Post on 28-Mar-2016
description
I have always been entranced by the Japanese aesthetic,
and origami is a perfect example of the simple form that I
associate with it. In Japanese culture, folding a thousand
paper cranes—called senbazuru—is believed to make a
person’s dreams come true. The intricate art of folding
paper into different shapes is an incredibly practical solution
for many things, including interior decorating challenges.
Bits and pieces become beautiful
“lazy decorating” approach.with Emily Anderson’s
SymbolicSymbolicSymbolicChandelierChandelierChandelier
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By Emily Anderson
Photography by Natalie Wi
decorating: do over
nestingnewbies.com 169
I have seen origami used in a lot of creative
ways—in fashion, jewelry, gift wrappings, and
in the home. A few years ago, a bride shared
her wedding story with me—her mother-in-
law folded a thousand paper cranes for the
wedding, and the party was festooned with
these beautiful purple, red, and gold cranes.
After the wedding, the newlywed couple
used the cranes to decorate their new home.
I thought I might be able to use this idea to
solve a design problem in my own home. For
a while, I’ve wanted to replace the overhead
light in our entranceway with something more
attractive. I know it’s easy enough to just
replace a ceiling light with a new ceiling light,
but I was looking for something a little more
creative. Truth be told, I couldn’t � nd anything
I liked that was affordable. So, I decided to
try to make an Origami Crane chandelier. It
was also a perfect way to make use of other
things I had that otherwise might have been
tossed in the garbage or taken to recycling.
My own interior design approach is what I like
to call “lazy decorating,” because most of the
time, the design decisions I make in the home
include materials I already have, repurposing
them into useful, chic things to add instant
style to my space. This project takes used
printer paper and wire clothes hangers, and
creates something quite elegant and beautiful.
By Emily Anderson Photography by Seth and Kendra Smoot Available at Amazon.com
The Origami Crane Chandelier is something Emily Anderson created for our spring issue of Nesting Newbies. You’ll fi nd more of her resourceful, chic style in her new book, Eco-Chic Home. Discover ways to put old lamps, extra sheets, mismatched dishes, and fabric scraps to new use in your home. Emily’s been featured in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Weddings, and The Today Show. Catch a daily dose of her on her blogs—Eco-Chic Weddings and Good with Style.
ECO-CHIC HOME: Rethink, Reuse & Remake Your Way to Sustainable Style
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1. Trim the pieces so that you
have perfect squares (if you’re using
printed paper).
• Two wire clothing hangers
• Small pliers
• Wire snips
• Scissors
• Silver no-VOC metallic spray paint
• Fine gauge copper wire
• Forty pieces of paper,
8.5 inches x 8.5 inches
• Twenty pieces of colored origami
paper, 6 inches x 6 inches
• Stapler
• Overhead light with a lamp base
and end cap
Emily’s Supply List:
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2. Fold the origami cranes. This
will take you several hours, so get
comfortable. This is a great thing
to do while watching TV. Watch the
origami video to learn how to make
the crane.
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3. Paint the folded paper cranes with silver paint, so you cannot see
the printi ng.
4. Take the wire hangers apart. You can simply untwist the top to
open.
5. Shape each hanger into a semicircle that is the same size as the
base of the light fi xture. Bend one side of the hanger to create the half
circle using a piece of the copper wire to hold the semicircle in place.
6. Repeat this with the second wire hanger, then att ach the two
semicircles together to make a big circle. Fasten with another piece of
copper wire.
7. Att ach the paper cranes side-by-side to the wire hanger frame
using a stapler.
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•Finger Magic Origami kits •Hanko Designs Asian rubber stamps, Japanese •Origami, and Washi papers •Origami Bijou Handmade Origami jewelry •Hobby Lobby craft and art supplies
Helpful Resources
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6. Repeat this with the second wire hanger, then att ach the two
semicircles together to make a big circle. Fasten with another piece of
copper wire.
7. Att ach the paper cranes side-by-side to the wire hanger frame
using a stapler.
8. Use the ladder to reach the overhead light, carefully removing the
light cover so the lamp rod is exposed. Put the cover to the side. Fasten
with another piece of copper wire.
9. Take the frame and create a slight opening in the center by bending
the wire hanger. Use copper wire to create an opening big enough to fi t
over the lamp base keeping it ti ght enough so that when the end cap is
replaced, the frame will be held in place on the light.
nestingnewbies.com
10. Put the frame in place and begin adding the rest of the cranes.
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11. Staple each crane to another crane unti l you have a
chandelier eff ect.
BE CLEAN!Origami paper likes a fl at, clean surface. Work on an oil-free table or countertop, or even a hardcover book.
FOLD IT, BABY!First impressions are everything! Your origami paper’s very fi rst fold quickly commits to memory, so it helps to be precise and neat. Keep your origami in shape by running your thumbnail along each fold several times.
LOOK AHEAD!Review all the steps before you start folding a model. Then as you’re folding, it helps to keep looking ahead to the next illustration to see what should be created once you have completed the step you are working on.
BE PLAYFUL, PATIENT, AND PERSISTENT!Don’t take yourself too seriously—otherwise if you do, origami is zero ounces of fun. If you’re feeling frustrated, take a break and come back to it later.
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12. Finished. You are on the path to senbazuru…
may all your do-over dreams come true!
Essential Folding Tipsfrom Cindy Ng of Girlgami,an Origami Expert
www.DecorMetro.com