Previously, I mentioned that I was determined to use our removed bamboo stalks creatively. I was intrigued by the circular cross sections and how each cut piece was unique. I started positioning them side by side in groups to form different shapes. I imagined these groups of cut bamboo pieces forming a lamp shade. I wanted to see the play of light passing through the circular openings in all the pieces.

My first tests involved tying plain, cut bamboo pieces together with twine, but the look was too 1970s macrame. Although, I loved the look of the natural color of bamboo, I wanted the finished piece to have a fresher, more modern feel. I decided to partially dip each piece in a pale, high gloss paint to lend a clean shine but keep some of the natural color. And, I switched out the twine for microfilament fishing line so the connecting material would disappear at a distance.

The structure is a ring removed from an existing lamp shade. After the bamboo pieces were tied into groups, the groups were connected to each other and then attached to the metal ring again with microfilament fishing line.

The light itself is a pendant lamp kit ordered from Amazon. The hanging cord was threaded through the lamp shade and then wired into the ceiling.

I’m thrilled to have been able to use our homegrown bamboo and to see it now in a completely different way from how it appears in the garden.