Updating a little chandelier...
I am almost embarrassed to admit where I got this ugly little brass chandelier....
Out of the back of a strangers pick up truck at the dump. Seriously...I was paying out at the local dump and this guy drove up in a truck loaded with trash. Sitting on top was this light fixture. So I asked him if I could have it...and he said SURE!
Geez...I have become one of "those" people who dig through other people's trash! Crazy cat lady, annoying coupon lady...and now this...(shaking head in disgust)
Whatever...I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to do with it but I knew it could be "updated" if I could just find the right inspiration. I knew I was going to paint the dated brass, so I decided to start there until I could figure out exactly what I wanted to do with the fixture!
Originally I primed it with metal primer, then started painting it with plain ole' off white spray paint. (Remember, when you aren't sure what to do with something, take it to "base neutral.")
And that is when a little DIY project turned into a total disaster. Yes, it happens. Even to me. Even though I shook the spray paint can per the instructions, it still started spraying all "clumpy." I don't know how to describe it, but rather than a nice smooth finish, it was all grainy and rough....AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!
Made me so mad I tossed the fixture in the back of the garage and said "SCREW IT." (Yes, I curse at innate objects!) I knew I was going to have to completely sand it down and considering the "ornateness" of it, I knew it would be a royal pain. My "vision" was just a heap of "mess."
Then I saw this on Pinterest...
Andrea at "Personally Andrea" took a plain ole' chandelier and dolled it up a bit by using jute twine to wrap the ugly little plastic tubes.
Hum....just the "inspiration" I needed to dig the "ruined" chandelier out of the back of the garage and give it another shot!
I sanded down the "grainy" finish, reprimed where needed and then painted it in my current favorite teal spray paint! (This time I shook the crud out of the can AND test sprayed it!)
Covering the ugly plastic tubes is super easy. Andrea used tape, but I used hot glue. I ran a little line of hot glue along the tube as I wrapped it in the jute twine.
WORD OF WARNING!!! Hot glue is HOT...and the plastic sleeves are a tad flimsy so use the glue sparingly or you will actually melt the little tube which will make it impossible to slip back onto the light. (Lesson learned the hard way...fortunately Lowe's sells replacement socket covers for under $3 a pair!)
I think painting the fixture in black or oil-rubbed bronze would have made it a little more "formal." But I was going for "fun" and "hip" and a little more casual!
I liked the look so well I decided to do the same to my dining room fixture using the plastic covers I purchased at Lowes!
I found some glittery gold fabric/paper kinda looking stuff at the craft store that I am going to use to cover new socket covers for the Christmas holiday! I will share that later when I do my Christmas decorating!
Don't turn your nose up at the dated brass fixtures...as I have shared many times fixtures, lamps and fans are super simple to update with a little paint.
And of course a little inspiration! Thanks Andrea!
