Hi Friends!
For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been focusing on whipping my deck and pergola area into shape. We have a pretty short summer season here in Central New York, so we try to make the most of it.
One of my projects was to figure out a solution for the candelier I’ve always had hanging over the big pallet table. I bought it at Pier 1 years ago, it was marked way down because it was missing a couple of the candle holders that hang from the hooks. I replaced them with hanging candle holders that I picked up for a couple of bucks each, and it ended up being a really cool piece – I got tons of compliments on it. This is one incarnation:
And this is another:
The only problem is, I usually only get a few seasons out of the candle holders. I can count on losing 1 or 2 during every big windstorm, so even if I buy a few extra I still have to replace them at some point. Unfortunately, this year I haven’t been able to find anything like this in a color that works – so I was brainstorming possible alternatives.
I’ve had horrible insomnia lately, and a few nights ago, sometime around 4:15am, I came up with a solution – a solar powered chandelier.
This isn’t a new idea, I actually made one to hang over our hammock 5+ years ago – you can see it in a blog post HERE.
But in the middle of the night, I remembered that I bought a brassy little 1980’s number from the ReStore a few years ago with the plan to install it in our bedroom. I painted it brushed nickel, but ended up scrapping the idea when I realized how much we use our ugly ceiling fan. My house is almost 100 years old. The heating system is inefficient and we use a window unit air conditioner – so getting rid of the ceiling fan was not a smart idea. I reluctantly packed the chandelier away in the basement.
But – it would be a PERFECT solution for the deck.
First, I cut the “guts” out – it was a working fixture when I bought it. Remove the white “candles”, and unscrew that black thing sticking out – it looks like this:
The black thing is the socket the chandelier light bulb goes in. You don’t need it, but you DO need the nut at the base of it. Cut that off with a pair of wire cutters or tin snips. You’ll need it to reattach the little teacups to the arms of the chandelier.
Once you’ve got it reassembled, you can spray paint it.
Somehow I didn’t snag a photo of this, but the easiest way I’ve found to spray something like this is to grab a pair of ladders and run an old broom, mop, or garden tool between the 2 of them. Hang your chandelier from the pole… I attached mine with a zip tie through the chain.
If your solar-powered landscape spikes are a different color than your chandelier, you’ll need to paint those too. I unearthed a box of old lights in my garage and they were copper-colored. My chandelier is going to be painted with Rustoleum oil-rubbed bronze, so I had to do the lights too.
I separated the glass from the cap and cut an “X” on the top of some disposable plastic cups. Stick the lightbulb part into the “X” to keep them off the ground while you’re spraying them.
Make sure you put painter’s tape over the little solar panel – if you paint over it, it won’t be able to charge from the sun.
I put the tape over the panel and trimmed it with a box cutter.
Once everything has been painted and dried, you can reassemble your lights and pop them into the little teacups of the chandelier. They should fit nicely.
Voila!
FYI – Stake lights with a rounded glass globe will work better than a stick light. Don’t get this style:
I grabbed these at the Dollar Store, I forgot that they don’t work as well – you want a rounded shape that will sit nicely in the holders. Luckily, I had some old lights that worked for this project and I’ll just use these in my garden.
Here’s the solar chandelier in action at night:
It works great, though the lights will not go on if the Edison lights strung over the pergola are on – it’s too bright and apparently the solar lights think it’s daytime?
But, it’s nice to have the option for dimmer, moodier lighting anyway.
I was able to do this project at no cost because I already had the paint, solar lights, and the old chandelier on hand.
Yes, I fully recognize I’m getting closer and closer to hoarding territory every day.
If you’re planning to make one for your house, the Habitat ReStores ALWAYS have old brass chandeliers and they run sales on lighting every now and again, so it’s an easy and inexpensive project – plus your purchase will benefit Habitat for Humanity… everybody wins!
I’m almost done out here, just need to pick up my hanging flower baskets from the market and maybe one more big leafy plant. We’ve got our kids and their partners coming over today for a Memorial weekend cookout, it’s going to be the first full family gathering since before the COVID shut down. I can’t tell you how happy we are to have things getting back to normal.
Hope you’re all enjoying your long weekend!
