Monday, May 12, 2014

What A Girl Wants

The Kitchen Lighting Series - 3 - 


I think a kitchen needs bright lights, especially if you're clumsy like I am, you want a well lit countertop when you're chopping something and you don't want your finger to end up diced in place of the carrot...

Les cuisines ont besoin d'être bien éclairées, surtout si vous êtes maladroite comme moi et que vous ne voulez pas vous émincer le doigt en même temps que votre carotte...

But I also believe in soft table lamps for breakfast or a quite evening cup of tea.

Mais je crois qu'il faut aussi quelques éclairages doux pour le petit déjeuner ou la tisane du soir.

I had a very, very precise idea of what I wanted... and couldn't find it anywhere... But what a girl wants, she gets one way or an other. All that's needed is a huge dose of patience.


Je savais exactement ce que je voulais et je ne pouvais le trouver nulle part. Mais ce que femme veut...

It all began with the vintage scale you may have noticed on the top of my hutch.


The lady whom I bought it from was also selling a huge enamel basin. I had no idea what I'd do with it, but I took it.

Tout a commencé avec la vieille balance que vous aviez peut-être déjà vue sur mon buffet. La dame qui la vendait se débarrassait aussi de cette bassine émaillée que j'ai emportée sans savoir ce que j'en ferais.


As you can see it was white with a navy trim. As the kitchen was very much undone, I began using the basin to put things that were going to the recycling bin, while I kept looking everywhere for a white one with a black trim... Just as I was looking for a white coffee pot with a black trim for my lamp project...

Comme vous pouvez le voir, elle avait un tour bleu et j'en cherchais une avec un tour noir, tout comme je cherchais une cafetière blanche avec un tour noir pour mon projet lampe... Je n'en trouvais jamais ou pas dans mes prix... Mais c'était l'époque où je commençais à lire des blogs et je me suis demandée si je ne pouvais pas utiliser un peu de peinture noire...

I couldn't find any and as I was beginning to read blogs at the time, I wondered if I could just paint the blue trim in black... 


It worked great, so I began looking for a white coffee pot, no matter what colour was the trim.

Cela a très bien fonctionné, et je suis donc partie à la recherche d'une cafetière blanche, peu importait la couleur du tour.


Enamel coffee pots are all the rage right now in France, so of course they are expensive and I had to wait several months for one I could afford one that turned out to have a blue trim.

J'ai mis longtemps à en trouver une car les cafetières émaillées sont devenues hors de prix ces derniers temps en vide-grenier. J'en ai finalement dénichée une pas trop chère avec un tour bleu.


Out came my paint can and paint brush again...

J'ai ressorti mon pinceau...

Then I thought it'd be easy peasy to transform it into a lamp, but it turned out that none of the neighbours who usually help me when I have a project was willing to drill a hole in enamel. One of them might have pointed out to me that it was a coffee pot, not a lamp. "Well, for now, it is!"

Je pensais que ce serait ensuite très facile de la transformer en lampe, mais aucun de mes deux voisins qui me donnent parfois un coup de main dans mes projets n'a voulu percer ma cafetière émaillée. L'un d'eux m'a expliqué que les cafetières n'étaient pas faites pour être des lampes...

So the coffee pot stayed there for a few months until I found someone on my usual website who was selling a lamp made out of a coffee pot. I contacted him and asked if he had done it himself and if so, if he was willing to transform mine if I payed him.

La cafetière est donc restée sur mon étagère plusieurs mois jusqu'à ce que je tombe sur une annonce sur Le Bon Coin: quelqu'un vendait une cafetière modifiée en lampe. Je l'ai contacté pour savoir s'il accepterait de faire le même travail sur la mienne si je le payais.

One dark evening of January I drove my coffee pot to a farm in the middle of nowhere, got my car stuck in mud, but the coffee pot did get turned into a lamp after a little song was sung...

Et donc un soir de janvier, j'ai conduit ma cafetière dans une ferme en rase campagne, j'ai embourbé ma voiture, mais ma cafetière a bien été transformée en lampe après une petite chanson de ce type:


My car got turned into nothing else than a very muddy car, unfortunately.

Ma voiture n'a pas été transformée en carrosse malheureusement, seulement en voiture boueuse.


Now, I love copper, but somehow it wasn't looking that great sandwiched between the white coffee pot and the white light shade.

J'adore le cuivre, mais pris en sandwich entre la cafetière blanche et l'abat-jour blanc, je ne le trouvais pas très heureux.


And so here's the lamp that I wanted... It only took six months or so...


Et voilà donc le projet tout simple, mais qui m'a pris six mois à réaliser!


Now, I would love to show you how it looks in the new kitchen, but to tell you the truth, the lamp is safely stored in my bedroom/storage room while work is being done in the kitchen.

J'aimerai vous la montrer dans la nouvelle cuisine, mais pour l'instant, elle est à l'abri dans ma chambre/débarras pendant que le poseur s'active.

I may have spent a whole afternoon this weekend on all fours to hoover the dust and mop under the new cabinets, so that the workers don't put the baseboards hiding all the mess behind them!

Une rumeur prétend que j'ai passé une partie du weekend à genoux à aspirer la sciure sous les meubles dans la crainte que les plinthes ne soient posées en début de semaine avec toute la sciure cachée derrière!

Of course, I thought that the only lights missing now were a wall lamp and some under the cabinet lighting... But lamps have a way to find me... as you'll see in the next post!

Bien sûr, une fois ce projet lampe terminé, je pensais qu'il ne me restait plus qu'à trouver des spots à mettre sous les meubles et une applique... Mais tout ne s'est pas passé comme prévu... Surprise dans le prochain article!

What do you think of my coffee pot lamp for the kitchen?

See you soon,

A bientôt,



PS1: If you're dreaming about having an enamel coffee pot lamp of your own, I have a few enamel coffee pot listed in my shop and you can even ask me to list some more if the colour you're looking for is not in the shop right now...

PS2: Cottage loves the light it makes in the evening and he's beginning to think that I might not be that crazy...

PS3: I'm bringing my lamp to the following parties...

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.fr/2014/05/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no-212.html           Linky Party         Lavender Garden Cottage                                   
31 Days to Slash Your Budget Painlessly          I would love to have you join me for my link party, Share Your Cup!                                     


39 comments:

  1. I love it. It reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. xoxo

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  2. The lamp is great and looks so good. So glad that you found a coffee pot and a kind gentleman to fix it for you. Enjoy your lamp. Have a great week.
    Mary

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  3. What a girl wants... I admire your follow-through, it is very easy these sort of ideas just get piled up half-done in an attic somewhere. It was very cute and gives me good disney vibes, but more along the line of Mrs Potts! Can your pot sing as well?

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    1. Oh, I also have countless waiting in the attic projects! This on was one of the lucky fews to get accomplished! Maybe I should name my lamp in rtue Disney style! I'll ask her to sing as soon as she's back in the kitchen!

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  4. All French coffee pots can sing.
    Very unusual, but so right in your cottage. Wht would you do without Le Bon Coin?!

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  5. Awesome! I really love it! So unique, it's useful also beautiful

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  6. I love lamps in the kitchen. It gives it such as feeling of warmth.

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  7. It looks so cute! If I may make a suggestion, I think the lampshade would look better if the top and bottom edges were black like the edges of the coffee pot :)

    Great idea to use it as a lamp - you are brilliant! mud & all!!

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  8. I LOVE it, you know I do!! Inspiring as always! I have a chippy white enamel coffee pot that I bought this summer, that could easily turn into a lamp, though I must admit that this house is awash in lamps, and it's possible that perhaps I don't need quite so many? HA. I love lamps. Well done!!! Charming and fits perfectly with the style of cottage! I am also thrilled to hear that you are cleaning UNDER THE NEW CABINETS!! This means we are getting close,right? eeeeeekkkkk!!! So exciting!!
    PS-so interested to hear that all french coffee pots can sing! I know tea pots can, so it's wonderful to hear about coffee pots!

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  9. Wow! What a creative use of the enameled coffee pot! The lamp is perfect. I love the idea of painting the brass. The details matter. You are such an entertaining writer Magali, and your stories always take us on happy excursions.

    Enjoy your week.

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  10. Your new lamp is so cute! Love the idea of a kitchen item being transformed! My car is a total mud pit right now due to our soggy gravel roads.

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  11. It's perfect Magali! You did a great job on your lamp!

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  12. Es tu sûre que si tu frottes ta cafetière lampe, il n'en sortira pas un bon génie qui finira toute ta cuisine en un tour de main ???
    En tout cas ta lampe me plaît. Ça sera parfait pour ta déco. J'attends la suite avec impatience, j'espère que ton cuisiniste ne te fera pas trop attendre.
    Bisous bisous. Babette

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  13. J'adore ! Tu aurais du transformer la bassine en plafonnier ?...

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  14. Adorable and definitely worth the wait. Great job!

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  15. Hahaha! That is AWESOME!!! Bibbidy Bobbidy BOO!!!

    -andi

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  16. Very cute! I like how simple it is compared to the teacup lamps that are out there. Good for you following through and making it happen. :)

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    1. I'm really happy with it, but I can't believe such an easy project took me so long!

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  17. This lamp is adorable! I have a silver teapot turned into a lamp and it is one of my favorite things. Good job!

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  18. It's perfect and loks right at home in your delightful cottage! Looking forward to seeing more...:) Have a great week!

    Blessings, Vicky

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  19. I love it, Magali! It adds the perfect amount of coziness! Can't wait to see it in your new kitchen!

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  20. I've so enjoyed reading your light series, gosh lights have sure gotten prettier and more funky! OK, I love your coffee pot lamp, I mean i really love it, it is so darn cute and cottagey looking! I like it better than tea cups lamps, too cutsy for me, the coffee pot lamp as such a feel of tranquility and calm. I so want one, I mean now I'm going to, have to, need to have one!

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  21. Love your lamp. I have been accused of painting anything that stays still too long but I love the trans-formative nature of paint. I am currently working on reviving a vintage piece of luggage with the power of paint.
    Traci

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  22. Patience has its rewards. Love the lamp, Magali. So cottagey.

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    1. Thank you! There's a pause in the kitchen remodel because some doors are missing, but I put the lamp back. It just wasn't so nice to have breakfast with the big lamps on.

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  23. I love the idea of a coffee pot lamp - so clever!

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  24. The "enlighted" coffee pot is amazing and so funny !! Every home should have some humoristic pieces of furniture, interior decorating doesn't have to be so serious all the time... Good find ! Have a nice day, - Marcy

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    1. Thanks. I have an other "enlightened" object to share. I hope too humoristic pieces aren't too much in a kitchen!
      Magali

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  25. Good for you, clever girl!! Love those old basins. I have one downstairs and need to bring it up and start using it. I think mine has red trim. I love your lamp too, Magali. Nice work! So glad you stopped in today. Glad you enjoy my Wisconsin barns. :-)

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  26. What a great idea ! Amazing ! Love from Izabella.

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  27. So pretty - and perfect for your cottage Magali !!!
    XOX

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  28. I love it Magali, I love the whole upcycling thing and it's perfect for your kitchen.
    My bff has been buying teacups and saucers for a couple of years to turn into lamps, but still hasn't made a single one, so I think 6 months is pretty good, and she doesn't have to drive to a muddy farm to get the holes drilled, she just needs to ask her husband !

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  29. Oh I love it! I think it's so happy that it is now a lamp that I hear it perking. lol! Worth the wait my friend! Thanks for sharing it with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  30. Hi Magali,
    featuring you at SYC this week my friend!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  31. I think it is a very clever and creative idea ! :) And it looks wonderful! :)

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  32. Love the lamp, and your dining room.
    xoxo's

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  33. That is a fantastic idea Magali! I love it!! Once again you inspire me! Would you be upset if you saw round the Auburns?

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