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Inexpensive Candle Holder

Last Updated on October 6, 2012 by Kristi Linauer

John & Alice used to have this outdated brass chandelier in their entryway…

outdated brass chandelier

Here’s what it looked like up close (and without the blinding lights on)…

outdated brass chandelier

When they took it down, I asked if I could have the light.  I’m sure they thought I had lost my mind.  Perhaps I have, but I do have plans for the light part.  (It’s going in my office…after a makeover, of course.)

So that left me with the glass.  I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away, so I decided to re-use it.  After a bit of a makeover, it has now found its way back into John & Alice’s house, right on the coffee table.

outdated brass chandelier turned into a candle holder

After removing the lights (which just required lots and lots and lots of unscrewing), I cleaned it really well, painted all of the brass parts black, plugged the holes from the inside with painters tape, and filled it with sand, shells, and a candle.

outdated brass light turned into a candle holder

Again, maybe I’m crazy, but I think it looks great!  And it just goes to show…context is everything.  (Oh, and paint works wonders!)

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24 Comments

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  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Melissa, The Happier Homemaker
    July 1, 2011 at 1:05 pm

    Great idea, I love the finished look, very creative!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    AFabulessHome
    July 1, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Looks awesome! I love it!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kim Perdew
    July 1, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    Funny, I used to have a light that looked JUST ABOUT LIKE THAT hahahaha and so did ALL of my neighbors since that was the standard light the builder used. I wonder where all of those lights are now? LOVE what you did with it. And no you are NOT crazy, it looks great.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kate Ramseur
    July 1, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    Wow, that looks amazing! I need your Upcycle Goggles, I see a brass lamp and immediately send it off to Goodwill, haha.

    • Reply To This Comment ↓
      Steph
      June 11, 2013 at 11:21 am

      I do the same thing. I am trying to look at everything as a “shape” when I don’t like the colors on it. How can I redo? This is a fantastic idea. I pinned it to my Recycle board.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating
    July 1, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    "Upcycle Goggles"…lol, I like that!  😀  I just try to focus on shape.  I figure just about anything can be painted.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    S Grosz
    July 1, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    Have that same fixture in my entry way. It hasn't made the replacement budget yet because I took it down a few years ago, took it apart, painstakingly taped off the glass and sprayed all the brass black. Not my first choice, but doesn't look too bad. besides it matches all the other brass painted black fixtures in my house. 🙂  Wondering now if i can spray doorknobs? Afraid it would come off with all the wear and tear? Suggestions?

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating
    July 1, 2011 at 3:02 pm

    I can't believe you taped all of that off!!!  I started off doing that, then realized it would take approximately five week, two day, and four hours to finish it at the rate I was going.  I finally just used the brush-on Rustoleum, and then when it was dry, I scraped the paint off of the glass with a razor blade.  Seemed to go much faster that way.

    Anyway, I've never painted door knobs, but I certainly would if it wasn't in the budget to replace them!!!  You know me…I'm not afraid to paint anything.  I think the process would be very similar to how I painted the faucets and shower frame in John & Alice's bathroom…sand, sand, sand some more, automobile primer, then a quality paint.  Once it cures, I really think it would last.  And if it does get chipped, it's really not that big of a deal to give it a quick spray to touch up.  I'd go for it!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    [email protected] in the South
    July 1, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    Wow it looks great!!!!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Karen
    July 1, 2011 at 8:48 pm

    Wow… that looks amazing and so contemporary now!  You are really showing me how to look at stuff that I previously considered junk with new eyes.  I had so much fun at Goodwill last weekend because I kept looking at everything and imagining what I could turn it into or how I could paint it.  LOL

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    [email protected]
    July 2, 2011 at 3:50 am

    I really love it! You did a great job! It would look great in my family room – which has a beach-cottage look!

    Becky B.
    http://www.organizingmadefun.com
    Organizing Made Fun

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Marji Ashbee Design
    July 2, 2011 at 6:00 pm

    You have me looking at all my lighting fixtures in a different way – not for what they are but what they could be. Wonderfully inspiring. Thanks.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kat at Boulderdamcottage
    July 2, 2011 at 7:23 pm

    Hi there NO you are not krazy! I love what you have done with this, stop by my place, I repurposed some of those myself! You shouldda see the basket I had full of these! Hugs Kat =^.^=

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    [email protected] On a Limb...
    July 3, 2011 at 3:23 pm

    I love this! It looks like something you'd pay a lot of money for from Pottery Barn. Nice work!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    CristinHowell
    July 3, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    Creative idea for something that many people would toss out. I like it!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Dayle
    July 3, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Yes, it looks great!

    Visiting from "Just A Girl."

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Macy
    July 5, 2011 at 1:36 pm

    This is gorgeous! I would love it if you would link up to my Tuesday Confessional link party going on now: http://www.craftyconfessions.com/2011/07/tuesday-confessional-link-up-2.html. I hope to see you soon!
    ~Macy from Confessions of a SAHM

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    debbie_mann
    July 5, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    I never would've looked at that and seen a candleholder.. but I love it! 

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    judi burrows
    October 18, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    what a transformation!  i LOVE it.  the coffee table is pretty awesome too with that weathered/rough wood.
    found you via roadkill rescue 😉

    judi
    the1829farmhouse.blogspot.com

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Jana Gwyn
    December 2, 2011 at 6:17 pm

    What did you put on the bottom to keep the sand in?

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating
    December 2, 2011 at 6:19 pm

    Jana, I just used several pieces of painters tape to cover the holes.  Worked great!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    To
    March 24, 2012 at 6:13 pm

    MY I love

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    C.B. McDuff
    May 16, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    LOL – I thought I was the only person that did this (I really should have known WAY better than that) :-)! I too had some rather unattractive lights from our new home that were replaced, but newer fixtures. The hubby was about to throw the lights away and I stopped him,,,NOOOOO!
    “What the heck are you gonna do with this junk?”
    “I’m not sure YET!”
    “Uggggg!” (with an eye roll!)

    Three weeks later – “Hey I really like the bathroom candles that you bought!”
    “The candles?”
    “Yeah,,,,the wrought iron type candle holder things that you bought for the bathroom!”
    “OHH!!! THOSE candles!!! Those are the lights from outside that I didn’t want to throw away!”
    “Really????”
    “YUP!!!”
    “Hmmmm,,,,I guess you really did see something else in them!”
    “Yes I did!!!”

    Creative a frugal minds are just so AWESOME!!! 😀

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Charli
    May 16, 2014 at 9:53 pm

    I had one similar, what I did with it was find some pretty fabric, cut out a pattern of one of the glass panels , and hot glue them to every other panel. It came out one of my favorite things in my house