Make a Floor Lamp From Salad Bowl

Leticia Saunders
by Leticia Saunders
15 Materials
$30
1 Hour
Medium

Chic furnishings that not everyone has in the apartment make a home look more elegant. You don’t have to save yourself the cost of a limited piece from the well-known designer, but can build an extraordinary object like this lamp yourself.


The special feature: the lampshade is made of metal, the base of hardwood – a mix of materials that combines natural beauty with modern design and lets the living room shine in the most beautiful light. It becomes an upcycling project when you can use your old salad bowl and a piece of scrap wood, for example.


Drill holes for cable, socket and assembly


Drill an opening for the lamp cable in the middle of the bowl with the 8 mm metal drill.


Tip: Place a piece of wood under the bowl when drilling so that the drill hole does not fray.


Now hold the lamp holder centrally on the bottom of the bowl. Mark the required drill holes (e.g. with a nail) and drill them with the 4 mm metal drill.


Use the 6 mm metal drill bit to drill in the edge of the bowl where it will later be attached to the base. With this you determine the angle at which the light opening is mounted – so it’s best to try a few positions.


Sanding and glazing


The solid wooden base, on which the bowl is to be positioned as a lampshade, is best sawn to size at the hardware store. Depending on the wood and the desired style, sand the block thoroughly and then apply wood glaze and let it dry.


Paint the bowl


Sand the metal bowl a little inside and out. The surfaces should be clean and dry before the paint is sprayed on. Generously cover the area. Then start with the golden inside. If the color is not opaque enough, paint it a second time.


Once the paint has dried on the inside, spray the outside with black paint. To make sure that no black paint gets inside, it is best to place the bowl upside down on the floor.


Fasten the socket and cable


As soon as everything is dry, thread the textile cable through the middle of the bowl and mount the lamp holder: Place this over the pre-drilled holes and insert threaded screws through the holes. Secure this from the outside with nuts.


Attention: The power cable should already have a switch and a plug and be connected to the socket. If you buy everything in pieces, an electrician should do the assembly or at least check everything afterwards before you put the light into operation.


Final assembly


Now screw the screen and base together. Hardwood is usually hard, so pre-drill the hole in the wood. Finally screw in the light bulb and connect the plug. Now you should see the light!

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Leticia Saunders
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 4 questions
  • Mary Dodge Mary Dodge on Nov 14, 2020

    Would have been nice to have a photo taken in the dark. Does light shine through the holes? A colander might have been cool to use.

  • Sylvia Picone Sylvia Picone on Nov 15, 2020

    Does the metal bowl get hot from the light? That could be a safety issue, unless you use a very low wattage bulb which won't provide much light but will offer ambiance.

  • JkcMaine JkcMaine on Nov 06, 2022

    Where is the photo of your finished piece?

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  • Pennski22 Pennski22 on Jun 27, 2022

    YES, having an outdoor party and need good lighting in a certain area. I think this will do it.

    TY SO MUCH!


  • Iammacha Iammacha on Nov 06, 2022

    Nice idea. I think I would make a cord channel, with a pop out ‘cover’ piece, down the side with a notch on bottom for the cord. Otherwise it’s pretty great

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