In the admittedly unlikely event that you have an old birdcage lying around, there are some really rather wonderful ways you can upcycle this symbol of avian oppression, turning it into something quite beautiful. I've noticed this lighting trend cropping up in a few places recently, and it got me wondering how complicated it would be to make one of my own. So I looked around a few how-to sites and found absolutely dozens of ideas, each one unique, but most pretty straightforward to assemble.
Here are two very different ideas for turning birdcages into lamps: the first uses the cage as a base unit for the lamp itself, whilst the second has had its inner bits removed and replaced with a string of LED lights; a fantastically simple idea!
Follow the jump for more ideas and some great examples of birdcage lamps!
I love this idea by the Philadelphia Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It makes excellent use of the original birdcage's curtains, which act as a lampshade in its new incarnation. The lamp tramsformation has been made with a simple hanging lamp kit, which you can buy for about $4 in IKEA.
[Via Poetichome]
This lamp was made by The Happy Homebody from an old cage found in the trash, and the basic lamp kit is attached using a planthanger painted white to match the frame.
Not a lamp at all, but it's still a great use for an old birdcage. This idea for a birdcage garden planter comes from Karla's Cottage.
[Via Crafty Crafty]
That is actually a pretty neat idea. Now that is what i call a custom bird cage!
Brilliant! I knew that there must be something I could do with the old birdcage knocking about in my room!