Saturday, March 21, 2009

…And now a word from our sponsor


Dig this—

I’ve been asked recently (specifically by the good people who offered up the virtual real estate for ol’ Lou to pull up his soapbox) why this little blog seems to be more about liquor than lamps. So, I figure, why not mix the two.

This little wonder is ‘task lighting’ for Lou’s at-home bar (a veritable River Rouge plant for sidecars). It’s transition started at a Chicago neighborhood garage sale, when I stumbled on an old box filled with glass seltzer bottles from days gone by, many etched with logos of long-defunct manufacturers. I scooped them up without giving any thought to what possible use they would come to.

Returning home, the effervescent Miss Dee questioned the value of my discovery. Forced to improvise, or accept a lack of foresight, I told her that I thought they would make awesome lamps. With that, she welcomed them into our happy home.

When next I ventured to storied Detroit, I brought the box to the Lounge. When he saw these old glass bottles, Jimmy the wiz-kid immediately shared my vision. So I traded him the rest of my box for a bar lamp, and the rest is history.

The point is, good lighting is very important to cocktail mixing. Wait—although that’s true—that’s not the point. The point is that the lamp is more than the light bulb.

Take a look around your world. Are there things you love, want to display and want to bring new life to? Light ‘em up! If you’re handy, do it yourself. If not, find a handy person or call Jimmy the wiz kid at the Lounge.

Old bottles, vases, tchotchkes that occupy your shelves are good places to start, but anything stable can do. I’ve seen coffee cups mounted as kitchen lighting, and a swank table lamp built from a cube of old cassette tapes.

Some truly inspired lamps can be seen here.

So what do you have around the house that’s calling out to be wired, let us know. Have you converted a ukelele into a lamp, give us a peak. Always dreamed of turning a cabbage into a light source, drop me a line.

Lou is listening.

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