Upcycling: Lighting Projects

Product designer Juliette Goggin will encourage you to think about lighting in a different way, by upcycling some every day, kitchen objects.

Well designed and strategically placed lighting can make a big difference to a room and on this Upcycling Lighting Course you'll learn how to be creative with your lighting.

Many of the items she has chosen to use wouldn’t be the most obvious choices, but you will be surprised at how effective these ideas can be in the right setting.  These suggestions will be just the start of some really creative ideas of your own.

You can find many different styles of lampshades and there are lots of ways of re-covering them using different fabric options, as well as decorative and printed paper.

The course will help you to remove old lampshade coverings from wire shades and replace them with new ones, using a sewing machine for the more complicated versions, but only a hot melt glue gun and a needle and thread for the simpler version, ideal for those who aren’t comfortable using a sewing machine.

As well as indoor lighting, there is an outdoor option as well featuring a project for re-purposing a metal loaf tin. There is also an architectural scale model transformed as an unusual feature light, using miniature lighting bulbs and a transformer (more commonly used for model train sets and scale models).

After following this course you will have learned how to recover a variety of styles and shapes of wire lampshades, how to work with different materials and trims to give a more professional finish, as well as experimenting with feature accent lights, using architectural models or scale houses or card models.

You'll learn:

• what lighting projects you can tackle on your own
• when to get professional electrical help with your lighting project
• where to find creative inspiration for your next light
• how to cover lampshades
• application of haberdashery and trim to your lampshades
• Outdoor lighting upcycling ideas

The course includes:

• 1 on-demand video lesson - presented by Juliette Goggin
• lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
• flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
• downloadable lesson notes
• practical lighting upcycling project (with tutor feedback available)
• access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
• small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas

Time to complete the upcycling lighting course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 3 hours 20 minutes to complete including:

• Video lesson: 20 minutes in total
• Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
• Your lighting project: at least 2 hours
• Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
• Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson

You'll need:

This course includes an optional practical assignment - for which you'll need two lighting upcycling projects to work on - including the lampshade material, decoration and the base you want to upcycle.

Depending on your upcycling ambitions you'll need a sewing machine or a needle and thread or glue to create the lampshades and decorate the shades.

The course is suitable for all levels of upcycling enthusiasts - from beginnners to experts looking for some creative inspiration.

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Juliette on your lighting upcycling project and questions.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.