Daily DIY: From Cardboard to Chandelier

If you've ever shipped posters before, you'll know how inexpensive cardboard tubes can be. And if you've ever shopped for a chandelier, you'll know how expensive those can be. Let's swap the two, shall we?

Instructables shows us how to create a lovely chandelier with a few materials and just $25 (the cardboard tubes used in the tutorial were free, but you can get more than enough for the project for less than $10 right here).

The tools? Gorilla glue, cardboard tubes, seam ripper, clamps, marker, metal wire, light sockets, surge protector, light bulbs. That's it! Easy enough, and definitely worth a trip to the hardware store for a $30 chandelier.

Don't like the industrial look? Why not spray paint your cardboard tubes in a bold lacquer color, such as hot pink or lime green. Or, for a more glamorous look, paint the tubes white and let the bulbs shine through.

However you slice it, this light fixture will score you a permanent spot in the Most Inventive Lighting Awards* next year!

*MILA may or may not exist.