Monday 18 July 2016

Letting the Light in


Welcome to the second Blog at My Little Island.  This months Blog focuses on lighting up our homes using stunning lights and shades from some talented Upcyclers.

When it comes to “My space” the furnishings and fabrics we choose reflect our personalities and values.
For instance, if you walk into a Goths bedroom you will see darker colours mixed with rich bright reds or purples and heavier fabrics like velvet mixed with silky satins.  Now compare this to a Hippies bedroom where you will be met with very bright vivid colours (and lots of them!) mixed with dozens of cushions in all shapes and sizes and mismatched throws and shawls of more natural materials like wool or cotton.

These may be two extreme examples but you can instantly get a feel for who this room belongs to and it’s a statement that extends to all aspects of the room including the lighting we choose.

Like art, lighting can be subjective.  Do you go for soft and romantic, hidden strip lighting for that subtle modern glamour or maybe even a black light or two?

This has given rise to essentially re-inventing the light bulb and the lamps and shades that go with it and crafters and upcyclers everywhere are doing just that...



The Modern
Tripods are in right now and three legged lamps are popping up everywhere (No pun intended!). Take these two examples:
Firstly the upcycled box camera lamp by @pippaselby that wouldn’t look out of place in a Miami penthouse.  It’s an absolute success.  A source of soft mood lighting with a classy finish.  It’s quirky, it’s fun, it’s on trend and I adore it.



Going from the small to the tall, if you’d prefer something full size, then the upcycled Jerry Can lamp by @SmithersofStamf is the perfect feature lamp for your room.  With three spotlights and a tripod rig they built themselves it’s got statement piece written all over it. 

So apparently these days’ three legs are better than one and I think they cut a rather stylish figure too.



The Retro.
There’s been an upsurge in all things retro and the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s are back with a bang!
From Rock and Roll and UFO sightings to Woodstock and Glam Rock, the three decades saw the good the bad and the ugly of changing fashions and design inspiration.  Whichever decade you choose to channel in your space, for all of us, there’s a certain nostalgia associated with items that remind us of these times.













I saw a UFO...
If you’ve got a budding little astronaut at home then @_WillStrange uses glass jars and surplus wood to create really cute UFO lights.  The brightly coloured beads and bobble feet help give a 50’s feel to these clever lamps.  Ideal for a nightlight with a difference or a quirky lamp for the “Mulder” in your life.




The Atomic Age
@gosh_absolutely have created a very cute Atomic lamp that for me, brings back memories of watching space age cartoons like The Jetsons.  The retro Michael Millar fabric used on the shade really does compliment the design thanks to the little astronaut and all his gizmos and gadgets.  They used another Millar fabric to update the shade on the vintage wooden lamp base too which I think really makes it pop.





Shades of glory
As the crowning glory of any lamp, the shade is what draws the eye of your visitors and having the right shade is a small yet simple and effective way of tying your room together.  Many designers and crafters are making their own shades and results are fab!

If you want a stand out shade then @PaintedPearl uses pretty pastel geometric patterns to create gorgeous shades that will make your lamps and ceiling lights a talking point.  They come in different sizes and will brighten up any room.








The Bold
If you are looking for something more daring then look no further than @ONETWENTYWATTS they are a bit more risqué and darker but the collection of shades will certainly give you variety from dark fairy tales to fun mixed media.  Sassy, creepy and fun all rolled into one.   








That looks like fun...
If you are feeling creative and fancy trying your hand at your own shady creations there are create your own lamp shade kits available in different sizes from Ebay, Itsy and Amazon and video tutorials available on You Tube.





Remember!  Don’t try rewiring lamps and stands without proper training. 
Be electric safe.

For more from these creators check out their Twitter accounts from the links above.

You can also check out #UpcycledHour on Twitter every Tuesday at 8pm where many talented upcyclers will feed your creativity.

Have an awesome day folks!  :)

MLI x