Antique Exit Sign Lamp

Materials: Alang Lamp, Dioder 4 Piece Light Strip

Description: I found an old Exit sign at a vintage shop and it was only $20 or you can buy them online.

Exit signs come with a hole drilled in the top for ceiling attachment.

I took the base of the lamp, unscrewed the plastic washer and placed the exit sign on it. Screw the washer back in to hold it in its place.

I then put 2 Dioder LEDs inside giving a normal sign we see every day a new take.

~ Zach Berry, Chicago

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Ikea Lamps Into Art: Mosaic Lamps

Materials: Althorn Table lamps, glass, silicone, grout, spray paint

Description: Spray painted bases black, and drew design on glass globes. Mosaic-ed the designs with stained glass in various colors. Grouted mosaic, and put on tables!

Original design was mimicked from a mosaic panel I made also. (Pictured with lamps)

See more of the mosaic lamps.

~ HRSGriffin

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Alang Lampshade Swaparoo

Materials: Alang Table and Wall Lamps

Description: Once you get the parts, this hack takes about 30 seconds. And you'll need 1 reducing washer per lamp.

Essentially, I liked the Alang wall lamp but wanted the gray shade from the table lamp instead of the smaller white shade that is the only one available on the wall lamp. The issue is that the shades mount differently on each lamp and will wobble if you don't secure them

1) Assemble both lamps as you normally except for the bulb.



2) Use a reducing washer found in the electrical section of your home renovation center. I went to Home Depot.

3) On the wall lamp, put the shade on the metal bracket.

4) Use the reducing washer between the shade metal ring and the standard plastic ring that came with the lamp. Replace bulb.

5) You can also use the smaller white wall lamp shade on the table lamp.

6) Just assemble the lamp without the shade, then rest the wall lampshade on the top of the socket for the bulb.

7) Use the same reducing washer and place it between the bulb and the socket. Screwing in the bulb will hold the shade in place. I used Ikea bulbs and they worked fine.

~ Steve, Charlotte NC

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New LOOK for LOCK

Materials: LOCK ceiling lamp, napkins, PVA glue, brush

Description: To add an creative touch to a simple LOCK lamp you can use simple napkins with the design you like.

1. Release the LOCK glass from the mount
2. Detach the top layer of the napkin (the lower layers without print are not needed)
3. Apply glue sparingly to the glass and use the brush to gently press the napkin motive to the glass
4. Use more glue to seal the napkin to the glass. To avoid cracks and creases, always work from the inside out.

~ Svenja, Germany

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House fitted Lamp with floating TORKA Sticks

The hovering Lamp in romantic mode 

Materials: TORKA Dekorationstrab, LEDSJÖ Wandleuchte, LENDA Meterware

Description: House fitted Lamp with floating TORKA Sticks

My First IKEA Hack ... without knowing it

We moved into our house a year ago and I would have expected to find a decent, fitting lamp by then. But it seemed impossible. We could not find a lamp that you'd have remotely fitting the location and be functional and beautiful and inspiring to look at.

So I made a sketch and surprisingly found all the accessories needed at IKEA - except for the wooden frame and some extra add-ons:

- TORKA Deko Stick, 4 pcs
- LEDSJÖ Light, 1 pc
- LENDA Meterware approx. 5 m

Extras-add-ons:
* 60W Halogen Flood Light for the unromantic occasions you want pure white light to insert the string in the needle.
* A Remote with 433 Mhz switch to dim the Halogen power
* A cable to attach to the roof, activate the romantic LED only mode.
* a strong fish rope to have the (3 m) hovering effect of the lap
* a thin fish rope (1,5 m) to attach the TORKA Sticks.
* Aluminum paper from the Kitchen


The Frame was conceived by modeling the form of our house and room which is a trapezoid. On the photos this is rarely noticeable - but was remarked on second sight by all the visitors :)

I used 1cmx1cm wooden sticks to provide a solid frame. On this frame, I applied the LEDSJÖ– Light, the Remote 433 Mhz switch and the Halogen Booster.

I decided to use this dual Light construction because in 9 out of 10 occasions you would want a soft if not romantic dining light whereas in the latter occasion you would need a bright light to work on the table without the hassle of moving an extra light around. Like this, we have an economy LED Light for most purposes and a remotely 60W Halogen Floodlight.

The LENDA was carefully wrapped around it on the outside. As the lamps would still shine through it, I decided to add some Aluminum paper on the inside and cover this up with some more LENDA from inside only.

Now it was a solid brown that would NOT shine through but instead would shine only on the white TORKA Sticks (See effects on the pictures).

The four TORKA Sticks where attached with the thin fish rope so that it would appear as a hovering, shining sticks in the dark. Then the lamp was attached on the ceiling with the strong fish rod.

I will produce another lamp that will be a little smaller and also in the shape oif the house so that there is a perspective affect which will again emphasis the shape of the house form the outside on the inside.

Flood light mode on the floating TORKA Sticks

The Lamp from underneath
- The hanging TORKA Sticks and the fish rod are visible.
- The wooden frame shines through beside the lamp
- The separately, remote switchable halogen floodlight is clearly visible.

~ Patrick, Vienna

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Sconce Shade For A Bare Bulb

Materials: 1-Variera Shelf Riser, 2-lamp shade liners from Arstid Floor Lamp, Sharpie, scissors, straight edge or metal ruler, hole puncher, hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

Description:
1. Create a template of the shade liner using one of the legs of the shelf riser. The ultimate shape will be a rectangle with the corners notched out. This liner will fit inside the leg.

2. Cut out the template and trace on the shade liner to create a second liner for the other leg.

3. To make the liner for the bottom of the sconce shade, use a similar approach using the shelf itself (not the leg).

4. Fold in the "tabs" of the shade liners and do a dry fit of the liner by inserting into the inside of the leg frames. Trim tabs and shade for a better fit, if necessary.

5. Mark where the holes on the legs are and hole punch the shade liner at the markings. These are the holes for the screws to mount the shade into the wall.

6. Insert the shade liner back into the leg frames and affix the tabs to the legs with a hot glue gun.

7. Screw the legs into the wall first, making note of how far apart they need to be spaced for the shelf.

8. Pop on the shelf, then pop in the bottom shade liner. I didn't need to hot glue this into place as it stayed just fine, but you can if you want. *Note: The top of the sconce shade remains open to allow for ease of light bulb change.

See more of the Variera Sconce Shade.

~ M of Redesigned By M, Vancouver, BC

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Ikea Rutbo turned Wood Veneer Pendant

Materials: Rutbo Pendant Lamp, 8 - 3mm machine screws; 8 - 3mm washer; 8 - 3mm hex nut; 24” x 96” wood veneer sheet, Polyurethane, Stain or Both; Foam Brush, Drill w/ 7/64 drill bit, Laser level, Clamps, 2x4 or similar slim board, Iron

Description: The paper coverings on some of Ikea'€™s lighting can look dated or worn after a while. But I saw an opportunity to turn a "Last Chance" Rutbo Pendant into a wood veneer pendant lamp to hang over our dining table. I like the warmth that wood provides to a modern home, but many of the nice looking wood veneer lighting options on the market are upwards of $350.

I bought a 24" x 96"€ sheet of pre-glued wood veneer for $46.50 with shipping . The pre-glued version allows you to use an iron to melt the glue to form a perfect cylinder.

I screwed the exterior, top and bottom rings into the veneer and also used the lighting assembly and interior ring.

I also used the top diffuser from the Rutbo, but discovered the bottom one was too big for some reason. I may add some cloth to the bottom in the future.

I just did an Instructable for all the details.

Thank you.

~ Pepe, USA

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Hektar Lamp Shade

Materials: Old lamp. Pliers. Bulb fitting. Patience.

Description: I had an old bedside lamp that I bought from a store in Cape Town called LIM. It was fairly expensive and very designer. The only problem was the lampshade kept melting when I used high wattage bulbs. So I was always on the search of a more robust shade. Made from metal.

I walked into Ikea recently and they have a new range called HEKTAR.

The moment I saw the smallest (clamp style-bedside) version, I knew it was worthy of a hack!

Bought it today. Took it apart (had to break the plastic bulb fitting-hence the replacement) but once I had just the metal shade, I attached it to the existing lamp frame and fastened it with the new fitting. Connected the wires. Screwed in the bulb.

And here you see my awesome brand new designer bedside lamp that can handle hot bulbs and looks totally wicked.

~ Shai Hirschson

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Godvinudden Light

Materials: ENUDDEN Towel Rack, GODVIN Leg, HEMMA cord set, SPARSAM bulbs

Description: We just moved in to a new apartment in Nashville and I needed to set up some quick lighting for my office using some Ikea odds and ends we've accumulated.

I had some Hemma cords that had been hung from the ceiling in our last place - but we have 14' unfinished loft here and no ladder to boot - so I needed something within reach of me tip-toeing on a wobbly chair.

I'm not entirely sure why, but we had a 5th Godvin leg laying around, as well as a few bathroom accessories we picked up at an Ikea on the drive down south but didn't end up having a use for when we got here.

So - throw em all together and you've got the Godvinudden light.

Super easy.

1. line up the Enudden towel rack on the Godvin legs widest side (they're the same width) the towel rack has 2 pre-drilled mounting holes use those to mark where to drill into the leg.

2. pre-drill the holes in the leg to make room for whatever screws you have handy - I had a couple sheetmetal screws that worked just fine.

3. screw the two together and voila.

I mounted the fixture as high as I could on the wall and strung up the Hemma cords as pictured.

Nothing fancy - table leg and towel rack, but it does the job.

~ Ben Krebs, Nashville

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Alsklig Vintage Lamp

Materials: Alsklig Vase

Photo: IKEA.com

Description: During a recent foray to Ikea for picture frames I noticed the Alsklig vases. The asymmetrical color in the glass reminded me of a lamp I'd seen elsewhere and inspired me to create an industrial-style lamp with a vintage bulb using a lamp shade frame recycled from my mother-in-law.

I measured the vase opening and ordered a cork to fit that was deep enough to house the lamp nipple that would give the lamp extra height. I didn't know how the cork would react to my drill bit so I ordered a few extras.

I purchased a lamp kit at a big hardware chain but discovered they didn't carry fittings to hold the lamp socket to the nipple. My local hardware store had the fittings and someone to show me how to put them all together. Next time I'll go there first!

After the hold was drilled in the cork I slipped a stainless steel tube over the cord extending from the cork to the wall to give the cord some shape. The cord was snaked through the cork and nipple, covered by a white socket, into the lamp fixture.

I drilled a hole in a second cork and extended the nipple through it for extra stability as well as gluing the socket into a grove in the top cork.

The vintage bulb casts so much bright light I will be draping a scarf/covering over the wire frame for more flattering light.

~ Ginger Rose, Maryland

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"Amber" Kvintett

Materials: Kvintett lamp, pebeo 160 glass paint in paprika and amber, pebeo 160 thinner, sponge

Description: I love the classic shape of the Kvintett wall lamp, but wanted a warmer shade for my living room. So after some research, I decided to sponge paint the exterior of the Kvintett to mimic amber glass. I started by using pebeo 160 glass paint in paprika, mixed 2:1 with thinner, and sponged it all over the shade. You dab it on, and then keep dabbing at it to get it to smooth out.

I concentrated the paint more at the edges. I then dabbed some of the darker amber paint also mixed 2:1 with thinner to the top 2 to 3 inches of the shade. This resulted in a lovely variegated light amber wall lamp that gives off a warm soft light, even with cool cfl bulbs.

~ Jennifer Stuart, Pittsburg, California

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Recycled driftwood lamp

Materials: HEMMA / ALA„NG / Driftwood

Description: 1)I found driftwood in Washington.
2) Drilled a hole through it.
3)A lamp base from Ikea and see the very nice result: a beautiful table lamp!

~ Yvonne van den Berg, Bakel The Netherlands

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Movie-lamp

Materials: Film, fishing line any standalone IKEA-lamp

Description: I bought this from my worldclass handy-hacker-friend.

You sew pieces of film together with fishing line. And add really good quality light bulbs. Voila.

~ kenneth, Denmark

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IKEA Cabinet Door to Light Box

Materials: Ikea Door, Ikea Plinths, Kreg Jig

Description:
1. Cut Plinths to desired size of door.
2. Build box using Kreg jig and pocket holes.
3. Attach box to back side of Door.

4. Build frame that will attach to ceiling joists.
5. Attach light fixtures to box and connect your electric.
6. Nail your box to the frame.
7. Finish attaching lighting and enjoy.

This hack allows you to have a light box that matches your IKEA cabinets.

~ Zach Sienkiewicz, Schaumburg, IL

Ikea NOT floorlamp makeover

Materials: Not floor lamp, wax paper, jewelry jump rings, mesh wastebasket, mesh pencil cup

Description: What I Used:

- Ikea Not lamp
- Dollar Store Wire Mesh waste basket
- Dollar store wire mesh pencil cup
- Fishing line (Monofilament)
- Large jump rings (jewelry findings)
- Wax Paper
- Iron
- Cutting Machine (can also be done with punches or circle cutter.)
- Wire snips

How To Make It:

1.) First, paint the wire mesh baskets white. I neglected to do this at the beginning and had to go back and try and paint AROUND the circles. Not fun times. Remove the bulbs from your lamp. This should allow you to remove the plastic "shades".

2.) Using the hole in the original shade as a guide, cut out enough of the bottom of the mesh pieces to fit in the original shade's place. Set Aside.

3.) Layer 2-4 sheets of wax paper on some newspaper. Use your iron on a very low setting, iron the paper. The wax between the paper will melt and create a layered, rather thick shell-looking material.

4.) Using the tool of your choice, cut 2-3in circles out of the material. I opted to let my Silhouette Cameo do the hard work here- cutting around 400 circles.

5.) Using the monofilament, string as many of the circles together on a string as you need to go top to bottom of your upper shade. For me this was 6 circles a strand. I pierced the circles with a needle strung with the monofilament., I tied a knot after each circle so that they wouldn'??t slide down the filament.

6.) One string at a time, fill up the tiers of your lamp. For me, I did 4 tiers, with each about 30 strands.

7.) Now that the top is done, let'??s move onto the accent lamp. Since this one sits sideways most of the time, it wouldn'??t work to do the filament trick. I was worried those strings would tangle with the movement this spotlight gets. So instead, I punched a hole in each circle and hooked it with a large jewelry "??jump" ring.

8.) Using a similar tier methods, but with each tier only 1 circle, attach circles all over the accent lamp.

See more of the Not lamp makeover.

~ Kayla from Sweet Anne Designs, Grand Rapids