Scandanavian lamp

Upcycling My Way Into the Scandinavian Aesthetic (With a Few Struggles Along the Way)

I am that person who gets bored way too fast. If my attention span were human, it’d be the friend who shows up to a party, grabs a snack, and then mysteriously disappears 15 minutes later.

So when I first started my upcycling project, I was all about the Kolam aesthetic—introducing something new and cultural. But then, reality hit: What was I even going to use? Since I could only buy extra supporting materials, I needed to work with what I could find.

How I Accidentally Became a Scandi Fan

One evening, after a long shift at work, I walked past my apartment’s “take it or leave it” dumping zone and spotted something tragic—a dusty, abandoned lamp. My brain instantly went, “Ew.” But then another part of my brain went, “Wait…potential?”

I left it there, but it wouldn’t leave my head. That night, instead of making actual decisions, I fell into a Pinterest black hole and stumbled upon Scandinavian interiors. Cozy, colorful, imperfectly perfect. And then it hit me—my own tiny dorm was already halfway there.

At that moment, my project pivoted: Kolam aesthetic, out. Upcycled Scandi lamp, in.

The Process: A Test of Patience and Glue

1. First issue? The lamp didn’t even work. My friend and I had to fix the LED bulb first. No wonder it was abandoned.
2. Second issue? The shape. My original plan was to wrap yarn around it, but this wasn’t a normal table lamp—it had a smooth, curved base. Wrapping was a no-go.
3. Plan B: Stick the yarn. Piece. By. Piece. A long, glue-filled nightmare.
4. Color choices? 2024’s Scandinavian trend! I used pops of red, purple, green, pink, and blue to match the aesthetic’s playful yet minimal vibe.
5. Final issue? Not enough yarn. There were gaps in between, and now I need to buy more to fill them in.HOW IT TURNED OUT:

HOW IT TURNED OUT?

Final Thoughts: A Beginner-Friendly Struggle

Was this project beginner-friendly? Yes. Did I still struggle? Absolutely.
Would I do it again? Honestly…maybe.

It’s not perfect yet, but I’m happy with how it turned out so far. Now, I just need to grab more yarn, patch up the gaps, and officially give this lamp its Scandinavian glow-up!

Thanks for following along—if you have any thoughts, tips, or just want to laugh at my struggles, drop a comment!