For the mash up project, one of my words is a perishable food while the other is a timeless object. This combination allowed me to explore how a chandelier, a decorative hanging light, can be created out of Nutella, a much loved chocolate hazelnut spread that people across the world enjoy. In fact, it is so addictive and fantastic that one jar is sold every 2.5 seconds. Nutella has quite some fame which I enjoyed learning about here. With further research, I found that nutella has been an inspiration for other products on the market. Check out this Nutella phone case. I guess having a chandelier in your dining room that constantly reminds you of chocolate spread isn’t too bad of a thing, right?
Although Nutella is great in any shape or form, I had to keep in mind that a chandelier is a sustainable light fixture. I started thinking about how I could change the composition of this gooey spread in order to better preserve it through time. Although it is possible to liquify it or harden it, I decided that using the packaging rather than the spread itself would be not only more durable, but also much more maintainable.
While learning about what types of chandeliers are on the market today, I felt inspired by contemporary hanging light styles. One recent trend in particular has been glass jars that expose the light bulb. I love this raw and simple look and decided to use the Nutella jar as a light pendant for my project.
After taking a shopping trip to Canal Lighting and Parts, I began the handy work. First, I drilled a hole through the bottom of the jar in order to fit the socket. Since the drill was not large enough, I expanded the hole by filing down the edges.
After that, I began the wirework. I stripped both ends of the fabric cord and attached one end to the socket. Next, I drilled a hole into the lid of the Nutella jar and slid it onto the cord. I chose to use the lid as the top piece of the chandelier, which will be installed flush to the ceiling and serve as the platform where the jar hangs down from.
Next, I stripped the power cord wires and used a soldering iron to bind them to the light pendant wire. Then I covered the soldered wires with heat shrink tubing. Although a minor electrical explosion occurred along the way, I finally was able to successfully bind the two cords together and light the bulb.
My last touch to the lamp was putting the label back onto the jar right-side up. I used a spray adhesive to bind the label to the plastic. Although a simple procedure, it is the most important since it adds the mmm delicious touch.
And here it is: a nutella chandelier. This is intended to hang in the homes of avid nutella lovers that can never get enough of it. With this chandelier, they can get an eyeful anytime.