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When it comes to lighting, Leanne Ford has always stuck to the same mantra: The bigger, the better. Specifically, the bigger the paper lantern, the better. You’ll see oversize, lightweight shades in almost all of her projects, including her very own Pennsylvania guesthouse, where a taupe-hued linen pendant lamp from Imprint House presides over her thrifted coffee table. The catch is that the XXL orb—and most styles like it, such as Hay’s popular rice paper shade—doesn’t come with a bulb or electrical cord. Ford’s perfect pairing? A chic brass cord kit that’s only $84. It’s the best thing she’s ever bought on Etsy.
E27 Base Ceiling Pendant Kit
“Cord kits are essential to have around when I’m trying to make all my old vintage finds and Noguchi lanterns work,” says Ford. Her Etsy favorite is from Denmark-based vendor LeKrazy Horse, a “star seller” with a track record for earning 5-star reviews, shipping orders on time, and quickly replying to messages. The E27 base ceiling pendant kit’s bulb socket and ceiling canopy are made of shiny solid brass (the set is also available in burnished brass) and come in four different cord lengths spanning up to 157 inches. However, one reviewer notes that, upon request, the seller provided them with a custom cord measurement. One other thing to keep in mind, per another buyer: Double-check the size of your junction box to make sure the canopy will cover the existing opening.
While the twisted fiber cord comes in custom colors upon request, “you can also paint it or wrap it with rope to help it fit more seamlessly in your space,” Ford suggests. Bonus points for updating your plain white shade with abstract Sharpie swirls, another Ford magic trick, or going with a mesh wire shade that exposes the inner workings of the genius Etsy find for all to admire.