DIY West Elm Copper Light

Copper Lamp

I find things on the internet, fall in love, cant afford them, then get sad. I will drool over things for weeks, then finally I will snap, have to do something about it, and get my ass in gear.

You see I loved this light:

West Elm Copper Light & Sconce
West Elm Copper Light & Sconce

I wanted it beside the sofa in the livingroom, so I could read snuggled up on the sofa without having the overhead light on. However for $168 for a pair of them (cause I couldn’t very well get one for my end of the sofa, and leave El Granto in the dark…) it was a very silly purchase. $168 is the price of 4 cans of paint, a kitchen backsplash, or NEW SHOES.

So, no West Elm lights. Sad face.

As you know by my past projects, I never let my cheapness prevent me from getting what I want. It just means I have to make it myself. (Like our DIY Restoration Hardware Mirror, Shelves, Media Cabinet and Table.)

Where do you go when you want to make something cheap? Ikea & the Hardware Store.

I headed to Ikea and picked up two lamp cord sets ($5.99 each in black) and two wooden shelf brackets ($2 each).

At the hardware store I picked up two copper 1″ to 1 1/2″ bushings. ($6.39 each) and two Edison Bulbs ($8.97 each)

Lamp Supplies
Bracket + Lamp Cord Set + Bulb + Copper Bushing

At home, El Granto notched out a slot at the top of the bracket for the cord, and I sanded, stained and waxed the brackets.

Notching Bracket
El Granto Notching the Bracket
Bracket Notched
Bracket Notched
Stained Brackets
Stained Brackets

I placed the copper bushing overtop of the lamp set, placed the cord through the notch, and wove it around the bracket.

Lamp
Lamp

We installed with a few hollow wall anchors, and this was the results.

Copper Lamp
I love Lamp
Copper Lamp
I love the warm glow of the Edison bulb

 

SOURCE LIST:

Materials & Cut List:
Cord Set – Ikea
Bracket – Ikea
Copper Bushing – Home Depot
Edison Bulb – Home Depot
Finishing Materials

Tools Used:
Drill
Scroll Saw (Jig Saw would work)

Difficulty Level (on a scale of 1-5):

one out of five

Total Cost: $47 BOOYA! ($23.50 each)

Author: Kristen

Kristen & her husband El Granto & their Vizsla Odin live in a converted Storefront in downtown Toronto.

6 thoughts on “DIY West Elm Copper Light”

  1. Thank you so much for posting this! I have been trying to figure out how to attain the expensive copper cord set (So expensive!)… Thank you!

  2. LOVE THIS!! Do you know of any other way to get the bracket notch in the wood? Do you think drilling a couple of holes in a row would work?

    1. Hi Tracy,

      I think drilling a few holes in a row would work, or you could take a small hand saw and notch it that way. I would love to see the results if you try this project!

  3. Hey there DIY West Elm Copper Light!

    Brilliant! I love what you did. Bravo!!!! (El Granto doesn’t show up here very often anymore. So I’m wondering if you’d be willing to ask a favor?)
    How about building a couple of these for me? I’d be SO HAPPY to know where it came from and you’d be making this little lady smile while she reads in bed. What do you say? Will you at least consider it? (Please write me back so I’ll know whether I’ll be seeing the light of day or or not. e.g. waiting until March to let WestElm send me their version.)

    Cheers!
    Mambo

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