Designer Dupe Lamp

  As a designer, there are things that just speak to me  and I wish I could have for my home.  If you haven't seen it, this is a Kelly Wearstler lamp called the Linden, it is one of them.

SWOON!

 It retails for around $750. There are similar products from other companies that are more like $350, like this one.

  Occasionally you can find them on Amazon but I had an idea to create one in something other than white. I wanted some COLOR! I started thinking that if I could find non-ceramic lamps then I could drill into them. That would allow me to anchor the pom pom balls on the lamp so the glue could dry. I was in Hobby Lobby for something else, probably Christmas decor, and wandered over to their lamps. By tapping the lamp base I could tell what was a ceramic and what was a resin like plastic.

  There were a couple of options but I went with this black one for $49.99 because I liked the shape. The bottom had kind of a faux wood grain that I knew would be easy to paint gold. So then I was thinking about the pom pom balls and what I could find for those. Hobby Lobby had a couple of different sizes of wooden balls with a flat back AND a hole already drilled in the back. SCORE! I bought the biggest size (1-1/2") with a 3/16" hole.

  I also found 3/16" dowel rods at Hobby Lobby and bought 2 just in case. So here is the supply list you need for this project:

• Resin, wood or plastic type lamp
• 24  1-1/2"wooden balls with 3/16" pre-drilled holes
• 3/16" dowel rod (Hobby Lobby has them approx. 36" long)
• Clear epoxy type glue (I used Gorilla but it was very similar to E-6000)
• Electric drill and 3/16" drill bit
• Painter's tape
• White crayon or pencil
• Fabric type measuring tape (one that bends around things)
• Spray paint in Glossy finish

 

  First I removed the harp and shade from the lamp. I did a lot of reading about drilling into resin and they all said tape it to prevent cracking. So I taped off the whole flat circumference of my lamp. It really was more plastic than resin but it couldn't hurt. Plus it gives you an area to mark on for drilling.

  Next is where math skills come in handy. The top of my blue area is the narrowest so I took a measurement around it first to figure out that I would needed to do 4 rows of 6 balls. You may need more or less. You can decide what you need based on what lamp you find. I equally marked my six balls on the first row. Do that AFTER you equally divide the height into 4 rows. You can tell I marked my 4 rows with tiny dots then got the center of each with a dash. I went back to divide my 6 columns, making a plus sign for drilling. My inspiration lamps have straight rows but you could definitely stagger your wooden balls if you wanted. My lamp does taper in a bit at the top and I should have adjusted my rows but I didn't and it still looks fine. If yours tapers like the inspo pics then you will need to adjust your columns to keep them straight.

  The drilling was so easy. I was nervous I would crack it but just don't put a lot of pressure on the drill and it will go quickly.

  One spot was as thin as paper and my drill went straight through. Luckily I was able to patch it enough with clear packing tape over the hole to glue the ball onto the lamp. I saved that hole for last.

  You will need to insert a dowel into each ball. The fit was so tight that I didn't use glue. I also found it easier to tap it lightly on my counter top to attach the rod. I did not trim off excess but rather used the whole piece each time. Using the full length of the dowel gave me a good grip and I used wire snips to cut the rod each time. Leave approximately 1 inch protruding from each wooden ball.

  Once you've removed all the tape from your lamp, run a bead of glue on the flat side of each ball. I used a twisted motion to insert the dowel into the hole in the lamp. The dowel should fit tightly enough into your drilled hole that it holds. (Don't use too much glue or it will run.) Wipe off any excess glue, carefully.

  If you have any cracks or holes that don't go as planned, use tape to hold them in place while the glue cures. I left mine over night. The next morning, I removed the tape and all of the wooden balls felt very secure. I left my lamp for a few days because it was rainy here and I couldn't paint. You definitely want the glue to cure completely.

  I wanted a color other than white because my walls are a warm white. I chose this Krylon Fusion spray paint in glossy Red Plum. It is slightly more purple than I wanted but I do love the end result. The glossy finish also gives it that ceramic look. You could use a primer first but since I have no patience I just applied more light coats. Be sure to tape off your socket and cord.

  I LOVE this lamp! I'd say it even looks better in person. I sprayed my finial gold with some paint I had and used a sponge brush to go over that faux wood at the bottom with the same gold. You could use rub & buff gold from Hobby Lobby but I didn't feel like it was necessary to venture out today.

  I hope this inspires you to try a designer dupe project of your own. It cost me less than $100 for my supplies and the time I invested was not too bad. Maybe 2 hours total. Totally worth it!

  Message me for any questions. Thanks for following along!