SOOTHING INDIRECT LIGHTING
Soft indoor home lights are easier on the eyes, relaxing.
March/April 1983
By Mark Jordan
In less than an hour's time, and with an investment of only $5.00 or so, you can enjoy . . .
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"Bounced" light, because it produces less glare and softer shadows than does direct lighting, can be both attractive and restful. And you may be surprised to know that an indirect lighting setup can be built to suit any room. Better still, you don't need advanced carpentry skills, a fat wallet, or endless hours of free time to do the job. In fact, my entire house is now illuminated with homemade units like the one shown in the accompanying photo ... and each of the fixtures required less than five of my dollars, and no more than an hour of my time!
Furthermore, even though my lights are rather rustic in appearance (in keeping with the rest of my home's decor), there's no reason why yours can't be as decorative as your talent and budget allow. You could, for instance, substitute a sanded and painted (or stained) board for my rough-sawed plank, a decorator chain for the knotted rope I used, and attractive plant hooks for the simple utility hangers that support my fixtures.
Begin the project by cutting a 1 X 6 (or 1 X 8) board of your choice to a little less than the length of the wall you plan to illuminate. Then install a series of surface-mounted lamp holders (they're available — in plastic or ceramic, and with exposed terminals for easy wiring — for less than a dollar a piece at many hardware stores) along the back of the plank, at approximately 3-foot intervals.
Now, simply run your No. 18 lamp cord from socket to socket, as shown in the drawing (you will, of course, have to bare the wire where it attaches to the terminals) and secure it with staples.
