A stylish, of-the-moment DIY project that anyone can pull off: rope lamp
One of the coolest, most foolproof, deeply satisfying DIY projects you can possibly undertake is making you own rope-covered table lamp. Even those of us with utterly minimal crafting capabilities can handle the task (I say this from experience having made one myself a few years ago!). And it's a particularly relevant undertaking now, as rope accents are a huge design trend at the moment, and have a beachy, breezy feel that's just right for the summer.
Start with a bulbous lamp base. You might even have one lying around that you're sick of looking at in its current state. If not, shop for an inexpensive lamp in a curvy silhouette that appeals to you. Don't worry if you hate the color or pattern-you're going to cover it up.
The only other tools you need are a hot glue gun and some rope. You'll want to get rope that's fairly thick, since it'll be easier to work with. Choose one in a natural, goes-with-anything fiber like jute or sisal.
Working your way up from the bottom, start coiling the rope around the base of the lamp, using the glue gun to get it to stick. Press as you go to help the glue set, and carefully continue wrapping the rope around the lamp, making sure that no gaps appear between each layer. When you get to the top, trim the rope at an angle and tuck it in under the last coil.
On Marthastewart.com they recommend capping it off with a neutral shade made of parchment or linen, though I also like the idea of using a strong color (black or red would both be really chic) for the sake of contrast.
