herself. Stacie got her pulleys from her grandfathers’ barns, but you can also find them on occasion at flea markets, antique malls, and salvage shops. If you get tired of hunting locally, check eBay; they’ve usually got some listed. Some like to display their old globe collections en masse. Others use them for DIY projects such as repurposed globe lamps. Dishfunctional Designs compiled a great collection of upcycled globe ideas. The lampshade is intriguing too. It’s made from a bunch of old, yellowed recipe cards. Did you notice the rounded, riveted walls in the background? This lucky coffee percolator lamp lives in a vintage Airstream travel trailer. If you decide to try a DIY version, you’ll need some lapidary tools to drill through the rocks. The DIY diva at Love Maegan dressed up hers with a dramatic wreath made of bold, black feathers. To adorn your own, read Maegan’s full tutorial. This light would work well in a contemporary or industrial space. We can even see it adding atmosphere to a cozy corner in a cool coffee shop or bar. Personally, we’d probably work the cold cathode stick lamp into a transitional bookcase or console-top vignette. That slender stick of bright light would add another visual layer―an unexpected one―to a luscious mix of modern art, antiquities, artifacts, and found objects. Cutting the bottom off of the bottles is usually the most tedious part of the process, but there’s a tutorial on Spilled Glitter that explains the best way to complete that step. It’s too cheesy to use in an authentic western interior or with truly rustic decor. But, it’s just kitschy enough to be cool with a vintage cowgirl theme or tongue-in-cheek urban-country look. We’re envisioning oversized silver nailhead trim on the upholstery and throw pillows made from vintage cowboy fabric meant for use in a little boy’s room long ago. As for the shade, it needs a properly scaled oval shade―one that’s straight up and town and doesn’t taper at the top―covered with nubby, unbleached linen or coarse, tobacco-colored burlap. A 1950’s two-tiered fiberglass shade with leather-like lacing would also work.
