DIY Woven Basket Lampshade

They say when you’re proof reading a document you should turn the whole page upside down rendering the text useless and unrecognisable. When your brain has to focus on reading something a different way you notice more detail and instead of skimming the surface really pay attention to what’s on the page. When it comes to being creative with decorating your home it often pays to turn an item completely on it’s head.

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By giving an item a new perspective we see a totally different side to it and in turn notice the smaller details. When you turn this simple waste paper bin upside down all of a sudden it transforms from a regular, everyday object into something unusual and beautiful.


  • Woven Waste Paper Bin
  • Simple lampshade Frame (I used a cheap lampshade and took the cover off
  • Scissors

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1. Cut a square hole in the bottom of the basket. The hole needs to be central and big enough to fit a light fitting through.

Basket Lampshade cut outView in gallery

2. Metal bars ran through the centre of my bin to make it sturdy so I cut around them creating enough space on one side for the lighting fixture.

Basket Lampshade Metal exposedView in gallery

3. The hole needs to be small enough to fit within the upper ring of the lampshade frame comfortably as the basket will rest on this.

Basket Lampshade layoutView in gallery

4. Making sure the light is off, unscrew the light bulb and take the bottom half of the light fixture off.

Basket Lampshade prepare light fittingView in gallery

5. Thread the light fixture through the hole in your basket.

Basket Lampshade attach to light fittingView in gallery

6. Thread the light fixture through the larger ring of the lampshade, then into the smaller ring. Reattach the bottom half of the fixture to secure the lampshade in place.

Basket Lampshade reattach fittingsView in gallery

7. More the basket around the lampshade to find a straight balance and screw the light bulb back in.

Basket Lampshade close upView in gallery

Basket lampshade stylingView in gallery

Basket Lampshade close up sideView in gallery

This weave is very close so only a little of the light leaks through creating an ambient atmosphere. To allow for more light choose a basket with a looser weave giving more space for the light to shine through.