home about portfolio shop decorating services contact

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Floral Chandelier - A Work in Progress

I have been working on a fun project for a couple of months. It is being worked on as and when I am able to. This light fixture (pictured below in current location) was bought about twelve years ago for our dining room when we moved from Manhattan to the suburbs.
We have definitely outgrown it but it suited us just fine back then (twelve years ago). The furniture in the room was also different at the time. 

We extended the back of the house about six years ago. As a result, some furniture changed and this chandelier did not suit the room any longer. It was moved through different rooms (eat-in kitchen area, old study) as a fill-in where needed (until something more appropriate was found).  The old study is now Emily's room. Here is another picture of how the fixture looked a couple of months ago.
As you can see it did not work in this room. It either had to be replaced or I had to change the look of it somehow. At first, I decided I would try to embellish it. It had to tie-in to the overall decor of the room and the colors of the decal. For more on the decal  go here.

Strands of beads was my initial idea. Then, while browsing through Michaels one day I caught sight of some fabric petals like these green ones while walking through the wedding aisle.  

I was heading to the paint section I almost walked right by them. I started to think  floral! There were blue, red and pink petals, too. I bought the pink ones first. I wanted to see the color in Emily's room with everything else in it. I went back later for the green petals.

This is how the petals look (not actual size)

I removed the frosted shades from the fixture. Glue gun in hand, I started working on them at the kitchen table creating these floral pieces, just eye-balling the pattern as I went along. I started with a layer of the petals at the top and worked my way down. Fortunately, due to the shape of the shades, this was not difficult.


I tested the look during the day..

and I tested it at night.
 I love how the color changes with the light on!

I needed to cover up the base and build each flower out some more so I purchased the green petals to add on some "leaves" after I added on a fourth layer of pink petals.

I have been back to Michaels several times while working on different projects (constantly multitasking). Again, same aisle by chance, I happened upon some tulle which I decided I could use to wrap around the metal in order to soften the look of the fixture in some way. I realized this could help form a less rigid base for some "stems" I could create with leftover green petals.

Truly this chandelier has been evolving with no real plan or design.

It has been a busy summer so far. The wrapped tulle lies within the base of the chandelier when I am on a break from this project. I am further along with it than the picture below indicates. I wanted the piece to "grow" gradually.  Also, I wanted to find the right fabric/material/bits and pieces to add to it with constant approval from "Client" Em.


I hope to be done soon. I have found some pretty finishing touches for this chandelier which I will share with you in its entirety when it is completed.
 
Stay tuned!

Do you have a fun project you are currently working on? I'd love to hear about it!

Today, I have linked up to the house party at Saved by Suzy. Do link up to read about some more house projects and/or to share your own!
Saved By Suzy


 Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.
Lisa