This $20 Kit Helps You Get In On the Stained Glass Decor Trend — No Art Skills Required

Since moving to New York City, I’ve received many invitations from friends to do various arts and crafts activities. The availability of so many different classes is part of what makes living here so great. That said, as someone who is not skilled in the art department, I don’t particularly want to make pottery or sketch human figures or take a watercolor painting class. More often than not, my results are less than impressive.

But even as an unskilled artist, I’m intrigued by Uncommon Goods’ DIY crafting kits. One that recently caught my eye was the Make Your Own Decorative Tile Lamp kit, which retails for only $20. It comes with everything you need to make a mosaic lamp, and it doesn’t look like you need to be a pro to achieve a beautiful outcome. In fact, the results look like something I’d be proud to display front and center on my bookshelf.

The DIY kit comes with four plastic frames that will be the sides of your rectangular lamp. They rest on a square base, which doubles as the light source. You get a cable and charging block, although the product page does not specify if this is a plug-in or rechargeable lamp. Based on how those items look, however, I would guess the latter.

In addition to the foundational lamp parts, the kit comes with 60 glass tiles of varying sizes, which you paint with the six included paint colors. For the most whimsical results, you’re encouraged to mix the colors to achieve a stained glass effect. To help you paint, this bundle includes two small brushes that look like doe foot applicators, as well as a cup to clean them between tiles.

The thing I love most about this kit is that it includes the tag “no crafting experience required.” In other words, both skilled artists and amateurs like me can have fun customizing their mosaic tile lamp — you can rest assured that the final result will look beautiful no matter what. Because the process merely entails mixing colors and applying them to the tiles, this activity actually seems pretty fun and relaxing. You’ll never have to worry about whether you’ve made a mistake or done irreversible damage to your project.

I also think it’s cool that when you’re done, you not only have a pretty piece of art to show off, but you also have a functional lamp you can place just about anywhere for multicolored ambient lighting. The lamp measures 11 inches tall, so it’s the size of a standard portable lamp, meaning it won’t take up a ton of space on your desk or bedside table. If you ask me, it kind of looks like a modern version of a Tiffany lamp.

At $20, the kit is a steal. If you enjoy arts and crafts, you could pick up a few of them to make lamps with friends as a fun weekend activity. No matter what, you’ll end up with a trendy piece of functional decor you’ll be able to proudly point to and say, “I made that.”

Buy: Make Your Own Decorative Tile Lamp Kit, $20