A Bright Idea! Try This DIY Light Bulb Chandelier

You know how they say a great idea is like a light bulb going off in your head? What if that light bulb is actually the great idea?

From its farm-to-table experience in Napa Valley to its popular neighborhood spot and food truck in Austin, La Condesa brings a contemporary spin to the brilliant flavors and fresh ingredients of the culinary traditions of Mexico City. It's considered a classic by Austin residents, many of whom enjoy feasting upon the charming modern mood of the restaurant’s décor as much as they do devouring just-squeezed juices and tacos filled with local flavors. It can be hard to pick your head up from the plate in their airy Austin dining room, but, if you do, you’ll be rewarded with sights like this cool chandelier right overhead.

Sometimes you head home from a restaurant thinking you can recreate the food in your kitchen. In this case, we’re giving you a simple recipe for a mid-century modern-inspired chandelier just like the one above!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Ceiling light fixture in your home
• Simple ceiling lamp holder
• Twin socket adapters
• Small light bulbs

You can get simple ceiling lamp holders (like the one pictured), adapters, and light bulbs from your local hardware store or online. The holder and sockets usually cost around $2-4 each and come in a variety of colors to work with your home. You’ll have eco-options with the bulbs: LED bulbs are the most energy-saving and longest-lasting choice, with nearly 40-times more hours than the average incandescent bulb, using 10-times less power per year (resulting in 10-times the savings in annual operating cost). They can be pricier than your standard light bulb, so you should choose whatever fits your budget and your vision, depending on how large you want to make it.

As with any project involving electricity, make sure you locate your circuit breaker and turn off the power to your light fixture before you begin. Or, seek the help of a qualified electrician. Safety first! After that, it’s as easy as pie:

1. Turn off the circuit breaker switch and shut off power to the ceiling light fixture. (In case you forgot.)

2. Affix the simple lamp holder to your ceiling (there’s a great For Dummies instructional video on YouTube).

3. Screw in the first twin socket adapter into the ceiling lamp holder. From there, keep screwing in twin socket adapters into each other to create “branches” like a tree.

4. As you create a network of sockets, screw in your light bulbs at the ends of the “branches.” Pick different sockets to complete with light bulbs and leave others open, or you can even mix light bulbs for an interesting effect.

5. If you have a larger space and want to create a bigger chandelier, make sure you affix some of the main “branches” to your ceiling to hold them up safely.

That’s it! You’ve got your very own DIY modern chandelier for not a lot of money or time. Isn’t that always a bright idea?

Share your favorite lighting DIYs in the comments!