If you ever come across an old light fixture that needs a new purpose, go ahead and take him home with you. Any old fixture with exposed candelabra-style bulbs can beautifully and easily become a real candelabra.
A few weeks ago on a rare weekday trip to the ReStore, I found a fantastic old, chippy iron fixture and grabbed it immediately. I know you would have grabbed it, too (and possibly have taken it away from a Hipster couple while they had their backs turned, as I did). It reminds me of an old cathedral.
There was no glass in the fixture, but if there was, I would have needed to remove it. You can also spray paint the fixture a different color if you are dealing with something that is, say, bright gold.
So, I just started by removing all of the electrical elements and innards. And by removing, I mean just unscrewing the lightbulb holder thingy-ma-jigs and cutting the wires with wire cutters. There’s no need to get fancy.
Then, after cleaning the fixture with a soapy water solution, I epoxied a short, thick roofing nail to each arm. I stuffed a tiny piece of paper towel into the old screw holes so that the epoxy wouldn’t drip too far down inside the arm. Epoxy takes about 24 hours to fully set, so super glue may have been a better adhesive to use. Live and learn.
I wanted to make my candelabra look as authentic as possible, so I found some metal couplings in the plumbing fixture section of Home Depot (mine are 3/4 inch wide if you go looking for them) to use as faux candle holders. After testing to make sure my candles would fit inside of them, I primed them with spray primer and then mixed up some acrylic craft paints to get a shade as close to the rest of the fixture as possible. I gave each primed coupling a couple of coats of paint.
After the epoxy was dry, I tried to stick my white taper candles on top of them. Unfortunately, I broke a candle doing that because they were too hard to slide on. So, my genius husband came up with the idea of drilling a hole in the bottom of the candles.
We drilled holes the same size as the nails into the end of the candles and then used the extra shavings to pack the holes so they would hold tight onto the nails. The candles then slid on easily. Just be sure to drill your holes straight! If your candles are too tall, you can also cut a piece off of the bottom with a knife and cutting board.
Once the candles were on the nails, I slid a painted metal coupling over each one.
Now, my new candelabra is ready to join it’s friend, the homeless PB Knock-Off Mirror, at the blue-walled alcove in my entryway. Honestly, I have a plan for that alcove, but I’m missing a vital component – the piece of furniture it’s all going to sit on. Regardless, don’t you love the mirror and candelabra together?
Am I the only one who puts together vignettes before I have the furniture that they are actually going to be put on? Yeah, I probably am. Have no fear, as it will all eventually come together.
I am so pleased to have given this forgotten beauty a new purpose, and I’m even more happy that it came out looking just like something that would have cost me $100 at an antique store. That old, chippy light fixture just lights my fire.
I love that idea!
INCREDIBLE girl!!!!! So lovin' this!
Grins!
Pamm
What a wonderful piece! Love it with the mirror. What is the color of that paint again. Looking for new paint for a bathroom,and that just may be it. Jackie
Ohhhh, that's brilliant!! love it!
Suzanne
This is wonderful, Lindsay! It looks great. . . and it gives me a good idea. Thank you!
What a great old fixture! I have yet to find anything even remotely worth rescuing at my ReStore.
I can see your candelabra as a beautiful centerpiece for a dinner party. I like it way better with real candles. You are so clever to figure out all by yourself how to revamp it.
I love the candelabra and I too may have potentially stolen it … something that nice you need to hold in your hand if you want it! Good call on drilling the candles! It looks great!
Oh Lindsey, that is just an A+. LOVE it! And no, you're not alone in playing with vignettes before there's anything to set them on. :o)
DeLIGHTful!
I love the lines on that light fixture. It looks great as a repurposed candelabra. Nice find!
Jane
Hi…cool project!! I made your paperback book wreath and posted it today with Metamorphosis Monday…so you may have some visitors to watch your tutorial! Thanks for the idea – it took forever but came out great! patti
Wow! What a great idea. I'll have something new to look for now. Thanks!
Lori
http://waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com
It is crazy good!
I've been planning to do just this but can't find the right fixture! I think ReStore will be the best bet. Of course, I had the PERFECT light from when we moved in but since it was brass, I got rid of it years ago. Ugh. This is awesome!!
i wish i had never seen this. now i want to go to a flea market and make this exact project {which i know would turn out 1/4 as cute as yours} and take me much longer.
so gorgeous…you are so creative! if you ever get tired of having that ol' thing lying around…just send it on over to KY.
Lindsay, that's gorgeous ! Like something in a romantic hotel. I love it so much !
I love Love LOVE that! So cool!!!!!
That is just gorgeous!!! I love it!!!
I LOVE THIS!!! i've been dying to take an old chandelier and repurpose it with real candles, but haven't found the right piece.
turned out beautifully.
kelly
Love your project! It really looks great with the candles.
LOVE your website!!! I'm so glad that I found it! Very good ideas! 🙂
I was just thinking today about making some picture frames…then I saw your tutorial! Glad to get some tips!! 🙂
VERY cool! What a great idea!
isn't the restore great??????? love your find!
Lindsay – that looks fantastic!
I'm so jealous that you're ReStore has wonderful treasures like that… anything light fixture related at our ReStores is brass and nasty.
i absolutely love it! my style too!
What a good idea! I especially like the tip about the roofing nails!
Love it! Looks great!
Just wanted to let you know, I made one of your book page wreaths. You can check it out here:
http://diaryofacraftaholic.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-page-wreath.html
Thanks for the inspiration! Love your blog!
Linda
Ooooo, LIndsay, I love that piece! I would have grabbed that in a second too. Could you not have kept the wiring intact & hung it up for a real light?? It is a beauty, regardless & I love the candles too.
Wow!! It looks great as a real candelabra! 🙂 Love your vignette. 🙂
They do look great together! I laughed at " Honestly, I have a plan for that alcove, but I'm missing a vital component – the piece of furniture it's all going to sit on."
Good luck with that!
That is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous!
Awesomeness~!
I am new to your site but I loved this idea. I'm wishing I had something similar around here to copy you ( sincere flattery) 🙂
Love, love, love it! You have a wonderful eye for potential!!
That is so cool! It really is a talent to look 'through' the way things look at present and see a wonderful future.
I like it! Good luck on finding the perfect bit of furniture to rest it on.
That is gorgeous! I love it.
That's gorgeous! I would have bought it too. I love the wall colour behind your vignette…that's what colour my old kitchen was, and I miss it!
Oh my gosh! I LOVE this and am SO jealous! It's beautiful! I keep meaning to check out my ReStore, but just haven't made it there yet. Finds like this make me want to run out right now!
It is gorgeous!!
Ruth
I LOVE it! And It looks totally fab with your mirror. I need an IRL friend that can think of things like this- so much inspiration!!
OMG, Lindsay, I love the chippy old rusty thing! I have something similar that I paid way too much for that I hang on a shepherd's crook outside during the holidays. Seeing yours makes me want to give mine a home on my hearth. I want a Restore. ~Martha