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

170

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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nestingnewbies.com 171

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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.

172

•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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nestingnewbies.com 173

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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