Excel lamp by Roll and Hill

I had no idea Adelman had posted DIY instructions on her website!  Her work is so beautiful..it is really generous of her to take pity on those of us who can’t afford her!

I’m super impressed with the results.  To see more photos of The Brick House’s DIY go here.

Photo by The Brick House

Then something happened…I missed the watershed moment, but Kelly Wearstler or some other wildly popular designer from a few years back must have featured one, because, for the past couple of years..this is what they are going for:

$12,000.00 Stejnar Chandelier

Attributed to Stejnar for ONLY $4,800.00

Stejnar is all wrong for the Regal Beagle, too formal…but Ikea has felt our pain once again and offered up their new Maskros.  The shelter blogs went nuts for this when it was unveiled in Europe a few months ago…but I hate to feature anything you can’t get your hands on yet, so, I waited until it showed up here.  Sure, it’s paper, not Austrian glass, but a great look on a budget.  If I were trying to pull it off in a more formal setting, I’d group several of them at different heights and the drama of that alone would distract many from the fact that your statement chandelier is paper!  Tord Boontje has been doing very well for years now with his paper chandeliers/pendants at the same price point, so why not Ikea?

$90 Maskros from Ikea

Anyway, this works for me on many levels.  sofa city sweethearts has made this pendant from 3 45s and 1 LP.  It has a mod, feminine, yet sinister quality I’m drawn to…..like ruffles on a biker suit…..

$40 from sofacitysweethearts via Etsy

As always, I acknowledge the sin against art when I feature knock-offs.  Moving on…

For those, like myself, who have always loved the gorgeous Giogali chandelier, your bargain has arrived.  Designed by the Italian architect Angelo Mangiarotti in 1967, it is a timeless classic.  Z Gallerie has taken it upon themselves to create their own version for only $299. No,  these are not handblown Murano glass links…if they were, it wouldn’t cost only $299!   That said,  I saw one in store and it does cast beautiful light through the glass much like the original does.

I’m always on the prowl for good vintage anything and I just spotted a tres cool pendant/swag light on Metro Retro.  E-bayers will know this guy – he always has good stuff..although prices keep creeping up.  I’ve included 2 of the photos…there are more at the site.  The light is chrome and glass, although you could change out the chrome chain that dates it and make a new cord and ceiling cap for hard wiring.  It’s a great example of how to take a vintage piece and tweak it a bit with minor updates. For $299…you can have a conversation piece that is truly unique.  Since he only has one, if you like it, better go for it!

I’m obviously in a high/low lighting mode these days.  Another fabulous lamp that’s expensive, another budget version from Ikea.  This time it’s the Lily.mgx (or the Lotus.mgx for that matter).  Gorgeous, especially the red ones.  Janne Kyttanen’s design for Materialise is high tech… and high priced at $1129 from Unica.  I have seen it as low as $899 on gnr8, but…you know.

It looks cheaper, (they usually do) is waaay cheaper, but fills the same empty spot in the room with a conversation piece.  Ikea’s Knappa Tulpan is a mere $50.

Flashback to 1958, Poul Henningsen’s design for the Danish company Louis Poulsen is unveiled: the PH Artichoke.  Still made today – it is stunning in copper or any of the other metal finishes you may choose from…for $7000.00.

44 years later…..enter Simon Karkov for Normann Copenhagen – another Danish designer and company.  In 2002, the award winning Norm69 is released, and froogs like us snap them up…for $110.00.  The Norm 69 is made from lamp shade foil and comes flat packed in  – you guessed it- 69 pieces.  Have no fear, the Normann Copenhagen site has a “how to” video to assist you in assembly.