With just one simple instruction, namely “Drill a hole” you can transform the beautiful fairylights available form Cable & Cotton into a totally unique bedside lamp. Now, I can’t take all the credit for todays DIY delight! The idea was sewn all those months ago when Rock My Style First Launched (Serioulsy where have the last 3 months gone?).
Who remembers Laurens trolley styling post? Well for her bar themed trolley Lauren had the genius idea of drilling a hole in a vintage soda syphon and threading fairly lights through with a dazzling effect. I thought the soft glow of fairly lights would create the perfect ambiance for a bedside light and the colour combinations that Cotton & Cable have available means that this idea could fit into any bedroom colour scheme.
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What you Need
- Some Fairy lights from Cotton & Cable
- A power drill
- A 6mm tile cutter drillbit
- A sweetshop style glass jar
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What you Do
- Drill a hole toward the base of the glass jar
- remove the plug from your fairy lights and thread
- Replace plug
- thread fairy lights into the cotton lanterns
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A few helpful hints and safety notes!
I was apprehensive about drilling the glass but actually it was easy. I was imagining shards of glass flying about all over the place but if you use the correct tile/glass drillbit the only mess created from the drilling is a very fine white powder. Despite this when working with glass and drills you should always wear goggles and take appropriate safety measure.
The drilling is very slow going – I advise drilling slowly and don’t apply pressure – let the drill action do the work… You’ll get there eventually. I took about 12 minute to drill through my glass jar. A 6mm drill bit worked well for this application.
You will need to unscrew, remove and rewire the plug in order to thread the light cord through the jar. Cotton & Cable fairly light cables use transparent cable to I suggest marking the end of one cable with a marker pen so that you ensure rewiring without mistake.
I bought my jar from TK MAXX home for about £5.00 brining this project in at under thirty pounds. I had more fairly lights than lanterns (I couldn’t fit all the lanterns into the jar) so I doubled up and put two lights into most lanterns. Seemed to work pretty well… What do you think?
Adam.
Great idea Adam. I’m going to steal it for a nursery night light…how bright is it? I mean could you read with it or is it quite dim? I guess I could turn it down by no doubling up on the fairly lights…
Love this idea Adam! Thanks! Hi Kat – I think it depends on what colours you go for – I have a string (35 lights I think) with pinks, greys & whites that is round a full length mirror & it lights up the whole (small) room with a lovely soft flattering light but I probably wouldn’t want to use only that light to apply my make up in the morning for example. Hope that helps you a bit!! Also Cable & Cotton were really good about changing some of the colours for me (as long as you haven’t put them on the string of lights already!) as I was trying to second guess colours on the internet! The shop in Brighton is lovely but a few too many miles away for me to just pop down…xx
Hi Kat, mine is not too bright but definitely ok to read by… But yes buying less lights to start with would give a more subtle lighting. Let us know how you get on!
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What do I do if I literally want to convert a vintage soda syphon into a lamp (ie. without the fairy lights). Any idea of how to do it? Or, even better, a company who will do it for me. I already have the vintage soda syphon …
Many thanks
Jane