DIY CLOUD LIKE LIGHT

DIY CLOUD LIKE LIGHT
This week I will be breaking down the dorm room designs so you can implement our easy but awesome ideas for yourself.
First up- the “cloud-like” light. This idea first made an appearance in my guest bedroom. Over the past year tons of people have asked me how to do it. Well, I finally decided to let go of my secret- coffee filters!!!

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You start with a simple paper lantern. . .
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Gather a coffee filter together, add some hot glue to the bottom, and stick it on the lantern. Keep doing this until your light is completely covered. And you end up with this!
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The final look gives off this heavenly glow and the price is to die for-
$6 paper lantern
$10 light cord
$1 coffee filters
TOTAL- $17
The best part is that this “fixture” is so light you can hang it from the ceiling with an adhesive hook- no holes in your walls or wiring required. Perfect for the dorm room diva or a renter looking to enhance their place!
This is not the first time I have used coffee filters to creatively and cheaply spruce up my space. I also created some art work a while back.
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I think the possibilities are probably endless with these little guys. Have any of you worked some decorating magic with coffee filters for yourself?

This article has 35 comments

  1. Anonymous

    i LOVE LOVE this light, i’ve been looking for some small lanterns to hang in our master over our bedside tables…these would be perfect. girl i bet you could do some damage at the dollar store

  2. PCotney

    Where exactly do you find these paper lanterns. I mean can you find them in Hobby Lobby or what? I don’t find them in Wal-Mart or Target.

  3. Amanda @ Out of Square

    I am absolutely in love with this idea! I can’t wait to try it in our master bedroom. It would also be really fun in multiples in a nursery using different size lanterns. Brilliant as usual!

  4. Kara Paslay

    Hey Ms. Paige-I found my paper lantern at Pier 1, but I know they are also available at IKEA. 🙂

    Jen- I think it would totally work with feathers- and I bet it would be BEAUTIFUL!!!! Please let me know if you try it!!!

  5. Anonymous

    I LOVE this light!! Just finished it for my bedroom in an apartment that has no overhead lighting….I had been looking everywhere for just the right hanging pendant lamp and this was it!!

  6. Tant Ninette

    Thanks for the inspiration! I made a similar one for our living room, not from coffee filters but from parchment paper cutouts. It took forever, but it was definitely worth it!

  7. Kara Paslay

    Hey there Tant,
    So glad you were able to take this idea and apply it to something for your own home! Thanks for reading and taking the time to let me know that I inspired you to take on a project!

  8. Cassie {Hi Sugarplum!}

    Gorgeous — I’ve been drooling over yours and Parlour’s lights for ages…I’m finally going to give it a whirl. I’m hoping to mount it over the bulb on my daughter’s ceiling fan (fan has to stay, hoping to disguise it!!)

    Thanks for the amazing idea!

  9. Anonymous

    this is such a great idea!

    i’m going to start one tonight, i hope they turn out as nicely as yours did!

  10. Reen

    So awesome! I have the filters and the paper lantern! Thank you so much for the inspiration! Please visit me anytime at twogingerprinces.blogspot.com

  11. Kara Paslay

    No, I don’t think you have to worry about that Hannah. If you think about it, paper lanterns don’t burn up, so I’m pretty sure it’s A OK! 🙂 Plus, ours has had no problems. 🙂

  12. Lauren

    Hi Kara! I love the light and I am actually trying to create your “industrial chic – GLAMOUROUS!” headboard as well (from the first picture). I’m assuming the corrugated tin roofing can be obtained at a Home Depot or Lowes (or at least I am hoping). How did you go about cutting the shape into it? I am IN LOVE with this design and hope it won’t be too hard to accomplish!

    Thank you!!! 😀

  13. Lojo

    What a great idea and cool design! The room itself is so great! For the silver “roofing” headboard in the first picture, what did you use to cut the shape? Was is really difficult? Thank you Kara for your beautiful designs!

  14. Kara Paslay

    Hey Ladies,

    Sorry it has taken me a bit longer than normal to respond, I changed some settings on my comments and am just now finding these.

    Lauren – We did get our corrugated tin roofing from Home Depot and would bet Lowe’s has it.

    Lauren and Lojo – We just used a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade on it. It wasn’t too difficult. Just be careful and take your time. It helped having a second person to manage the cord and help support the headboard while cutting. You might practice cutting on a section that will be cut off later. You might could also use a grinder with a metal cutting blade, but it will shoot sparks pretty far and I don’t know how familiar you are with those. I have faith that you all can do it. Send me some pics if you do!

  15. The Cuban In My Coffee

    Hi Kara, I just found your blog upon trying to figure out who to credit the coffee filter light to. I love how your guest room turned out. I am using the light in my daughters room. We are still in the remodel of our house but please come and take a look at my light and be sure to come back soon for the completed look. We move in 2 weeks. Thank you for the inspiration, I definitely plan to come back see you!

  16. Debra

    This light fixture is gorgeous I saw one done on HGTV and wondered just exactly how they did it. I’m going to try this thank you.

  17. Anonymous

    I just redid my daughters room and it is shabby chic beach cottage themed! I have a light pale barely there yellow sun painted on the ceiling and am so torn on what light fixture to put up and ran across your site. I am thinking either mason jar or the cloud light but had a question: I want it wired and hanging from the ceiling- what did you put in the cloud one? what is the light inside? And suggestions on which light to do? hmmmm….

  18. Lou

    Hey Kara!

    I am a huge fan of your blog and diy ideas. I have just completed my coffee filter lantern and I absolutely love it! I was just wondering how did you hang yours? I can’t seen to figure it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks!

  19. Tim Paslay

    Hey Lou,

    It really depends on the paper lantern that you use. The one we used had a metal bracket that clipped on to the corded light socket we used. If yours doesn’t have something similar, I use fishing line a lot to get me out of binds. Sorry it took me so long to find your question. Thanks for the kind words!

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