Add some personality and charm to your outdoor space with a solar chandelier. If you read my post on my repainted bistro set last year, you’ll have seen a sneaky peek of my garden chandelier. I promised then that I would share how I created it this year, and now the summer’s on its way (YAY!), here’s how I made my DIY solar chandelier.
(I’ve included some affiliate links in this post, shown with an asterisk (*). If you click on them and make a purchase, I get a bit of money in my back pocket, to help towards future creations to share with you on my blog.)
The more that time goes on, the more I think about creating decor outdoors as well as indoors, and taking the inside out. We have tables and seating areas with lights above them in the house, so why not in the garden? When I spruced up my bistro table and chairs, I wanted to finish the look with a chandelier above. I bought this second hand one from Shpock for £5.
To make your DIY solar chandelier, you will need:
- Chandelier
- Weatherproof paint (optional).
- Solar lights (one for each arm on your chandelier)
- *Copper pipe cutter
- *Clear nylon thread
- *Hanging basket chain
- *Chandelier glass beads (optional).
- *Chandelier glass Droplets (optional).
- Scissors
- Black tape
I painted my chandelier with the same Hammerite (Sheer Aqua) metal paint, that I used for my bistro set. I gave it two coats, (2 hours between coats) and left it to dry overnight.
To prepare the solar lights for my chandelier, I cut the metal pipes they came with to the depth of the candle holders on my chandelier, using a copper pipe cutter. I then wrapped the ends with black tape for a snug fit.
The solar lights were then ready to push into the candle holders.
I made 4 chains of glass beads to drape below the chandelier with 22 beads per chain. I then hung more glass beads with glass teardrops on the end, to the middle of each chain, and to the centre of the chandelier.
You can also buy acrylic beads, which are cheaper, however, I’m not sure how they would fare with the weather. The glass ones are still looking great, and have been out all winter. I attached the glass beads to my chandelier with the hooks on the beads, and for extra support, threaded the clear nylon thread through the top bead and triple knotted it around the chandelier, which has done me proud, as my chandelier has survived all the storms of winter 2018!
I linked an old hanging basket chain into one long chain and Andy hung the DIY solar chandelier from a tree above our patio set by hooking it over a thin branch.
For more ideas on how to style up your garden, check out my DIY garden sign.
