My husband says I’m difficult to shop for. It’s probably because I say things like “I hate lamps that look like lamps, but we need some lamps for the house.” In my head I know what I mean, but in his head anything he buys is going to be wrong.
In my head what I mean is I hate lampshades. They always get dusty and bent or are too short or too wide, plus the cats love to rub up against them and knock them over with their tails. I went online to search for unique lamps and eventually found this beautiful Seletti Bird Lamp. I was specifically looking for lighting options in our bedroom and I loved this lamp, but it was more than I wanted to pay so I kept looking for cheaper options, and I kept finding other cute animals holding pendant lights. I just loved the playful aspect of them all but I was hard pressed to find anything under $100.
Problem: I wanted an inexpensive lamp that was unique and creative. Solution: Fake Tree Squirrel + White Paint + String Pendant Light = Cute Squirrel Lamp
I knew I wanted a wall hanging lamp, so I did a search for ‘resin animal wall decor’ and that’s when I found Simone! We live in the country so he was the perfect animal to try out my DIY Project and he was only $26. Simone was made true to size and had wonderful reviews.
When we got him we placed him all over the house trying to scare each other until I spray painted him white. The kids are still mad about it.
I originally bought chalk white spray paint that was not bright enough. I had to repaint him with Valspar High Hide White Ceiling Paint that I already had in the garage. I should have painted him after I purchased this white hanging light pendant for around $13. I needed to make sure the white of the cord matched Simone so they looked cohesive. The pendant did not include a bulb but I had a vintage bulb we weren’t using.
One other thing to consider if you do this project with a different animal is pick a statue that has a projection somewhere. Simone had a tail that stuck out from the wall so I knew I could wrap the cord around it and the light would hang away from his face.
I really was unsure if it would all come together, but I love it! The kids are still disappointed that he is white and my husband hasn’t decided if he likes it yet, but I think he fits in nicely with our hanging swing and I hope to add some gold birds to the adjacent wall.
I really enjoy multi-functional projects. I tend to stay away from buying knickknacks for decor and as stated earlier, I don’t care for lamps that look like lamps. Simone the Squirrel Lamp turned out to be the perfect cross between decorative and functional, and for only $40 I manage to recreate the look of the $200 Bird Lamp that inspired the project.
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