apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I LOVE the turquoise one at top left!!

All of her pieces are amazing not to mention expensive. Slap me.

perhaps she doesn't know that the coral reefs are dying - from a design perspective the coral ones remind me of shaggy dogs- not my thing- but the turquoise ones are nicely done.

Hey, look! Another AT post about items its readers could never, ever, never, ever ever ever afford. Cool!

Well, maybe most of us can't afford a chandelier like this, but it is a great inspriration and makes me wonder if I could attempt my own version. A craigslist find, a little glossy spray paint, some faux gemstones or beads...Has anyone attempted something like this? I am tempted...

What's with all the comments about posts on expensive items? Can't people dream anymore or is that forbidden because of the recession? If you can afford it, great. If not, then don't buy it/ignore the post. If you're savvy enough to be a DIYer, these posts provide inspiration to find something similar for less or make it yourself.
It also helps diversify the posts so not everything is a MCM DIY or IKEA hack. Thanks AT!

Enough with featuring endangered materials (in this case coral) for the sake of home design... it's a real turnoff wherever it's found!

And if you want a DIY version, buy a less expensive chandelier frame, then get someone who has a business license to take you with them to your local "gem & mineral show" (usually held at fairgrounds several times a year). Those with a business license can get into the backroom, where dealers buy, and can make great deals on beads (all shapes, round, flat, oval, carved, etc). For instance turquoise stones, for the chandelier pictured at the top right of this article, would be just $40 to 50. Turquoise beads, for the chandeliers pictured in the photograph, would be between $175 and $250 (I've been thinking about creating a miniature version of that for my own home). It's only basic jewelry skills needed for the assembly (essentially twisting wire with jewelers pliers) though I'd be more inclined to use fishing line since it would visibly recede better than wire.

fishing line will stretch from the weight of the beads- better to use tigerwire- available at jeweler's supply- needs to be crimped but better than using fishing wire.

Horchow has a faux-turquoise chandelier on its website for $1100 I've been considering. I love the dramatic color, and it looks not unlike the fixtures pictured in the salon above.

http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod51560010&parentId=cat000099&masterId=cat1590731&index=27&cmCat=cat000000cat1590731cat000099

Doing a DIY with painted wood beads would save a bundle versus semi-precious stones. Love it!