Custom lighting that looks like a million bucks — or at least a few thousand — doesn’t have to be reserved for people with trust funds or cushy jobs. Give an oversized plastic bowl some special treatment, and you can end up with a faux Tiffany lamp that will set you back less than the cost of a fast-casual lunch. There are lots of ways to transform a serving bowl into a luxe-looking light fixture, but a mosaic bowl glowing with lozenges of color is a pretty novel take on this DIY trend. Best of all, it will cost you a tiny fraction of a real stained-glass lamp.

Purchase a large plastic bowl, E6000 glue, mosaic grout, mosaic sealant, and a few bags of glass gems or glass pebbles for flower arrangements in a variety of colors. You can put together a color theme, a decorative pattern or image, or just an eclectic scattering of colors.

You’ll also need a drill with varying sizes of bits and sandpaper. The variety of bit sizes is for making a pilot hole and working up to the final hole size; this can prevent damage to the plastic. The size of the hole you’ll drill in the bowl depends on the type of lamp you’ll be using for this mosaic shade. If you’re planning on using it as a pendant lamp or setting it atop a torchiere base, a bi-metal hole saw bit is a good choice. Otherwise, try a high-speed steel (HSS) bit that’s a bit wider than the screw fitting on the top of the lamp’s harp.

Drilling holes in plastic tends to splinter, crack, and even melt the material. Set yourself up for the best chances of success by following a few steps and going slowly. Before starting, secure the bowl as best as you can on a work surface. If you have some scrap wood to make a jig for the bowl, that will work nicely. However, a corner of a wall that meets a counter or a table may give you enough hold if you add a few pieces of duct tape on the other edges to keep the bowl in place. Overturn the bowl, and place it against the supports. At the very center of the bowl’s base, drip a bit of water to keep the drill bit cool. Going slowly and using only the weight of the drill for pressure, make a pilot hole. Trade out bits until you reach the desired hole size, making sure to continue at a constant speed and pressure with a bit of cooling water.

Scrub the bowl’s exterior with sandpaper to help the adhesive hold the glass pieces in place. Wipe away any dust. You can use a permanent marker to plan out your chosen pattern on the bowl, or you can freehand a multicolor mishmash. Still with the bowl overturned, squeeze a dot of E6000 on the back of each glass gem as you place it, starting with a row along the rim. Let the glue harden before arranging the next row; if the glue isn’t dry, the weight of the following rows will cause lower pieces to come loose and fall off.

After you’ve gradually attached each row of gems, leave the bowl undisturbed for 24 to 48 hours for the glue to dry and cure fully. Grab small handfuls of mosaic grout with gloved hands, and smooth it over the gems. Continue until you’ve covered the entire bowl. Let the grout set for 10 minutes, then wipe the excess grout from the face of each gem with a damp paper towel or cloth. Let the grout dry for about 30 minutes, and wipe away any additional grout or residue from each gem.

Allow the grout to dry and cure for at least 48 hours before adding a coat of mosaic sealant. If you’d like, add another layer after 30 minutes. Once the sealant is no longer tacky to the touch, your shade is ready for the light to shine through! Mosaic is this year’s tile trend that’s taking over more than just kitchen backsplashes, and a glass twist on the classic tile is a novel take on this technique. If you have extra materials once you’re done, get more use out of your new know-how with another project or two. Add an artsy aesthetic to your backyard with a DIY mosaic table. If you don’t have enough supplies for a table, piece together a lovely mosaic plant pot for indoors or out.