I am always looking for ways to reuse beautiful or useful objects. Empty wine bottles seem like such a waste to throw away. An empty wine bottle is the perfect base for a lamp. Thanks to easy to install lamp kits you can do this project at home in no time.
You can buy a lamp kit at almost any arts and craft stores as well as at most hardware store. Generally you should expect to pay about $10 to $15 for the lamp kit. You need to provide your own lampshade, light bulb, and lamp base!
To Make a Lamp Out of an Old Wine Bottle You Will Need:
Power Drill
Glass or Ceramic Cutting Drill Bit
Lamp Kit
Wine Bottle
The first step is to completely clean out the inside of your empty wine bottle. I like to run some water into the bottle, put a few drops of bleach in, and then shake the bottle. Rinse it out with clean water. Try not to get the wine bottle label wet.
Let your empty wine bottle sit out and dry completely; everyone knows water electricity does not mix.
Now, take your power drill, with the glass drill bit, and drill a small hole in the back bottom of the bottle. You want this hole to be right above the edge of the bottle. This is where the electrical cord will be coming out of your lamp. If you have this cord coming out form underneath your bottle your lamp will not be stable or sturdy.
Install you lamp kit follow their instructions. Each lamp kit product will be different and it is best to use their specific instructions. Run your electrical cord out of the hole in the bottom of your wine bottle.
Add a light bulb and a small lampshade and you are set!
Tips:
-Don’t limit yourself to regular sized wine bottles. There are double and even tripe sized wine bottles out there.
-A Chianti wine bottle is great for this project. The straw basket covering the base of the bottle is perfect for an Italian kitchen. Simply pus the straw basket aside while you is drilling the hole in the bottom of your lamp base. If you cut or tear the basket it tends to fall apart more easily.
-You can protect your wine label from stains and damage by painting a coat of decoupage over it. Tape off the label with painter’s tape. Tape right up to the edge of the bottle. Use a small paintbrush to apply the decoupage medium. You can buy decoupage in a matte finish or a shiny finish. They all dry clear.
-To age your wine bottle label dry rubbing wood gel stain on it. You can do this before or after you decoupage. If you do it before you apply the decoupage you will get a very dark label. You could also use a light coat of watercolor paint or even cold coffee to age the wine bottle label.
-Save that cork! You can use it as the finial on top of your lampshade. It is a great way to use a cork that might have ended up in the garbage.
-Customize a plain wine bottle by photocopying a photograph onto plain white paper. Cut it out with scissors and decoupage it to the bottle. This makes a great anniversary gift or even a birthday gift for any wine lovers out there. You could use a photo from a trip or a special occasion worthy of remembering.
-Fill a clear empty wine bottle with fun objects like sand, marble, pea gravel and even pasta for a fun accent detail. Stick to dry ingredients since this is a lamp!
-Try putting a message in a bottle for r a fun nautical theme wine bottle lamp.
