Wednesday, May 28, 2014

DIY Outdoor Patio Lantern


Here's a look at my latest thrift store find and encore creation.  I'm sure you've seen these at your thrift store before.   I'm calling it a "builder's grade light fixture.   Passed them by before, but not this time.

 

I wanted a lantern for my patio and I wanted it to be a little different from those I'd seen in stores and I wanted it to be cheaper too. This fixture was a great size, it's 9 x 17". With the senior day discount, this baby was around $7.00. To be honest, I didn't want to spend much more than that.  Half off would have been better, but it was now or...



There wasn't a lot to do but gut it and mask the glass panes for painting.   I knew I didn't want the typical black lantern, so I checked out the available stash of spray paint in my "paint closet" (otherwise known as the garage). Just what I needed, Rust-oleum Hammered Bronze. It isn't so shiny and brassy, more toned down, rustic.

Sorry, I was so eager to take the paper off, I forgot to take a pic of it masked for painting. You understand that rush you get when you’ll ready to see the finished piece, well that was what happened!!


Next, I cut a scrap piece of wood for a base. What a surprise it was to have difficulty marking the desired shape and size. I discovered that the whole thing was warped and it was a little challenging to measure and get all 6 sides even. Anyway, I finally settled on a base that looked somewhat even, cut and sanded it.  To mark the holes for the screws at each “hinge” I put a drop of paint on each screw to mark drilling holes. 

 
 I don’t plan of painting or staining the base. 

  


I set a flame less candle in the center and placed the lantern on its base, added pebbles that I bought last year at IKEA and …

                                                                   Done and I love it!




I am linking this post to:
The Domestic Superwoman

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