Light boxes are eye catching and can also add a unique ambient light to a room. They are also relatively easy to make even with the most basic carpentry or craft skills.
The first image is from one of our most recent house tours (Sue and Jared's Artist's Loft in Brooklyn) and features a large photo of Marilyn Monroe. The last two images are boxes I made when I created displays for Anthropologie. I apologize for the crummy photos but wanted to include them to show ideas for creating light boxes without using photographs. Textured fabric, paper cut outs, leaves, etc…the possibilities are endless.
Images: 1 Sue Kessler, 2 the Lexington W Hotel via If It's Hip It's Here, 3 Hiro Mitsuji, 4 & 5 Sparrow King
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These are so cool! I would love a how-to...
I've seen this used a lot in department stores. I never would have thought to use this idea in my home.
The image of the light box above the bed is fantastic! Could you please explain how to make it- I want to do it so badly!
it's been awhile since I built one so I searched the net for a better-than-I-could-write set of instructions.
Try this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Wall-Mounted-Light-Box/
I have two lightboxes, both purchased from a commercial salvage business (where they recycle the furniture and fittings from shops and businesses).
One of them is a big illuminated "pay here" sign, which I've left as is.
The second was an advertisement for shoes. All I had to do to change it was unscrew the front, pull out the ad, and replace it with a blown up photograph. Standard photographic paper is thin enough to let light through and create a backlit artwork. The print will fade within a few years because of the strong light exposure, so don't use anything that you can't get reprinted.
I love my lightboxes and wouldn't trade them for the world.
Where's the "pay here" sign... your bedroom? I KID.
Many movie posters designed for lobby display, and most outdoor/bus shelter ads are produced to be displayed this way, btw.
And actual lightbox images are produced on a heavy mylar that I think does not fade.
Patrick (the other one): How about "Open 24 Hours"? or a "Now Serving #__"?
not generally a fan of these but #2 is VERY cool, looks like windows to a weird landscape...great for a condo without a lot of views or light
Two tips if you're having one of your own images printed for a lightbox:
1. Ask the shop to print one stop darker than it's proper exposer. If it's printed without the consideration that it's going to be backlit, it will be washed out. "Stopping down" will ensure a good saturation of colors.
2. Make sure it's not done on paper that has the brand name printed all over the back of it!