In addition to providing a room with proper illumination, lamps can be a great way to add a stylish touch to almost any location in your home. Although there are plenty of lamps on the market from which to choose, there are times when you might want a more customized look. If you\’d like to add a touch of personalization to your home while having fun at the same time, why not make your own lamp from scratch? You\’ll find it\’s actually quite easy to do, especially when you use the following tips as your guide.

Tools and Materials You Will Need

Because making a lamp is actually quite simple, you won\’t really need too many tools. Basically, you\’ll require a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, and possibly a drill. You\’ll also need to choose something to use as the base for your lamp, such as a wine bottle, canning jar, or pottery jug. You\’ll also need a lamp kit, which will make things especially easy. You could also purchase the wiring components separately. In this case, you would need a threaded hollow rod of the appropriate height for your base, a socket and cord, an electric plug, and brass sheath. However, if you\’ve never tried making a lamp before, using a kit is probably the best option. You will also need a lamp harp, a lamp shade, and a light bulb. Depending on the base you choose, you may also need some silicone adhesive.

Customizing the Base

Creating the lamp base is probably the most enjoyable part of the lamp making process. If you\’ve chosen a clear container such as a wine bottle or canning jar, you can fill it with decorative materials. Marbles, pebbles, sand art, seashells, dried beans or buttons would all be good choices. Heavier materials will help to add weight to the lamp base, making it more stable. If you\’ve chosen an opaque container, you can fill it with pebbles, sand, lead weights, coins or other heavy materials. If you are using a lamp kit which is designed to simply plug into the base, you can fill it before wiring it. However, if you are using individual components you may need to do the wiring step before filling the base.

Attaching the Lamp Kit

If you are using a lamp kit, follow the instructions carefully in order to make sure you end up with a safe lamp. Basically, the wiring post will have to be assembled. These kits generally include a variety of rubber stoppers, so that you can choose the one that best fits your base. Following the instructions, attach the wiring post to the stopper, making sure that it is securely tightened. Once the light socket component has been properly assembled, you can simply push the stopper securely into the base.

Attaching the Lamp Harp and Shade

To complete your lamp, you can purchase a lamp shade or simply make one of your own, using an old lamp shade frame as the base. Attach a lamp harp designed to fit your lamp shade\’s hardware. Then, screw in a light bulb, attach the shade, and enjoy your new lamp.

Author Bio: Artist, Jessica Ackerman, is a consultant with WallDecorandHomeAccents.com; she demonstrates what a well-trained eye can accomplish with abstract wall clocks and wall decorations.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: lamp shade,lamp base,lamp harp,lamp kit,wiring post,lamp shades,safe lamp