DIY Red Light Pendant

In September I participated in the Dream Room competition at the Modesto Home Improvement Show produced by Metro Expositions in Modesto California. The competition involves select interior designers from the Modesto and Stockton region. Each designer is given a 20 foot x 8 foot space enclosed in 2x6 wood framed wall covered by unfinished gypsum board. The design criteria is to design a room for a young couple with a small child who will be entertaining their family for the holidays. We have six hours on the first day and three hours on the second day to finish the walls, flooring and furnishing and decorations in the space.

I decided to do a dining room. I have participated in the competition before and I like to make curated light fixtures. I knew I wanted to make something out of wire in a domed shape for a pendant. I thought some kind of bowl could be transformed. One day shopping at Ikea for an unrelated project I came across this Tradig Bowl. Perfect shape and it already had a hole in the middle. Turn it up-side down and viola a pendant. The color was exciting and my design concept began to unfold.

To make the pendant I decided to use cotton fabric wrapped wire, an old fashioned type socket and a replica of Thomas Edison era, Victorian style carbon filament light bulb.  I purchased 2-conductor 18-gauge red cotton twisted wire - by the foot from Sundial Wire. It was the only sight I could find that sold the wire by the foot instead of by the spool.

I was shocked at the price of Edison style bulbs, but found a reasonably priced one at Antique Lamp Supply. I also purchased the black socket with a pull chain from Antique Lamp Supply.

As I began to assemble the lamp, I discovered that the socket was too short. We made a trip to the local big box store and purchased an extender.

Supplies Needed:

Tradig Bowl from Ikea
2-conductor 18-gauge red cotton twisted wire - by the foot from SundialWire
Leviton Brand Bakelite Turn Knob Socket w/Ring from Antique Lamp Supply
Edison Base "Squirrel Cage" Light Bulb from Antique Lamp Supply

If you need to know how to wire the socket, check out TheFamily Handyman for a nice tutorial.