Lots of people get inspired by the photos they spot on blogs and in magazines, but not everyone actually follows through. Take the story of this project as a push to get up and get it done. Creating this DIY chandelier from scratch took a little money and a whole lot of planning, lumbering and wiring, but the homeowners ended up with a piece that is completely original and insanely gorgeous.
Amanda and Corey wanted to re-create the look of a cluster chandelier they first spotted on Design*Sponge, and we think they nailed it. Hanging down above their dining room table, this cluster of bare bulbs looks rustic and industrial all at once.
But their effortlessly random chandelier was anything but. Mapping out a layout for 80 light bulbs, all hanging at different lengths, some wired and others not, was a puzzle of epic proportions. But after some trial and error, they placed 72 "dummy" bulbs and 8 working ones into the happenstance array that gives the piece its rustic vibe. The wires and strings hang in five different lengths, varying from 2 to 3 feet.
Interesting in making one of your own? Check out a super-detailed recap of the project and How To at Love and Renovations. The whole project took a lot of time and planning, but came in at around $250.
(Images: Love and Renovations)
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Wow, it's beautiful.
This is a very good creation. Very well done.
I've also seen this done using clear glass Christmas ornaments instead of using all light bulbs. Maybe a little cheaper?
Glass ornament bulbs would be cheaper than all light bulbs, BUT you wouldn't have the illusion of having 80 working light bulbs.
No pun intended, but brilliant!!!
Wow!
Gorgeous!!
I don't get the appeal of having it look like 90% of the bulbs are burned out. "Too bright" can be remedied by lowering the light output of each bulb, so there must be another reason. Please explain.
I can see why they didn't have all the bulbs "hot": the hot bulbs would light up the unlit bulbs, creating depth in the sculpture. There would be spot of brilliance interwoven with the bright filaments. Two things I wonder about: cleaning without breaking and strong breezes?
I'm not quite sure about how it looks when it's lit up. I think it needs more light... but hey, at least they'll have a lifetime supply of replacement bulbs handy! I totally dig that part of it.
It definitely doesn't look like the bulbs are burned out in person. All of the light from the lit-up bulbs bounce off the un-lit bulbs and it creates a really nice effect. In the end, it was really just a matter of preference - we didn't want the dining room to be super bright, so we went with just lighting some random bulbs. It would be easy to adjust that and light up more if that's more your style!
Cleaning is actually way easier than I thought it would be! I just use a damp paper towel and wipe off the bulbs - it takes maybe 10 minutes total? I want to try doing it with a feather duster but haven't gotten around to it yet - I think that may make it even simpler.
As far as the breezes, we haven't had any issues. We keep our windows open often (and there are a lot of windows in the room!) and even on very breezy days, the bulbs may bump into one another a bit, but never enough to break.
Hah, yes that is definitely nice! The photos don't really capture how it actually looks when it's lit up - in the photos the light looks much more concentrated, but in person it's a much different effect, almost like the whole thing is glowing.
amazing. Way to daunting for me.
amazing. Way to daunting for me.