This project was built and designed by Tom from Alley Picked.
Tom turns an old wooden stool, a vintage green porcelain barn light, and a small epoxy tabletop into a one-of-a-kind light-up end table that balances character with function.
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Design
The build prioritizes personality over perfection, using a vintage porcelain shade as both a light source and a design focal point that gives the piece a warm, lived-in look.
Tom keeps the silhouette simple so the materials—the worn stool, the green shade, and the swirled epoxy top—tell the story, letting scratches and patina become part of the aesthetic.
Prep and Salvage Decisions
The project starts with basic reconnaissance: testing a drill path for the cord through the hollow leg and evaluating whether to repaint or restain the stool to match the shade.
Instead of hiding old paint, Tom experiments with a dark stain that keeps some of the original character while providing a richer backdrop for the illuminated top.
Epoxy Top and Surface Work
The tabletop is poured with a two-part epoxy mixed in small batches to create a green, swirled pattern and torched briefly to pop surface bubbles before curing.
Achieving a smooth finish requires aggressive sanding and polishing; Tom sands through progressively finer grits and buffs the surface, accepting a slight haze to diffuse the light rather than a glass-perfect clarity.
Wiring and Assembly
Rewiring the vintage porcelain light involves removing the face, routing the hot and neutral correctly, and securing connections so the lamp functions safely inside the table base.
Tom adds practical details—a cable tie used as a strain relief and a rubber grommet where the cord exits—to prevent wear and give the piece a finished, durable assembly.
Finishing Touches and Function
With a few coats of polyurethane on the wood and the epoxy top seated into the stool, the table becomes a soft-glow accent perfect for a reading nook or living room corner.
The approach is adaptable: similar salvage pieces can be repurposed with different shades, epoxy colors, or light sources to dial brightness and mood to suit any space.
Why This Build Matters
This project demonstrates how judicious repairs and creative pairing of found objects can yield new furniture that feels collected rather than manufactured.
Techniques like careful routing for wiring, strain relief, and considered surface finishing are broadly useful for anyone interested in repurposing vintage lighting and furniture.
The result is a compact project that teaches useful shop skills while celebrating imperfections and making something entirely new from what might otherwise be discarded.
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Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
The beauty of salvage projects like this is how they force you to work with what you’ve got rather than starting with perfect materials. That porcelain shade becomes the star of the show, and everything else supports it. When you’re dealing with vintage electrical components, always double-check the wiring even if it looks good—old connections can be brittle, and it’s worth replacing questionable parts for safety.
That epoxy work is trickier than it looks. Getting those swirl patterns consistent takes practice, and the torching step is crucial for eliminating bubbles that would show up under the light. Working in small batches is smart—epoxy has a limited working time, and you don’t want to rush the pour. The slight haze Tom accepts actually works in his favor here, creating that soft light diffusion.
The strain relief detail is something every maker should keep in mind for any project involving cords. Those little rubber grommets and cable ties prevent the inevitable tugging and flexing that happens with furniture from eventually damaging your wiring. It’s one of those finishing touches that separates a weekend project from something that’ll last for years.