DIY An Expensive-Looking Outdoor Solar Lamp With These IKEA Finds

According to a study published in Environmental Health, spending time in the sun can help to boost your mood, encourage cognitive functioning, and even help to better regulate your sleep schedule. While relaxing in the sun might conjure memories of kicking back on the beach or lounging by a hotel pool, you don't need to wait for an island getaway to incorporate these findings in your daily routine. Outdoor spaces, whether they're a massive backyard or a small patio, can give you the chance to enjoy these benefits in your own home, and building an area that feels luxurious and comfortable can help to encourage you to take full advantage of what you have available.

Refreshing your outdoor space, however, can get pretty expensive, so if you're working on a tighter budget, try your hand at making some smaller changes like creating your own DIY solar lamps. While it might seem like a simple addition, some additional lighting and accessorizing can go a long way in revamping a space. As an added bonus, this DIY project is low-cost, ultra beginner-friendly, and doesn't require any complex wiring or mounting to pull off. With a few dollars and some clever shopping, you can easily bring a luxurious touch to your patio in a matter of minutes.

To do this project yourself, you're going to need three main items: solar lightbulbs, rattan lampshades, and rope. Depending on the specifics of your ceiling, you might also need to pick up some hooks to more easily hang your light fixtures, but you can also just tie the ropes to overhead beams if they're available.

The exact lampshades you choose are entirely dependent on your taste, but IKEA has some great options available, like the KAPPELAND pendant lampshade and the TORARED pendant lampshade. If you're looking for something with a smaller footprint, Amazon also offers a 3-Pack Rattan Lampshade Set for just $29.99. As long as your lampshade can fit a regular-sized lightbulb and lets in enough light for your solar bulb to charge, you should be good to go, so don't be afraid to shop around at different online and secondhand retailers until you find something that aligns well with your space.

Finally, in order to turn your shade into a DIY hanging patio light, you're also going to need to pick up some solar bulbs, like these 4-Pack LED Solar Emergency Lightbulbs from Amazon. The solar power will allow you to turn on your lamps frequently without having to worry about replacing the batteries or dealing with annoying wires, and the included hooks will make it easier to mount your light fixture once you assemble it.

Once you've gathered your materials, it's time to get building. Luckily, this project is about as easy as assembling a normal lamp, so you don't have to worry about breaking out any special tools or testing the limits of your DIY skills. Take your lampshade, install your solar lightbulb underneath, and attach the hook to the top of the bulb. From here, cut a length of rope a few inches longer than the distance from your ceiling to where you want the light fixture to hang. Tie the rope to the hook to complete the fixture, then secure the other end to a beam or a hook on your ceiling.

Once it's installed, it might take a bit of time to charge in the sun, but you should be able to enjoy your brand-new lighting fixtures in no time. Once they're ready to go, you'll have created a lovely addition to your outdoor space that's functional, fashionable, and frugal. Who knows — this simple switch could be just the spark you need to encourage you to explore even more budget-friendly DIY deck ideas.