DIY Inspiration: The Coffee Light

Good ideas often pop up simultaneously in different places, thought up separately by different people (think Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace...though hardly anyone remember poor Alfred). We remember seeing Domestic Construction's Coffee Cup Lamp, a pendant style lamp available on Etsy awhile ago. And today over at Nerd Approved we spied a similar idea from Connox...

The 156.00 € ($200) light is made of genuine porcelain, but we don't see any reason you couldn't fashion something similar using some IKEA LACK bookshelves and your own choice of plastic or wood drink ware (making holes in porcelain is no easy feat) with a handy glue gun. Small bulb LED lighting systems meant for shelving and cabinets would probably be the most energy efficient choice and would prevent too much heat buildup, eliminating heating up any the adhesive you'd use to create a similar setup. And you could equally exchange out tea cup with bowls or other shaped "shades".

The only problem with this is we'd always be craving a cup of coffee each time we'd switch the light on. Can we get this in decaf?

[via Nerd Approved]

Comments (13)

Man oh man! You guys are blowing my mind this week.

posted by Cupcakecemetery on February 24th 2009 at 9:34pm
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*warm fuzzies*

posted by EasilyAmused on February 24th 2009 at 10:56pm
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This is a great example of quirky-chic.

posted by aums on February 24th 2009 at 11:11pm
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this is....awesome!!!

posted by miaues on February 24th 2009 at 11:14pm
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Love it!

posted by girlonthem00n on February 25th 2009 at 12:33am
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I made a chandelier with my dad several years ago out of a basic five arm model with the lights coming out of porcelain tea cups and saucers with demitasse spoons hanging from the saucers in lieu of crystals (not so much my style any more - I went through a kind of granny chic stage in grad school), but this is right up my alley. If you have access to a drill press, you can order a diamond hole saw pretty cheaply online and (with a bit of water and slow, steady pressure) drill right through porcelain. (I just love how porcelain glows.) I might have to try this - it's so quirky and clean at the same time.

posted by redheadedblonde on February 25th 2009 at 2:10am
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That's awesome, that's awesome, that's awesome!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I want one. NOW.

posted by Zhahira on February 25th 2009 at 9:36am
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This makes me smile!

posted by suzy8track on February 25th 2009 at 11:13am
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Cute but too country for me.

(I haven't actually done it, but I think drilling porcelain might be easier than you think -- you need the right bit and some liquid in the cup too cool it so it doesn't crack, and maybe some flea market spares to practice on...)

posted by SherryBinNH on February 25th 2009 at 12:23pm
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So clever!

posted by foodiegirl on February 25th 2009 at 12:29pm
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redheadedblonde: I beg you to share that chandelier creation with us!

posted by gregory on February 25th 2009 at 3:59pm
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SWEEEET!

posted by nazrd on February 26th 2009 at 1:29pm
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Help!!
I cannot find plastic cup and saucer.
Where can I get them?

posted by miaues on February 26th 2009 at 6:13pm
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