As part of our recent remodel, we sectioned off a separate entryway that wasn’t there before, so now that area is very dark and has no overhead light. When we are a little further into the remodel, we will call an electrician to handle all the electrical issues, and will have him drop a proper light into this area, but I really needed something in the meantime. I considered a table lamp, but I REALLY didn’t want to put a table here. I thought and thought, and came up with what I think is a stunning solution!
I scouted for the perfect branch in my backyard and cut it down. I brought it inside and had my husband hold it up against the wall in a big vase as I trimmed the extra branches away until it was perfect. Then I took it back outside and sprayed it (and the pot) with white spray paint.
Once that dried, I had my husband position the branch in the pot again, and I hammered two long nails through the main branch and into the wall to hold it in place. I filled the pot around the branch with crumpled up newspaper, then filled in the top layer with river rocks to hide the paper.
Next step, I found a light that I wasn’t using (this one, from Ikea) and painted it white, then scuffed it up a little with some fine sandpaper. This light is perfect for this project because it has a really long cord, but you could also do it using an extension cord if you needed to.
Pull some fabric out of your stash, or buy about a yard of it, and make a cord cover for your light. Cut the fabric into 5 inch strips (you’ll want the finished cord cover to be 1 1/2- 2 times longer than the cord you are covering) . Sew the strips together end to end to create one long strip, then hem each end. Now, with right sides together, sew all the way up the long edge, forming a tube. Turn the tube back right side out, and thread the light cord through it, using the extra length to make it bunchy.
Determine where on the ceiling you want the light to hang, and install a cup hook. Hang the light from the hook, then begin winding the rest of the cord around and down the branch. Play with the cord and the bunching until it looks perfect.
