Make Your Own Chandelier

For a cheap lighting alternative, why not make your own chandelier?

Before you dive into the process of creating your own chandelier, take a few minutes to decide what kind of look you really want.

• Where will you put the chandelier—in the living room, a child's room, or over the kitchen table?
• How much of a do-it-yourself person are you? Do you want to make the entire light fixture from scratch, or would you rather revamp an old chandelier?
• What kind of look do you like—eclectic, traditional, elegant, quirky?

Once you have an idea of the style of lighting you want to create, you can begin to make your own chandelier.

The simplest way to create a chandelier is to take an old one and give it a new look. This can be as simple as giving it a new coat of paint and purchasing some new bulbs, or you can get a bit more creative with some of the following ideas:

• To change its shape, you can cover the chandelier with plaster-embedded gauze, then paint it whatever color you prefer.
• Simply changing out or adding mini lampshades can make a plain light fixture pop with color. Look around your room, and choose shades that match the rest of the décor.
• After painting or cleaning the chandelier, add embellishments. For an inexpensive decorating solution, purchase strings of Christmas beads, and drape them over the light's arms. You can also cut out sections of beads and hang them from each individual light so that they "drip" from the light.
• For a quirky and whimsical look that works great in a child's room, consider hanging toys from a brightly painted chandelier. Stick to a theme, like toy airplanes, small stuffed animals, dolls, moon and stars, aquatic animals, etc. Other ideas include tea cups, large crystals, colored balls, Christmas decorations, etc.

If you really want to make your own chandelier, the following steps are simple to follow:

• Visit your local hobby or craft store for all the essentials. Sometimes you might be able to find a create-your-own-kit to use, but if not, you still should be able to find almost everything you need.
• You'll need something to create the center part of the light. This could be a regular ceiling light fixture or you could make your own out of tin, PVC, wood, etc.
• You can create your own chandelier arms using PVC pipe. You should be able to find a shape that is appropriate at your local hardware store. PVC makes an excellent choice since wiring will fit comfortably and safely inside it.
• Join the pipe to the central portion of the light by using plumber's putty or an all-surface adhesive.
• There are a number of ways to transform the PVC pipe into an appropriate looking light fixture. You can sand it lightly, apply a primer, then paint it with acrylic or latex paint. You can cover the pipe with fabric by either sewing a "sleeve" to fit over the pipe, or gluing the material onto the pipe. You can also use air-drying clay on the fixture arms, and paint the clay after it dries.
• Be sure you leave all of the piping open until you thread the wiring through the fixture. Wiring and lighting kits can be purchased at home improvement and lighting stores. After you have pulled the wire through the top of the chandelier, leave extra wiring for easier attachment to the wiring in the ceiling.
• You'll also need to attach light bulb shells and sockets at the end of each arm.
• Now, you are ready to add any embellishments of your choice to give the chandelier its own unique look.
• To hang the chandelier from the ceiling, you may need to purchase chandelier chains, particularly if your light is very heavy.

Remember—be careful using metal around wiring, since this could cause a short circuit. Also, if you create a heavy chandelier, don't just connect it to the wiring in the ceiling. Instead, use chandelier chains for extra support. Finally, use caution when working around any electrical wiring.

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