Parasol Light Fixture

Bare Bulb

When I was imagining my office in the new house, I loved the idea that a cool pendant lamp would hang over the threshold of steps that bring you into the room. The contractor appeased my wish by wiring for the light, but when I didn’t have the pendant (I could never find the perfect thing at the flea market) by the time they were wrapping up the job they just added a place holder… aka, a disgusting bare bulb. This bulb has been the harbinger of distaste every morning when I come in to work and I had to cover it up but I didn’t want to hang something I wasn’t totally in love with… Basically I needed Mr Right-Now.

Pretty Parasol

Then a couple of weeks ago, Dave and I were cleaning out the garage and I found this cool old parasol that was in one of the closets here when we moved in. “Self?” I thought… “could we turn this into something cool?” and the answer was YES! We would use it to cover up my enemy bulb in the office.

Cut It Off

First we propped it up permanently (ours had something to hold it open but if yours doesn’t you could insert a screw to hold it in place). Next we cut off the handle.

Hookin' Me Up

Next we put four little hooks in the ceiling in a circle around the outlet, then Dave used string to weave in the spokes of the umbrella and the hooks.

From the Bottom

Viola! Here’s how it looks from the bottom of the stairs… not as cool as a vintage glass pendant, but SO much better than a bare bulb!!

You Light Up My Life