When I saw this hack come across my desk, I thought it looked pretty cool. It had a high-end, cozy vibe about it, and I realized I hadn’t really seen anything like it before.
I googled hanging planter lamps, and the available ones I saw were all around $150 to $180. That’s when I realized just how good an idea this hack is, since you can create a DIY plant pendant for a fraction of that price.
At least that’s what this clever hacker did, and we couldn’t wait to share it with you! If you want to add a dash of greenery to your space but also love a warm, inviting glow, this combo delivers both.
What You’ll Need
- Mesh wire pendant lamp shade
- IKEA FEJKA plants (a variety of hanging and short, shrubby ones)
- Thin steel wire
- TRÅDFRI LED lamp with daylight colors
- Lamp base and cable
- Pliers
- Wire cutter
Creating the Perfect Botanical Lighting Fixture
1. Pluck the Plants and Prep the Lamp
Remove the plants from any pots, making sure you have just the greenery. A combination of long, hanging vine plants and shorter, shrubby plants is an ideal mix for this hack. Install the lamp base, cable, and bulb in the shade, ready to hang.
2. Attach the Plants to the Lamp
Use wire to attach the long, hanging vines around the top of the lamp. Position some ferns around the middle for variety, or whichever plants you’d like to include in your pendant design.
3. Hang the Lamp and Fill the Gaps
Once you attach the longer, larger pieces, hang the lamp and turn it on to check for any gaps. Fill spaces with the shorter, shrubby pieces, then attach a few to the top and bottom of the shade to add continuity to your design.
That’s it! (Pretty simple, right?!)
Make It for Less
Even if you bought the lamp shade and the FEJKA plants new, you could still come in under what you would pay for one of the plant pendants ready-made in a store. However, there are certainly ways to get creative with your supplies to keep costs down even further.
The creator used a mesh metal pendant lamp from IKEA but noted it was an older model that’s no longer available. I scoped out some other options on IKEA’s site and found ones like the BRUNSTA shade or HORRED pendant that could give you a similar base to work with. If you have a tiny corner to fill, you can even get the smaller BRUNSTA.
But before you buy new, shop around.
Secondhand is always a super budget-friendly option, so don’t forget to check places like Facebook Marketplace to see if you can find even more affordable picks. You might even find a non-IKEA mesh shade that will work, and that’s okay!
The same goes for FEJKA plants, which are already easy on the wallet, but it’s even better if you can find some to repurpose. Or perhaps you already have some hanging around the house begging you to transform them into something amazing.
No matter how you decide to create your perfect plant pendant, make sure to share the hack with us when you’re done!
