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How to Make a DIY Pendant Light: DIY Lighting

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How to Make a DIY Pendant Light: DIY Lighting


Sometimes you just get attached to things and can’t let them go, and in those time, you just upcycle it into awesome DIY lighting!

Even when they’re all broken up. That’s what happened with this Crate and Barrel fruit basket I had bought about 10 years ago.

Isn’t it cute?

“Life” got the better of it and it just snapped in two! Oh, the heartbreak!

How to Upcycle an Old Wire Fruit Basket into a Pendant Lamp

 

 

Broken! **sob sob**……

BEFORE

 

How-to-Make-a-DIY-Pendant-Light DIY Lighting - ThriftDiving.com

AFTER!

Hanging about my vintage drafting table in my thrifted craft room!

 

How to make a DIY pendant light: DIY Lighting. Great craft room ideas! ThriftDiving.com

 

I knew that the bottom part, which was intact, could still hold our yummy fruit….but I immediately thought, “PENDANT LIGHT!!!” when I saw the top part.

And yes……there she is!!!

 

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

Check out how cool the ceiling looks when I switch on the DIY pendant light? AMAZING, instant ceiling art. HAHAHAH

Wouldn’t that be cool in a kid’s room or something? Maybe even with a colored light!

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

How to Make a DIY Pendant Light: DIY Lighting

 

STEP 1: Gather your materials.

How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp - Thrift Diving Blog_9

For this project, you’ll need the following materials:

 

  • A light kit. You can order a lamp kit on Amazon for about $10. That’s where I got mine.

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

  • A lamp kit. This will allow you to hang your pendant lamp from the ceiling.

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

  • A chain. I got mine from the Home Depot for about $0.99 a foot, and I bought 8 feet. I probably could have used a bit more, maybe and extra foot, but it depends on the height of your ceiling. And you can totally use something more decorative, like this heart link cable which is super cute!

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

  • Pliers. PLEASE don’t try to pull apart chain links with your teeth. 😉 LOL
  • A screw driver. You’ll need it when you’re attaching the lamp cord to the base of the lamp screws.
  • A drill (not pictured). When you attached your swag hook, you’ll need to drill a hole for the anchor. Also, if the object you’re using doesn’t currently have a hole at the top, you will need to drill one. I’m going to assume you know how to drill wood? If not, grab someone handy. Google some other videos on how to drill metal or other objects you’re considering turning into DIY pendant lamps.
  • A light bulb (but, of course!). Vintage Edison bulbs are great for these types of lamps, even though I didn’t have one at the time.

Vintage Edison Bulb

 

 

STEP 1: Locate the metal prongs.

Take your lamp cord and locate the 2 metal prongs at the end of the wire.

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

STEP 2: Thread the lamp cord.

The prongs will through the top cap piece of the lamp kit. It doesn’t matter which way you insert it.

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

STEP 3: Insert the lamp cord through the top of the pendant light.

NOTE: If you’re DIY pendant lamp needs a hole drilled, now’s the time to do it. I recommend the Ryobi 18V ONE+ drill. It’s super easy to use and the battery works with all Ryobi ONE+ tools!

 

 

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

STEP 4: Thread the lamp cord to the piece that comes off of the lamp base.

Hard to explain, but if you watch the video above, you’ll see what I mean! Those wires that are sticking out there, pull them through to give yourself some slack.

How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp - Thrift Diving Blog_2

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Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

 

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

STEP 5: Bend the wires at the end of the lamp cord.

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

STEP 6: Attach the wires.

Using your screwdriver, loosen the gold screw and the silver screws on the lamp base and then cup the wire underneath the screw and tighten to hold in place. NOTE: If your lamp doesn’t work, switch the wires; you’ve got them on the wrong screw 🙂

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

STEP 7: Slide the black switch up inside of the lamp base that will hold the light bulb.

 

Thrift Diving How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp

 

STEP 8: Attach the lamp base to the cap, and–VOILA!–you’ve got a new DIY light!

 

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 How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp - Thrift Diving Blog_7

STEP 9: Attach the chain.

Here is where you will want to use your pliers to pull apart the chain links. They’re tough to get open! Also, make sure that you’re lamp is balanced. I hooked the chain so that each side had the same number of links and we all positions equality. Otherwise, it will be off-balanced.

How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp - Thrift Diving Blog_11

 

How to Make a DIY Pendant Lamp - Thrift Diving Blog_12

 

STEP 10: Now go brag to your friends!

They won’t believe you were so crafty 🙂

And there ya go!

A really cheap way to add something interesting to your decor, so that when people come over, they can’t believe you hung a–GASP–fruit basket from your craft room ceiling. Oh, and hubby still keeps shaking his head at me, asking, “WHY did you make that? I still don’t get it….”

No, dear, you never will. It’s a DIY thing 😉

If you like this project, click here to pin it!

How to Make a DIY Pendant Light - DIY Lighting - From an Upcycled Fruit Basket

 

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17 Comments

  1. I just love the shadows this puts on the ceiling! I was nervous about the wiring part but you made it so easy, thanks!

  2. This is so cool and creative! I love the shadow it casts on the ceiling. Thanks for posting the instructions on how you made it. Found you on the AT Homies and now following. Love your blog!

  3. Liberty Boblett says:

    I love the shadows the light cast off! Great and easy to understand DIY!

  4. I do think you can market those creative stuff you have. You can sell online and ship it to whoever wants to buy.

    1. You’re right! I think that’s the plan down the road. Right now, I have so many blank spaces in my house that needs some creativity, all my stuff goes into decorating my own house. Soon I will begin selling! 🙂 Thanks for your comment! 🙂

  5. Very unique idea and quite beautiful. Love the shadows on the ceiling -although it might make one slightly dizzy ;).

    You really have very cool ideas and you are so creative. Too bad you can’t bottle that and market it.

    1. I know, you should have seen my face when I first turned it on. I was like, “WHOA, what?!” I didn’t think about the shadows it would create! But afterwards, I think it was pretty cool, and it gave me some ideas for other lamps I could make specifically with holes or some other designs just to create the cool shadow effect on the ceiling 🙂 Kids would love something like that!

    1. You should totally try it, Kelly! It’s soooo easy! I’m thinking of some more pendant lamp ideas I could make now! 🙂

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