apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Home to Go's DIY version was a little bit chintzy-looking, but I appreciated the effort and ingenuity. The Heal's UK version is cool, but lacks the high-impact razzle-dazzle of the original. I've seen the original both in showrooms and in practical installations (mostly hotels, bars and hotel bars). It's really a show-stopper. I think in this case, I'd opt to save my pennies for the original.

My friend in Germany has this same light fixture, it's beautiful in person. I've seen them for under $400 in the states (knock offs), I just wish I could recall where...

Holly

great!!! i've seen it in a appartment in Paris and i was wonder where they could have find such a great lamp.....now i know, thank you :-)!

We have these in the store that I run....they were purchased 2 years ago somewhere in Soho, but the showroom has since closed. The are made by DOM...probably the ones your Holly's friend has.

www.dom.dk.com

is the website from the box....but I don't think you can see the actual fixtures on it

I must confess, the Cellula was our big splurg. We just installed one in our new dining room.

Try Bo Concept

As someone who recently purchased a Cellula, I can tell you, they are practically a DIY prject unto themselves, out of the box. There is a lot of assembly. In fact, pretty well every single part including each string of crystal has to be assembled by hand by the buyer (or contractor) after purchasing. Not a single thing is pre assemble when it arrives in the box. But I digress.

As for doing a real DIY project, you could certainly make one. Here's how I would suggest going about it.

You would need two main things to pull it off well-
1.) Access to a lathe, or someone to make a lathed cylinder
2.) Some great crystal

The few other things you would need, electrical wire, twisted hanging wire, fishing line, and what-not could easily be bought at a hardware store for less than $15. Another few bucks at the hardware store for each of the light bulb holding fixtures.

Here is a Google search for "lathe custom metal work":
http://www.google.com/search?q=lathe+custom+metal+work&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=

Using a lathe, or hiring someone to use a lathe, or find a highschool kid who takes metalshop (my highschool had three incredible lathes in their metal shop that could have easily done this job). Bore a hole for wiring through the center of a 1.5 inch aluminum rod of about 3 feet in length. Then machine the outer surface smooth and even, showing the cool machine spun look. Then lathe cut grooves about 1.5 inches apart down the whole length of the rod. Drill 9 quarter inch holes down one side (only drilling through to the hollow core), an equal distance apart, leaving about 4 or 5 inches on either end. The 5th or middle hole should be drilled all the way through. This will give 9 centered holes down one side (for the light fixtures to attach), and one centered hole on the other side (for the wiring to come in). Run all the wiring to the individual lights through the hollow core.

Drill two pin holes in about an inch on either side. These will be for attaching the twisted metal wire that it hangs from. You can pick up that wire at any hardware store for $5 or less. I'm sure they will have some kit to hang things using the wire as well, so buy two of those for each end of the fixture to suspend with.

Crystal-
Here is a lot of 20 pieces of cut crystal on eBay with a starting bid of a Penny:
http://cgi.ebay.com/20-suncatcher-LOT-sale-CHANDELIER-crystal-prism-clear_W0QQitemZ6288428635QQihZ010QQcategoryZ13866QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Find a few more like this to get some variety of cuts. Then, do exactly what they do on the real Cellula- string them together on either end of a thin piece of fishing wire. The strands have to be symetrical so they balance: Start at one end of the fishing line and attach your pattern crystal A, crystal B, crystal C, and the same on the opposite end. Leave about 6 or 8 inches of line in between. Then, on every one of the grooves that you lathed into the cylinder, wrap your fishing line around one loop in the groove, letting the crystals balance each other hanging over each side.

There you have a DIY Cellula.

I have seen a few knock-offs, this one at Lamps Plus for $899 isn't bad.
>D<

Oh, that's strange. In the past, I always thought AT made links in posts clickable. Not so here.

Chris, I had to use a bit of code to make my link clickable...

Debbie Travis did one on maybe the first season of Facelift! I'm positive cuz I loved it and my mom hated it.

also at DWR - $2490

I am OBSESSED with the Cellula but I need the sconce version which I don't think is as nice - and the price causes me deep hesitation :-(. Has anyone purchased from AmbienteDirect.com btw? They offer the same 9-bulb Cellula that is shown above for around $1500, which is a pretty great savings.

I just saw an exact copy of the cellua at Nuovo Melodrom on Green Street in soho. It was an ok copy selling for $690, however the crystals were made of glass instead of crystal. I've purchased from Nuovo before, not the best service or acurate delivery times-so beware! And as for purchasing from Ambiente, I purchased my luceplan titania hanging lamp from them a couple of years ago for around $225 delivered from Germany. I was given some misinformation from them regarding the voltage. They said it would work in the United States, however I had to have it rewired to U.S. specs.

Devyn, that's the one I've seen, and I like it a lot. I'd love to have it set up under a skylight for the sun prism effect.

Best prices on crystals is here (in Crystal parts and trimmings):
http://www.greatchandeliers.com/

You'd want to be sure to select the Swarovski or Austrian or LEAD crystal items. You want CUT LEADED CRYSTAL, not pressed/molded glass for high sparkle.

You can even see the difference in the online photos. If they look flat, they will be. Because all chandelier "crystals" (the name of an item) are not cut, leaded crystal (a type of an item within the crystals category).

Scroll down to see Austrian style or Swarovski, and you can see them glittering in the light in the picture. The Matrix and the Sun Disk being the best examples on that page. And flatter crystals give better rainbows than the ball styles.

But as soon as you start adding up the prices, even good prices, you'll soon see just how expensive it can be.

I think if I ever saw one of those lamps in person in the sunlight, wherever it would be, the people there would ask me to leave. There'd be a big puddle of drool at my feet, from just staring at it and losing track of everything else in the world.

OR, instead of copying the Cellula, you could put your so called "creative side" to use, and come up with something completely different and original. Wha a concept! But, if you feel the need to copy, and be one of those "oh, I can make that"...then by all means go right ahead.

I am so thrilled to have stumbled upon this site! I Googled "Debbie Travis metal crystal chandelier" and I found this discussion. I am obsessed with the light that Debbie created in the dining room in the "Andre's Main Floor" episode. I have to have one! You wonderful people introduced me to the world of Cellula. The lighting is absolutely stunning, and it appears that this is the look Debbie Travis was attempting, when she created Andre's dining room light.

Thanks especially to Chris (NYC). You provided excellent and very helpful instructions! I am going to try to make this, with the help of a local high-school student who takes a metal shop class. Right now, I'm looking at ordering crystal. I think I'm going for Strass crystals. I'm re-decorating our dining room. This light should be really fun over a black dining room table. I'll post pictures when the project is complete!

I also wanted to post another link to some really spectacular lighting. I think you could create these lights fairly easily as well. If you like Cellula, you'll love the Geometrix line from Schonbek. I thought about trying to create these, but I think creating the Cellula would be easier. Here's the link: http://www.schonbek.com/geometrix/index.html

Great discussion--and thanks so much for all of the info and insight!

Angela

http://www.lightinguniverse.com/products/view.aspx?sku=1374785
Here you get one for $583.00
You can choose from swarovsky to regal hand-cut (the cheapest version).
And, shipping in the US is free.

First saw this light in magazine a year ago or so and fixated but deterred by price. Happened to walk into little shop in small town of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, and picked up knockoff version for $400 plus tax. It's slightly smaller...still in box but guessing from floor model that it's about just under 4 feet long and not quite as many lights - and crystals are actually glass. Might not please everyone as it's not the original but what the heck - floor model looked great and super sparkle We're converting a barn to house and it's a funky/impact piece over the island in kitchen - for a great price.

As a cheaper alternative, and for a different look, you could mix in some coloured glass beads from the craft stores. I used a chain of peridot glass crystals to enhance a chandelier. Not as brilliant as strass crystals of course but much cheaper and in some instances might do the job. Just an idea.

Hello,

You should check out www.gallery84.com. They have a great selection of chandeliers and lamps. Also, another site is greatchandeliers.com

what do you guys think of this..... http://www.motifmod.com/Versailles-Chandelier?sc=2&category=49

i love the cellula chandelier but definatly can not afford one... and i'm not crafty enough to build one... so do you think this is a good alternative?

check this out.... http://www.motifmod.com/Versailles-Chandelier?sc=2&category=49

what do you think of this cheaper alternative? I adore the cellula chandelier and can't afford the original and i'm not crafty enough to make one... so i was wondering if anyone has any insight on this copy. thanks

go on, buy the original Cellula - it's just wonderful...

chek this out:

http://www.design-eu.com/item.php?id=65