So when I moved and saw this hideous chandelier, my instant reaction was it had to go and be replaced. As I looked and looked in the stores, I never really found anything I loved... and the more I looked at the chandelier, the more I thought I could do something with it to salvage it.
So we've all seen these 80's type chandeliers, right? brassy with ugly glass plates...
The first thing I did was pull the hideous glass plates off. I had a couple friends suggest maybe frosting the glass plates or something, but I really didn't want to use them at all, and one of them was missing anyway. They are sitting in my garage awaiting another project or a donation.
I had Robbie pull the chandelier down off the ceiling, because the brass finish had to GO.
after taping over the light bulbs, I sprayed the entire fixture with a satin black spray paint.
If you are spray painting a piece, you first want to use masking tape to cover anything that should not be painted, and clean the fixture of any dust and debris. here I didn't want to worry about getting paint into open sockets, so I left the light bulbs in and taped over the bulbs.
take it outside on a day that isn't too windy, and lay down newspaper to protect the lawn. (even if you get spray paint on the grass, it's not a huge deal- it will be gone the first time you cut the grass. But you dont want the fixture sitting in the grass because then you will have grass and dirt stuck to the wet paint.) You want to avoid days that are really windy because not only would your paint be carried in the wind, but then leaves and other debris could be blown into your object while it is drying.
several light coats work better than one heavy coat, because you don't want runs in the paint. If you DO end up with a run, wait until it dries and then sand it out smooth, touching up with a light coat of paint as needed.
Once I had the fixture painted and it finished drying, I had Robbie hang it back up on the ceiling. It already looked a million times better without that dated brassy finish! I knew I wanted to make bead strands to hang from the hooks that held the glass plates, so I had to go shopping to choose beads that worked with my decor.
My living room and dining room area are painted in a dark warm grey stone color, with pops of color in pillows and art work. The main accent color in the living space is a soft limey green, and so I looked for beads in that color and with lots of sparkle and character.
I went back and forth on how I wanted to design the bead strands, and eventually came up with a patten I liked.
As soon as I hung the first couple strands on the fixture to test it, I knew I had came up with the right design. This is actually two separate strands, and they are hung from little loops that can be easily removed from the fixture. This way, if I redecorate and change my decor and colors in the future, I can easily change the chandelier to suit my new decor.
I took my time making all the bead strands over a couple of months, and so its been a long time coming that this piece is actually finished! But I LOVE it, and it is SO me... Its pretty but kind of funky and eclectic looking and definitely not something you'd see in any one else's home. I love the artsy, handmade look.
From brassy and dated to modern and artsy, this chandelier is now a major conversation piece in my home and the envy of all my friends. No one can believe it is the same piece it was when we first moved in. It really was not even difficult to do, and I saved the fully functional fixture from ending up in the landfill.
This is a simple project that anyone can do! all you need is some spray paint and beading supplies to get a fresh new look from that old, dated light fixture you just hate!
BEFORE AND AFTER!!
