How to Make a Japanese Lampshade

Many people love Japanese style dcor for its clean lines, vibrant colors and exotic shapes. It's fairly simple to purchase square plates and deep bowls or to put up fans and shoji screens decorated with Japanese birds and cherry blossoms. Even your furniture is easily spruced up with some broad-striped pillows in bold Asian colors.
However, European and American lighting simply don't go with Japanese dcor. The round lamp bodies and conical shades disrupt the flow of Asian influences. Fortunately, Japanese lampshades are fairly easy to make with just a few inexpensive supplies. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Stain a piece of luan wood a dark color. Cherry, mahogany and walnut are all acceptable. Use water-based stain because it dries faster and is easier to clean up than oil-based. Allow the stain to dry for about an hour.

2

Cut the manila poster board into four rectangles of the same size.

3

Choose one color of rice paper. Pick white or some other light color that complements your dcor. Glue the rice paper in a single layer to the manila poster board, lining the seams up as perfectly as possible. Allow the glue to dry overnight.

4

Cut the luan into frame pieces, four 1-inch wide pieces the necessary length to cover all sides of each manila panel. Fit each individual panel frame together and secure it with industrial staples in the back. Use at least two staples for each joint. Glue the manila panels to the back of each frame and allow the glue to dry.

5

Cut 12 pieces of 1/4-inch wide luan strips long enough to span the manila panels horizontally. Glue three strips, evenly spaced, across each manila panel. Allow the shade to dry and set it over a free-standing bulb.