Budget chandelier makeover

Last week I spruced up some ugly recessed lighting fixtures, and today I finally tackled my bland dining room chandelier.

The dining room light was one of the many things I hoped to replace soon after we moved into the house, but it just didn’t happen and at this point buying a new chandelier is out of the question. The existing fixture really isn’t horrible, but I felt that the glass shades made it look chintzy. I was going for a more classic look in a room filled with elegant antiques.

I thought about simply replacing the glass shades with new glass shades of a different finish, perhaps frosted. That alone can really breathe new life into a tacky old fixture. Something about the overall shape and style of the light fixture just didn’t fit with my decor, though, and I wanted something different. I have always loved chandeliers with tiny lampshades clipped onto the bulbs. I was thrilled to discover that I could buy candle style chandelier light bulbs with a standard size base, so I could use clip-on chandelier shades with my light fixture!

Lampshades in general can be expensive, and chandelier shades are no exception despite their diminutive size. As I often do, I turned to eBay and was very fortunate to win some beautiful ivory clip-on shades; the lot of 8 shades cost me only $9.49 shipped.

I headed to Hobby Lobby to see if I could find strings of glass beads or anything else that would look like chandelier prisms without the cost. I was about to give up on that idea when I ventured into the wedding department (all items were 50% off) and found some “hanging gems”at $9.99 for a set of six. I have no idea what the intended purpose is, but each was a string of crystal-like pieces held together with metal rings. Perfect! I bought two sets for a total of $9.99 and hung two from each light, using the screws intended to hold the glass shades in place.

I also love the look of fabric chandelier chain covers, so I whipped up one of those with a faux silk remnant that I had on hand. I held it in place with some pins, and it is fully removable in case it gets dusty and needs washing.

Here is the end result:

This changes the entire character of the room, and I couldn’t be happier! For about $25 (including the shades, new light bulbs and “hanging gems”), I took my old chandelier from tacky to classy. The light is so much softer and I have a beautiful new focal point in the room. Mission accomplished!

Jennifer Roberts

is the founder, designer and author of Jen Spends Less. Formerly an architectural drafter and designer, Jen cut her spending and embraced a frugal lifestyle to be a stay at home mom.

4 thoughts on “Budget chandelier makeover”

  1. You are remarkably talented! It looks beautiful… I need you to some and help with some recommendations for our house. Overall I love it, but you have the most creative and tasteful ideas!

    Reply
    • Thanks Heather! I happen to think you have amazing taste too, but I do love helping out with decorating. We will have to get together sometime and see what we can come up with 🙂

    • Thank you Rhonda! If I remember correctly, I bought the lightbulbs at Lowes – they seem to have every type imaginable. Walmart ususally has a pretty good selection too.

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