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DIYLighting
sam_potter37

DIY feather lampshade

Sam Potter
5 years ago

I first saw (and lusted after) fluffy feather lampshades on Houzz but there's no way I could justify spending hundreds of quid on one. I struggled to find a tutorial online that didn't use feather boas. I found one months ago but then couldn't find it again once I'd gathered the materials. There are a few online tutorials using feather boas and they do look good but I wanted to be able to see the sculptural element you get with longer individual feathers, as well as the fluffy cloud look. The photos are pretty self-explanatory but if you have any questions I'm happy to answer them.

Featured Answer
  • Sam Potter
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Final stages and finished images. Totally worth it!

    Comments (22)

    • PRO
      The Homeworks
      5 years ago
      Looks amazing! Does it pass health and safety..?
    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      I guess so given that the base is a paper lampshade which is widely sold and paper is loads more flammable than feathers. I maybe wouldn't make one if you are asthmatic/allergic to feathers as you have to handle them, and when you cut the tips off you do get a bits of feather floating about. The glue gun uses exactly the same glue commercially available shades are glued with. Obviously this is a home made effort, I'm not selling it, so it only has to pass my personal risk assessment, but I'd be surprised if the commercially available ones are made any differently.
    • Emily
      5 years ago
      Looks fab :)
    • Emmanuelle
      5 years ago
      Love it. You have used the natural shape/ curve of the feathers to great effect.
    • Emmanuelle
      5 years ago
      Love it. You have used the natural shape/ curve of the feathers to great effect.
    • Jonathan
      5 years ago
      Size wise this sits very well under the ceiling rose. Well done - it looks great.
    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      Thanks all! I do love these shades. Not sure if/how it will stand the test of time, especially as I burn scrap wood and logs on my open fire, but given it cost buttons to make it's not too much of an issue.
    • Juliet Docherty
      5 years ago

      Well done. How long did it take?

    • E D
      5 years ago

      Gorgeous. Really cool!

    • Sarah
      5 years ago
      Amazing, thanks for sharing x
    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      A couple of hours. I watched X Men and Hollyoaks ;-) I didn't sort the feathers by size, just opened and used each packet as I went along. And I glued them on in concentric circles starting at the bottom, and roughly tried to organise it so the ones in the row above sit between the ones below, just to try and avoid any bald patches. The fact that it looks all elegant is obviously just something the feathers do by themselves, however they're slapped on.
    • kikiamack
      5 years ago
      Very impressed with that! it looks lovely with the light shining through.
    • Alix W
      5 years ago
      Wow, that looks gorgeous. I would be feeling very smug if I’d done that.
    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      Alex W, SO smug ;-)
    • Patrina
      5 years ago
      Sam it looks absolutely fantastic, well done.
    • Sonia
      5 years ago

      My first thought was a feather lampshade, hmmmm.........but WOW it looks fantastic! I do envy crafty people like you. It’s amazing.

    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      Forzaitalia it was incredibly simple; paper lampshade , feathers from ebay, glue gun. It was about as difficult as sticking a stamp on a letter.
    • Sonia
      5 years ago

      Oh okay Sam :-)

    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago
      But I did burn my fingers a bit!
    • Kazza None
      5 years ago
      It does look great, but I wonder where you were shopping. I have a virtually identical one that cost £20! And no burnt fingers.
    • Sam Potter
      Original Author
      5 years ago

      kazza none, that's an amazing bargain. can you post the link? I couldn't find the large size I wanted under the £200+ mark.

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