We’ve all been there—the frustration of going from store to store looking for the perfect lamp only to be foiled by the high price or designs that just didn’t appeal to us.
“I wanted two chandeliers with three lights each for my large living room, but after visiting several stores, I received quotes of around €500 ($543) for each 3-light pendant. I would have to spend more than €1000 ($1086),” Francesca B said.
She turned to IKEA as a last resort and successfully hacked an elegant 3-light pendant without the hefty price tag.
IKEA Products Used:
- 3x JAKOBSBYN glass lampshade (€29.95/$37.99 each)
- 3x HEMMA wire and lamp holder (€4.00/$10.00 each) (Francesca discarded the included rosettes)
Additional Materials and Tools:
- A yellow XXL rosette (diameter 40cm) was purchased from Creative Cables for about €60 ($65)
- Screws and dowels for the ceiling
How To Hack An IKEA 3-Light Pendant
The key component in this hack is the IKEA JAKOBSBYN pendant lampshade. It’s a budget-friendly option, priced at €29.95 each ($37.99), and features a glass mouth-blown lampshade. Francesca chose the clear glass shade, but JAKOBSBYN also comes in frosted gray, smoked, and silver. The 12″ shade is simple and elegant, perfect for creating a designer look. Here’s how:
1. Assemble the JAKOBSBYN lampshades with the HEMMA lamp holders and cords. Discard the black plastic rosettes that come with the HEMMA cords.
2. Thread the three wires through the yellow rosette and secure them with the cable clamp. Adjust the wires to create different hanging lengths for the glass spheres to avoid overlap.
3. Mount the rosette to the ceiling using the included dowels and tighten everything according to the rosette’s instructions.
DIY Savings Over 60%
Besides the cost savings, the IKEA lighting hack turned out quick and easy.
She added, “I spent about 160€ ($174) for each chandelier, and it took me about 30 minutes to assemble them.”
The outcome is a chandelier that looks like a designer piece, bursting with color and cheer, exactly as Francesca imagined. While she found the process relatively straightforward, she enlisted an electrician’s help to connect the wires, prioritizing safety in her DIY project.
For those inspired by Francesca’s hack, she advises carefully selecting screws and dowels that are appropriate for the ceiling type and ensuring the ceiling can support the weight of the three lamps to avoid any accidents.
Reflecting on the project, Francesca is pleased with the result and wouldn’t change a thing. Her hack saved her significant money and resulted in two personalized, designer-like pendant lamps that perfectly fit her living room.
IKEA Pendant Lamps with 3 Lights
If you prefer not to DIY, IKEA offers 3-light pendants in contemporary designs. The one most similar to Francesca’s hack is the HÖGVIND, which has 3 hanging glass shades in 3 different sizes for a more whimsy style. Perforated metal shades sit within the mouth-blown, smoke-colored glass shades, giving them a modern chic vibe.
The SIMRISHAMN is another good option and plays on the current arch trend. Each piece is characterized by a sleek chrome-plated design and diffused glass globe.
Both are stylish, affordable options in true IKEA fashion.