I found a geometric wood pendant I loved at a boutique home store. The price was $295. I looked at it for ten minutes, decided I could build it, and went home. Six hours later I had an almost identical pendant for $40.
The Design
An open rectangular frame in natural walnut — four vertical sides of 1/4-inch walnut strips, joined at the top and bottom with dowels. Simple, geometric, allows light to project through the frame in interesting patterns on the ceiling. The pendant cord set hangs through the center of the top frame.
The Build ($22 in wood + $18 in cord set)
Cut strips to length, sand smooth. Drill half-inch holes at the top corners for the mounting wires. Join corners with wood glue and small dowels. Let dry 24 hours in clamps. Apply one coat of danish oil. Wire the UL-listed pendant cord set through the center — socket hangs 4 inches below the top frame, bulb has 3 inches of clearance from the bottom frame. A globe LED at 2700K gives beautiful diffused light through the open frame.
The Result
It's been up for eight months. It gets more compliments than anything else in our dining room. Cost: $40. Time: one Saturday. The $295 version is still at the boutique, for all I know.
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