As an interior designer, light fixtures and lamps are some of my favorite accessories. Unfortunately, lighting decisions are often just an afterthought at the end of the project.
To find the right look, ceiling fixtures should be chosen early in the redecorating process. They are available in a variety of designs, sizes and prices, so there is something for every personality, room and budget.
During a recent remodeling project, one of my clients had a flush mount light that was in perfect working order but no longer fit the design scheme of the room. It was swapped out for a more modern fixture, but instead of throwing the old light away, I repurposed it into a sparkling mini-chandelier.
Here’s how you can do the same.
Step 1: Choose a Color
There are no hard and fast rules for picking your chandelier’s color. I considered spray painting the fixture, but felt the antique bronze finish was still an appropriate color choice.
If it were going in a pre-teen girl’s room, hot pink or turquoise would be fun and unique, while gold or silver would work for a formal dining room. Anything goes!
Step 2: Gather Your Materials
You will need crystal beads and eye pins. Choose beads that measure approximately 1/2-inch. A little bigger or smaller will do, but the smaller the bead, the more you will need.
Be sure to buy only glass or crystal beads. Plastic and acrylic beads won’t reflect the light enough to create a shining effect.
Step 3: Measure Your Fixture
The original glass shade measured six inches from edge to center, so I needed six-inch long bead “chains.” Each chain had 11 beads.
It takes a simple equation to figure out how many chains you’ll need. First, determine how much space you’ll have between the chains. Then, measure the circumference of the fixture. Divide the circumference by the space between each chain for the total number of chains.
In my case, I wanted a 1.25-inch space between chains, and the canopy base on my light was 27.75 inches. Since 27.75 divided by 1.25 equals 22.2, I needed 22 chains.
Step 4: Assemble the Chains
To make the chains, thread an eye pin through a bead, then make a loop at the opposite end with round nose pliers.
Connect the next eye pin and bead to the previous loop. Continue connecting beads until you get the length you need. You should finish with an eye pin at each end.
Step 5: Drill the Base
Trace the glass shade on a piece of paper and mark off your spaces evenly around the edge.
Lay the paper on the canopy, and then transfer your marks onto the fixture with a permanent marker.
Drill a hole at each mark, then repeat on the bottom cover.
Step 6: Prep the Canopy
Peel off the reflective paper from the canopy and remove any stubborn adhesive. Since the sockets will be visible, I painted them dark brown to match the rest of the fixture.
Step 7: Attach Your Chains
Attach each chain to the bottom cover. Thread an eye pin though the drilled hole and make a loop on the underside with the round nose pliers.
This loop will keep the chain in place. Attach the chains to the canopy through the top side and make the same loops on the underside.
The result is a very elegant flush mount chandelier, perfect for a bedroom, foyer or even a closet. The crystals completely transform the fixture into a stunning new piece—plus I love how they create a pretty pattern on the ceiling when lit up!
Merri Cvetan is a Wisconsin interior designer who advises many of her clients on the lighting options available as part of their overall renovation plan. Merri also writes tips on DIY and design for The Home Depot. To review Home Depot’s selection of chandeliers available online, you can visit the company’s website.
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