After searching for the perfect pendant lamps for their kitchen that fit their style and budget, Darwin couple Rachel and Gareth came close to giving up. Then they stumbled across a stunning glass bowl at Target and decided to make their own.
A savvy DIY later and the pair had just what they were looking for: bright and modern pendant lighting that complements their Scandi-style kitchen.
Better Homes and Gardens Online caught up with Rachel to find out how they did it.
What inspired your project?
I have always loved the look of pendant lighting as it makes a great feature, and gives a feeling of warmth and homeliness. We spent a lot of time searching for the right pendants but never seemed to find the right look and price. They were always in excess of $700 or more. We came across the bowls in Target by chance, and my husband walked up to me with the bowl upside down and we both said, “pendant lights!”, at the same time.
Have you made many things before?
We are a family of four and the majority of our time is filled with constant renovations, gardening and DIY projects around the home. We both love the satisfaction of doing things ourselves, especially when friends ask us where we got it from and we can say we made it!
My husband is very good at woodwork and has made our dining table, kitchen bench tops, TV cabinet, coffee tables and the outside dining table. We also landscaped our garden and I am always rearranging the home.
What kind of look were you after?
The inspiration for our decorating is a mixture of modern, Scandi, and home industrial. We refer to our house as a “modern cave”. We were after something simple and modern, and these glass pendants gave a more open and brighter look, as opposed to what was available in stores. The grey colour of the bowls matched the stainless steels appliances within our kitchen, making it a great centrepiece for the kitchen as it’s the first thing you see when you enter.
Biggest challenges?
Our biggest challenge was cutting the holes in the glass without the bowls breaking, and without annoying the neighbours as it’s a rather piercing sound.
How she did it
- Used Victorian Ash leftovers from our kitchen benchtops.
- Cut holes in bowls using a diamond 20mm hole saw and pilot drill.
- Removed all sockets and unwanted cords from pendant light.
- Created hollow bulkhead and drill holes for cables. The bulkhead hides the pendant hanger and excess cables.
- Made two sturdy blocks to fit inside the bulkhead. These were fixed to the ceiling batons and the finished pendant slipped over the top.
- Got a licensed electrician to attach socket heads and connect everything.
Budget Breakdown
Bowls x 3 from Target, $8 each
Verve design 5 head Anton pendant from Bunnings, $70
Led Globes x 3, Phillips 7w 806 soft white from Woolworths, $12 each
Diamond drill bit from Bunnings, $20
Wood for bulkhead (already owned)
Glue and screws for bulkhead, approx. $15
How much did you roughly spend on the project?
The total came to $165, plus the electrician.
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