If you have an old chandelier that needs a light and bright new look, change its dated appearance with a coat of paint and new glass shades. DIY Decorating & Design host Nancy Golden explains this easy project.
Materials:
Steel wool
Tack cloth
Painter's tape
Spray-paint primer for metal
Spray paint
Acrylic craft paint in accent color
Bristle paintbrush
Glass shades
Optional: fabric and sewing machine to make fabric covering for chain
Optional: new ceiling medallion
- Remove the chandelier from the ceiling, and remove the light bulbs and glass shades.
- Clean the chandelier thoroughly to prepare it for painting. Then rough up the metal surface with steel wool, and wipe clean with a tack cloth. If the chandelier has a metal ceiling canopy you plan to reuse, prep it for painting as well.
- Use painter's tape to mask areas of the chandelier that are to remain unpainted.
- Spray primer onto the chandelier and metal canopy and let dry.
- Spray on the top coat.
- When the paint is dry, dry-brush the accent color on the chandelier and metal canopy to give them an interesting aged look. Nancy applied coppery-gold acrylic paint to the chandelier and canopy with a bristle brush (figure A).
- Set the new glass shades in place on the chandelier.
- If desired, make a gathered fabric covering for the chandelier chain or cord. Stitch a narrow fabric tube twice the length of the chandelier chain, and slip it on over the chain.
- Consider replacing the ceiling canopy with a rich-looking ceiling medallion, painted or stained to match the updated chandelier (figure B).
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