Hello all – hope you have had a wonderful weekend.I am so happy to be back and sharing this fun project with you this week! I have always wanted to make a lamp but craved something different and easy to do.
When staring out my window and into the garden, my eye was drawn to our growing tomato plants. As most people grow their tomatoes they use cages to keep the plants upright and healthy. I instantly thought that these cages could serve an additional purpose! I loved their industrial lines and rustic metal. These structural cages could easily become a lamp and here is what I did to make one…
you will need –
- 2 small tomato cages 33 inches in size for a table lamp (example here) or one 54 inch cage for a floor lamp (example here). These are easily found at your local hardware or gardening store.
- Lamp Kit (can be found at here
, here or here)
- 4 inch cable ties (I used black to match my dark lamp cord)
- Needle nose pliers or electrician’s pliers
- Side cutters
- Combination screwdriver or a Philips and a flathead screwdriver
- Lampshade
Here is how you will construct the lamp –
- If you are using smaller cages, use two cages stacked to give more substance to the lamp base.
- Begin by making all the prongs even by bunching them together and using your side cutters to cut off the uneven ends. I ended up cutting about 4 inches off the prongs to make it a size suitable for our furniture and space. There is no right or wrong – just look to see how much you will want to remove. If you are doing the larger floor cage there is no need to cut the prongs.
- Secure the lamp hoop to the newly cut prongs with cable ties. Adjust the lamp hoop to be straight and plumb; then make sure the cable ties are tight. Trim the ties once secure.
- Assemble the lamp parts using the manufacture’s instructions (as with any project, please use caution when working with tools and electricity. If in doubt, ask someone who knows what they are doing to help you out!)
- Thread the plug/wire to the outside of the cage base and begin securing it with cable ties (so the cord is less obvious). Again, trim the ties (see photos above).
- Put the lightbulb and shade in place and you are done!
For less than 30 dollars you have a unique lamp to shine bright in your home. The fun thing about this project is that you can find tomato cages in a variety of bright colors (example here) that will fit any decor. There are no major tools required and the end product is special. I love making pieces for the home that can not be found in a store but instead are custom made by hand! I hope you let me know if you try this out.
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This is such an awesome lamp! I love it!
Monique, thank you so much – I am glad you like it! Have a great week ~
Oh that is just too cool!!!! High end look with out the price! love it!
Rebekah, thank you very much!
Oh my gosh, Annie, You’re brilliant! I never would have thought to look at a tomato cage and see a lamp. This is totally something that I would put in a corner of my living room!
What a great lamp:-) Like this idea very much:-)
Jamie, you are so sweet – thank you and I am very happy to hear it is something you would use (what a compliment!) Have a good week friend ~
Thank you very much Anita! I appreciate it ~
This is such a clever idea Annie! It looks gorgeous in your home too!!
Thanks so much Iris! Have a good week friend!
Gorgeous! I love that lamp!
Her Heartland Soul
http://herheartlandsoul.com
Thank you so very much!
#genius i mean really!!
Amanda, I am so glad you like it – thank you for the sweet words!
So creative!! Seriously… How do you think of these things?!? LOVE it!
Thank you so much Connie!
This is utterly brilliant, Annie.
Love your work!
<3
Pia
Pia thanks so much and I appreciate such a kind compliment! Have a wonderful day ~
That is just too cool! Thanks for the how to.im going to pin it so I will have it for later after I’m done with school project s.
Pamela I am so happy to hear you like it and enjoy finishing your projects – thanks so much! Have a good day ~
This is so cool, and simple to do! Electrical projects can be intimidating to me, but this lamp is too pretty not to attempt. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Stephanie – thank you so much! I agree about electrical projects and am glad you think this seems doable! Have a great weekend~
What a brilliant idea, love the classy look of the lamp!
Nicky thank you so much friend! I appreciate it ~
Absolutely loved this DIY! I think I see a project coming along for this weekend ! Whoop!
Kennesha I am so glad you like it!! Thanks so much and have a great weekend ~
You did an amazing job! Thanks for sharing with us!
Such a beautiful lamp! I adore everything about my home decor. But I spend most of my time on comfort and safety in the house. That’s why I recently had the opportunity to work with ADP, a plumbing contractor, available at https://onetorontoplumbing.com . They promptly addressed my plumbing issue and arranged a visit on the same day. The ADP team carefully assessed the problem and provided clear explanations.