We have a fondness for the earthy warmth of terracotta lighting–see 10 Favorites: Terra Cotta Pendant Lights. And for his own family home in Monbulk, Australia, just east of Melbourne, Bakker devised dozens of unusual lighting options.
Joost Bakker’s weathered terracotta flower pot works well with a wood sideboard and brick wall.
The Inspiration
Photograph by Sean Fennessy for The Design Files.
Step 1: To make the light, begin by dismantling the cord from the bulb socket. Using the West Elm Nylon Cord Set, I first unscrewed the bolt holding the cord to the socket casing with the hex key.
Instructions
Step 2: With a Phillips head screwdriver, unscrew the light socket from the metal housing.
Step 3: In the cord kit that I used, I found three electrical wires (green, white, and black). The green wire screwed into a fitting inside the metal housing, so I used a pair of needle nose pliers to remove it.
Step 4: After you disconnect the cord from the metal housing, string the flower pot through the cord (the standard hole in the bottom of pots is perfect for this).
Step 5: You can either hardwire the pendant cord according to a manufacturer’s instructions, or, using a shelf bracket, wrap the cord around the bracket to hang the light.
I opted to leave the terra cotta untreated, but for a rougher look, you can add a patina to the pot by brushing on a solution of baking soda and water.
