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Trash to Treasure: Pendant Light Planter

April 24, 2012 By Erin Spain 15 Comments

Now that spring is here, most of us are heading outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and knock out a few home improvement projects. I love a good DIY project almost as much as I love a bargain, so for this project, I was thrilled to combine the two. I also love finding thrift store “trash” and giving it a new life by turning it into “treasure,” and that’s exactly what I did. I created a hanging planter from an old brass thrift store light fixture.


What I used for this project:
An old pendant light fixture (mine cost under $5.00 at a thrift store); spray primer; chrome spray paint; jute gardening twine; drawer pull/knob; planting soil; plastic planter liner; and flowers. 
Before
{These instructions can be modified depending on what type of light fixture is used.}

First, I disassembled the light fixture, removing and discarding the old cord and components that I didn’t need.

Here it is disassembled.
Then, I gave it a good cleaning and removed the glass panels while I prepped the metal part for paint. (If the glass on your fixture cannot be removed, simply tape over it. If you want to paint the glass too, rough it up with sandpaper and paint it. Or, you can skip painting altogether.) Next, I sprayed it with some primer and then gave it a coat of chrome spray paint.
Remove glass and spray paint the metal parts. Yes, I use a diaper box for my spray paint projects!
After the paint dried, I reinserted the glass panels. Next, I used two long strands of twine (approximately 5-6 ft. long), doubled them, and tied them around the drawer pull which I used to “plug” the hole at the bottom of the fixture. Then, I threaded the twine through the hole and tied them around the screws on the fixture for added stability.

Close-Up of Bottom. Twine is tied around a small drawer pull, then threaded through the hole in the fixture.

I planted my flowers inside the plastic planter liner, and then inserted it into the light fixture. In order to hang my planter, I tied a knot toward the top end of my twine creating a loop.

After

This entire project cost under $15, and now I have a unique, custom-made hanging planter to hold my flowers. Not only is it pretty, but it was fun to make!

 

Filed Under: DIY, Home & DIY Blog, Outdoor, Tutorials

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Comments

  1. Jill ~ Jillify It says

    April 24, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    I LOVE your planter!!! Sooo creative! I would love for you to share it at my party going on now at Jillify It!

    Have a wonderful day!
    Jill
    http://www.jillifyit.com

    Reply
    • Erin Spain says

      April 24, 2012 at 6:08 pm

      Thank you, Jill!

      Reply
  2. Apples and Peanut Butter says

    April 25, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    Great job!! That is really cute!!

    Reply
  3. Kelley @ TheGrantLife.com says

    April 27, 2012 at 4:12 am

    Hi! Visiting from Shabby Creek Cottage! Wow! What a transformation! I love how this turned out! Makes me want to find an old pendant light to rehab!

    Im your newest follower.. I would love a follow back if you like my site too. And please feel free to share this at my Friday party starting tomorrow! 🙂

    Reply
    • Erin Spain says

      April 27, 2012 at 4:30 pm

      Thanks Kelley!

      Reply
  4. Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate says

    April 29, 2012 at 9:39 pm

    Genius! What a great re-purpose project.

    Reply
  5. Jennifer Curtis says

    April 30, 2012 at 2:43 am

    This is a great idea Erin! Such a cool hanging planter now.

    Reply
  6. Steph @ The Silly Pearl says

    May 6, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    Oh my goodness! You are so clever…I never would have imagined doing this. It turned out beautifully and totally cool!

    Reply
  7. CSI girl says

    July 5, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    OMG! This is so great. I hope you will link this up to The CSI Project today. The challenge is outdoor decorating and summer parties. This would be perfect.
    http://www.thecsiproject.com

    Reply
    • Erin Spain says

      July 9, 2012 at 5:47 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  8. Carrie says

    August 31, 2012 at 1:40 am

    Super clever, I adore repurposed light fixtures. Featured you on this month’s Refresh Your Nest!

    http://makinglemonadeblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/refresh-your-nest-friday-link-up.html

    Reply
    • Erin Spain says

      September 2, 2012 at 1:06 am

      Thanks so much, Carrie!

      Reply
  9. Karen @ Dogs Don't Eat Pizza says

    October 9, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    What a great idea! I love this upcycling project!

    Reply
    • Erin Spain says

      October 9, 2012 at 5:37 pm

      Thanks Karen!

      Reply
  10. Marilyn Brauner says

    September 20, 2015 at 8:37 am

    Very innovative

    Reply

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