Cool Stuff: Lightbulb Light Fixture Kits

How freakin' cool are these light fixtures?

Though they look like the sort of thing that would burn a hole straight through your wallet at a chi-chi European design store, you actually make them yourself from regular household light bulbs.

The brainchild of German company Bulbs Unlimited, the fixtures are assembled with the aid of "Rookie," "Pro," or "Addicted" kits -- which range from 40 to 65 euros (about $55 to $90) -- and downloadable PDF instructions.

Unfortunately, the instructions are in German -- but I'm sure that those of you who are mechanically minded enough to attempt one of these are also bright enough to figure out how to translate the instructions.*

I, of course, am neither mechanically minded nor smart enough to translate German, but it looks like assembly involves putting together a simple bare-bulb pendant (which is exactly where I get lost and give up -- but not before smashing everything to bits in frustration) and then connecting the bulbs in your chosen configuration with glue-on snaps.

The result is pretty "green," too, since you use burnt-out bulbs for your luminous creation. One of these made from silver-tipped bulbs would be especially breathtaking, methinks.

Check it out here.

*(Then again, if you're really smart, you can probably figure out how to do this with items from your neighborhood hardware store, and skip the kits and German instructions altogether.)