Alright, well in case you are wondering why there wasn’t a post yesterday, it’s because it was my(Tim’s) turn and I was a bit behind. I am going to make up for it and do another post tomorrow, piggybacking today’s.
I may procrastinate, but I do not plagiarize. I am not showcasing the same house Kara featured last week. I am going to show you how to make your own version of the simple pendant lights they have above the table.
Here is everything we will need.
Those are wire strippers, a phillips screwdriver, and my light socket in the plastic bag.
You can pick whatever type of sockets suits you best.
If you want to be able to turn the light on and off at the light I would recommend the lamp socket, but I chose the white ceramic socket, because I like the look.
As you saw, I picked a nice bright green extension cord, because it was cheap, but there are plenty of colors to choose from. Kara has spray painted cords in the past with some success, but I prefer not too.
You will most likely end up with a lot more cord than you need for one light, so go ahead and make a few more. You will need to buy a few extra plugs, but they are cake to wire. If you only have need for one pendant, I will show you another option for your excess cord.
3,2,1, Go.
Measure out how much you want. The version I am making needs to be plugged into a receptacle so figure out how much cord you are going to need to reach and be sure to account for an appropriate amount to slack. You might give it a test run with some twine.
Use your wire strippers to make your cut and remove the outer rubber insulation.
Then you will need to remove the individual wire insulation and make a clock wise curl.
Loop your curls around the appropriate screw (Black goes to the “gold” screw, White goes to the “silver” screw). Double check that your wire is wrapped so the curl goes the same direction as your tightening motion on the screw.
All that is left is closing up the socket. For this ceramic variety there are two screws that need to be lined up then tightened from the inside.
Not too impressive by itself, but in the right space I think it looks pretty good.
If Kara had been hanging it she would have made the curls look perfect and probably hung it at just the right height, but I get tired of doing the adjust, step back and stare routine.
The other reason I didn’t waste a ton of time trying to make it perfect is because this is what I really wanted to do! (But I didn’t want to put a bunch of holes in my wall since this won’t be this lights forever home.)
This picture is from the portfolio Mike Moeller from Design Star Season 5. He ended incorporating this idea into the outdoor space they did during a challenge.
Time!
So what do you think? I know it isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are on the fence put off your final judgement until tomorrow. I going to be back with a few ways to hopefully help you make it your own.
I like it! I’m thankful for your tutorials that make the project so much more simple. I actually think I will be able to handle this one and could use some extra light over a boys desk in his room… voila! Thanks Tim!
I have had the desire and need to make a couple of hanging lights. Your tutorial has convinced me to go for it! Thanks! I’m definitely illuminated!
I think it looks great! I didn’t even know you could turn an extension cord into a light! Question… is the bare bulb overly bright? I’ve been seeing a lot of fixtures like that lately, and I just wonder if they make you squint and look away. Also… you need your own signature graphic for the end of your posts. 🙂 I think you can add an author to the account, and then it will say “posted by Tim Paslay” at the bottom. Just a thought… 🙂
OK these will be perfect for the industrial look I’m going for in the basement… Do you have an approximate cost per fixture?
Amanda, I would love to see what your basement ends up looking like. Please send us some pictures.
The cost per fixture can vary greatly depending on how many, which extension cord and bulbs you end up using. I was able to get 100ft cord for about $15 dollars and my socket was $3. If you need some more plugs to make multiple lights they are a $2-3 also. So depending how much cord you use you could end up pretty cheap The heavy duty cords are more expensive, but unnecessary unless you just want a specific color.
thanks for posting this! i love the bright cord and your clear instructions and pictures are perfect for someone like me who is intimidated by electrical projects! thank you!
thanks for posting this! your clear pictures and instructions are perfect for someone like me who is intimidated by electrical projects. thank you!
Hey Happytape! I’m so glad you found this helpful! Stay tuned for more helpful projects!