Whether you’re updating your home decor and looking to discard those outdated lamps or have just discovered a gem at the thrift store, light fixtures offer an excellent opportunity for a DIY transformation. These fixtures consist of various elements, from the base and stand to the decorative shades and even electrical components. With some creativity and basic crafting tools, you can upcycle an old light fixture into items like a side table, planter, or jewelry stand for your home. You could also transform one for your outdoor space into a birdbath or solar light fixture.
However, not all light fixtures are equally suitable for repurposing. Fixtures like chandeliers and floor lamps with sturdy bases are ideal for upcycling, whereas plastic fixtures may not be as durable. When selecting a fixture, opt for materials like metal that can be easily cleaned and modified. Additionally, to bring your creative visions to life, you’ll need a few DIY essentials like wire cutters, pliers, and a drill to attach new elements to these pieces. Don’t forget about paint and decorative touches to truly customize the final appearance of these light fixture upcycles.
Chandelier Bird Feeder
If you have an old chandelier to repurpose or have picked up a well-loved piece at the thrift store, you can transform it into a bird feeder and turn your yard into a bird buffet. It requires a bit of ingenuity, but all you need to do is get crafty by adding bowls to the upturned light fixtures using strong adhesive. Ensure you remove the wiring and bulb sockets first, then attach shallow dishes where the lights used to be. Finally, fill these feeding stations with birdseed.
Hanging Planter
Before discarding that outdated chandelier, consider flipping the script and the fixture to create a hanging planter adorned with beautiful blooms. An old chandelier makes a lovely hanging display for your favorite plants when you replace its light cups with small pots. You’ll need to remove all electrical components, leaving just the skeletal frame. Then, secure pots or containers like teacups to each arm using strong adhesive or brackets. Once potted with succulents or trailing flowers, display your planter for all to admire.
Lamp Shade Frame Planter
Don’t overlook those worn-out lampshades for DIY projects. In fact, you can repurpose old lampshades to create planters for indoors or outdoors. This project involves dismantling the lampshade to reveal the metal skeleton, which is ideal for supporting hanging baskets. Simply nestle a pot or coco liner inside the frame and plant your favorite herbs or trailing flowers. Another lampshade could be attached to the base to stand on its own, or hang them with a chain for a vertical garden that’s space-saving without sacrificing quality.
Floor Lamp Bird Bath
Give a new purpose to that outdated floor lamp by inviting neighborhood birds over for a bath. With a shallow basin and some waterproofing, an old lamp stand can become a bird bath pedestal. Several methods exist to create a bird bath, but this DIY involves removing electrical pieces, replacing the shade with a broad bowl, and sealing any holes for water. Finally, attach a glass or ceramic dish (perhaps even an upcycled light globe) to the stand using epoxy or outdoor-grade adhesive like Loctite PL Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive.
Festive Candle Holder
For ambiance with a touch of upcycled elegance, turn a defunct chandelier into a festive and unique candle holder. All it takes is removing the wiring, flipping the arms, and fitting candle-friendly elements in place of light bulbs. Remove the electrical components, leaving only the metal frame and bulb platforms, which are perfect perches for dripless pillar candles or LED flameless candles (for safety). You can even paint the new candle holder to match your decor. Use it to decorate all year or just for specific holidays.
Solar Light for Garden
Here’s a bright idea: blend old-world fixture charm with modern solar technology for a hanging garden light. Essentially, you’ll repurpose a thrifted chandelier into a solar-powered lighting feature that absorbs sunlight by day and twinkles by night. The DIY approach is simple and requires using inexpensive solar stake lights in place of the chandelier’s bulbs. Most stake-type solar lights (designed for pathways) can be disassembled, so detach the solar top and LED portion from the stake. Fit or glue these solar lamp tops onto your chandelier arms and hang for a nighttime glow.
Lamp Side Table
Ornate floor or table lamp bases can serve as the perfect pedestal for a small table with a few modifications. The process: remove the wiring and top hardware, leaving a solid lamp base to work with. Ensure it’s sturdy (heavy lamps work best to prevent tipping). Attach a round piece of wood or a pre-cut tabletop to the flattened top of the lamp base using screws or strong adhesive. You might need to cut a custom wooden circle or even use a large serving tray as the tabletop.
Lamp Plant Pedestal
Your thriving vining plant deserves a display as stunning as its growing foliage. Enter the repurposed lamp stand plant pedestal, an idea that’s both practical and aesthetically pleasing. To create one, disassemble a floor lamp until you’re left with just the upright stand and base. You might shorten it if desired (some stands unscrew into sections). Place your planter directly into the globe or where the bulb socket used to be. Use adhesive to secure it in place, ensuring it’s centered and level to hold your plants with minimal risk of tipping over.
Sconce Wall Planters
Wall sconce lighting fixtures are designed to hold candles or bulbs, but who says they can’t cradle plants? Repurposing decorative sconces into wall-mounted planters is an easy hack that brings life to any blank vertical space. You can turn sconces into indoor wall planters with minimal materials. Look for sconces with a bowl or holder shape. Remove any bulky electrical parts, leaving an open platform to work with. Fit a small potted plant or insert a liner with soil and succulents into that sconce and hang to display them.
Floor Lamp Coat Rack
Upgrade your entryway on a budget by turning an old floor lamp into a coat rack. This DIY upcycle project retains the lamp’s tall form and sturdy base while swapping the lighting elements for layers of coats. Start with a classic floor lamp, remove the wiring, harp, and shade, then paint if desired. Next, attach hooks or pegs around the top section. While the project may seem a bit tedious, the final product is functional and customizable to suit any type of decor.
Jewelry Organizer Lamp Stand
Transform your lamp into a jewelry tree to keep your favorite pieces tangle-free. Floor lamps and tall table lamps can be outfitted with a metal structure to store and display jewelry, scarves, and other items you want to have readily available. This project utilizes the stand, meaning you’ll need to break down all other elements of the lamp. Then, attach your structure, such as a wire fruit bowl or toilet paper holder, to the lamp and allow it to dry. The more unique your lamp base, the more it will stand out.
Glass Shade Planter Bowl
Dome-shaped glass light shades from ceiling fixtures are ideal for repurposing as decorative planter bowls. If you have an old glass light cover (the kind from a flush-mount ceiling light or a pendant), you can transform it into a stylish planter in just a few steps. Thoroughly clean the glass (or plastic) shade and flip it so the wide opening is on top. If it doesn’t have drainage holes, either drill a couple (if the material allows) or use it as a cachepot (keep the plant in a nursery pot that you take out for watering).
Garden Cloche
Glass globes from old light fixtures can be repurposed into cloches for your garden or even an indoor display for the holidays. A cloche is essentially a dome used to protect plants, meaning your retired pendant light covers or glass globes have just the right shape for this upcycle. If you have a globe open on one end, simply invert it over whatever you want to shield. Be sure to remove the top portion with the electrical components. The fun of DIYing comes with creativity, so consider painting and customizing yours.
Chandelier Crystal Sun Catchers
If your old chandelier came with dangling crystal prisms, be sure to hang onto these pieces for future crafting endeavors. Chandelier crystals and glass drops are perfect for turning into sun catchers that scatter light and color around your space. There are countless ways to get creative with chandelier parts to craft suncatchers. You’ll need to string the crystals together with wire and even add complementary beads between. Hang these in windows so that when sunlight hits the crystals, iridescent colors shine through your space.
Firefly Lantern
Twinkle lights in a jar are a fun way to add charm to your outdoor space during the summer, and you can create your own by repurposing a pendant light fixture. Look for brass pendants or porch lights with glass panels that can be gutted and filled with string lights or LEDs to mimic the glow of fireflies. Remove all the interior electrical pieces, leaving only the decorative lantern housing. Then, add the lights and secure the battery pack underneath with a Command Small Adhesive Strip.
