Giant Flower Canopy Lamp

Materials: Knappa Pendant Lamp, (2) LÖVA bed canopies, 1/2 inch metal pipe, 24x36 sheet acrylic, craft paper, spray glue, clips to secure pipe to wall, AC plug kit, spray paint, pipe cutter

Description: This is a lamp I made for my daughter's bedroom. I loved the LÖVA bed canopies, but there was something kinda tacky about just putting them on the wall by themselves. I was looking at the Knappa Pendant one day, and it clicked! When utilized with the canopies, it created the "flower" for the leaves, and really went with the theme I was going for in the room. By adding a dimmer, its a great lamp for reading, and then becomes a nightlight at bedtime.

First of all, I purchased a 1/2 galvanized pipe I found at Home Depot in the plumbing section. It was really cheap and also easy to bend in to the shape I wanted. (just be careful when bending, that you don't kink it in half) after I got my round shape, I cut the pipe to the proper length I needed using a standard pipe cutter. Then just spray paint any color you like...I used a metallic gold Rustoleum spray paint.

Next, you have to cut the plug off of the end of your Knappa pendant light kit. Then you run the wire through the metal pipe. Pull the wire all the way until the lighting fixture is to the end and flush. Then I used a little hot glue and silicone to secure it to the pipe. I also wrapped the bottom in duct tape to keep the fixture snug against the pipe and eliminate slack. Then just attach a new plug fixture on the end. (I bought it at Home Depot in electrical, and it was easy to do, just splicing the wires) I even added a toggle switch and dimmer so the kids could easily turn it on and off.

Next, I built a plexiglass tube to cover all the "guts" and make the instal look cleaner. Plus I love the shine and gloss of it. Take the sheet of acrylic plexiglass and using spray glue and craft paper, glue it to the underside of the acrylic. IMPORTANT: Make sure to get the thinnest plexi you can and test that you will be able to bend it without cracking. I chose to just do a 24x36 sheet because I didn't need the tube to extend all the way to the floor, but if you do, you might need 2 sheets.

Now for the install...
Start by pre drilling the holes in your acrylic sheet so the screws don't crack it. After you attach one end of the plexi to the wall using screws and washers, your going to attach your LÖVA canopies at the height you want, right on top of the acrylic preferably to a wall stud, or use sheetrock anchors. Then run the metal pipe through the same brackets as your LÖVA and then use pipe clips to secure it further. Then the next part is probably the hardest/trickiest...You have to be able to bend your acrylic all the way over (Without Cracking), and screw it to the wall from the inside of the tube. And that's about it. Obviously you want to test the lamp and connections before mounting, but using a few cheap materials, you transform these Ikea products and make them seamlessly look like they were meant to be together.

~ Robert Rodriguez, Corpus Christi, Texas