Homemade Lighting

Some people want more than the standard lighting choices available at their local department store, but cannot afford the more stylish fixtures of an upscale salon or decorator's supply store. But creativity is free; you can turn almost anything into a light, and it does not have to cost you a fortune to get the look you want. The type of lighting you choose for your home says a lot about it -- and you. Make a statement of which you can be proud. Does this Spark an idea?

Table Lamps

Table lamps are one type of lighting every home has -- and that every homeowner can personalize. A lamp is little more than a socket with a switch, a cord with a plug, and a way to mount the socket; you provide the body of the lamp. You can buy these lamp components separately or buy inexpensive kits that include everything except the lamp body.

Choosing a lamp body is where the fun begins. Use vases, bottles, wicker forms, wooden carvings, ceramic statues, pipe fittings; the possibilities truly are endless. Woodworkers may choose to build more elaborate projects that incorporate the lamp as a bonus, integrating it onto a end table or the headboard of a bed.

The true value of building your own lamps is how inexpensively you can create something unique to your home. If you have seen it in a movie, at a museum, or even just in your imagination, you can probably design something similar that is yours and yours alone.

Mood Lighting

The purpose of mood lighting is not to create "practical" lighting, but rather an atmosphere that encourages a certain feeling. Usually, that feeling is one of relaxation and calm, of a place apart, a sanctuary where tired souls can unwind after a hard day.

Mood lighting generally uses low-wattage or low-voltage bulbs, and often directs the light away from the user. The reason? Sometimes we want to spotlight certain items, making them stand out and take a more prominent role in the area. At other times we merely wish to provide an ambient glow, a gentle indirect light that is easy on the eyes. We can use strip lighting (linear lights that can often be bent around corners or objects), track lighting (individual lights that can be moved along a track), and low-wattage bulbs with reflectors to achieve these effects.

Mood lighting emphasizes important objects while de-emphasizing the less important, eliminating mental clutter and creating a sense of unity within the room.

Children's Lighting

Rather than a nightlight, why not give your child a complete night sky? Christmas tree lights inserted through a thin panel of dark pegboard can make constellations -- and you can change them with the seasons.

You can also turn old toys into lamps, or build your own. Many books are available that tell how to build wooden toys; you can simplify these plans, as the toy does not need to work to serve as a lamp.

A child's room is one place where lighting should be playful. Homemade lighting is a cost-effective way to make it so.