Crystals add instant elegance to a room.
Crystal lamps are in vogue and very expensive. To create the look of a crystal lamp at a fraction of the cost, design and build your own,. This is easier than you might think and the results can be quite stunning. Look for a lamp base with simple and modern lines. Choose a lampshade that is rectangular in shape. The shade should be plain white in fabric or paper.
Instructions
1. Place a plain modern style lamp on the table. Position a large rectangular lampshade over the lamp. The top of the shade should be a wire frame that spreads out from a center circle or ring where you attach the shade to the lamp.
2. Turn the lampshade upside down over a sheet of paper and trace around the top. Cut inside the line 1/2 inch on all sides. Place the paper over the wire frame. Trim the paper so that it fits easily.
3. Place your square wire mesh. This mesh is sold in most home improvement stores in the fencing section. It is rigid and has to be cut with tin snips. The squares should be 1/2 in. apart and look like a grid. Cut your wire mesh with tin snips to match the pattern on the paper. Position your mesh over the lampshade wire frame. The center mounting hole should be clear. Trim the mesh so it doesn't poke the shade material.
4. Wire the mesh to the wire frame using 20-gauge wire. Wrap the wire around the frame and mesh metal. Twist the wire on itself. Trim the wire and bend the ends downward. Wire in eight to ten places so that the mesh is firmly attached to the shade.
5. Cut a piece of wire 2 inches longer than the height of the lampshade. Thread a crystal pendant onto the wire so that 1/2 inch of one end of the wire is above the top of the pendant. Twist the 1/2 inch end around itself using needle-nose pliers. String the rest of the wire with crystal beads in an arrangement you like. Test fit the crystals by lifting the wire up to the wire mesh on the inside of the lampshade. The bottom of the crystals should dangle below the shade by up to 2 inches.
6. Attach the crystal wire strand to the wire mesh by wrapping the wire up through the mesh, over the mesh wire and back down. Twist the wire on itself and trim. Make crystal wire strands to fill out the inside of the shade. Mount the shade and you have a crystal lamp.
Tags: wire frame, wire mesh, crystal wire, mesh over, mesh wire, paper over