DIY Orb Pendant Light

Mish Volonino
by Mish Volonino
I've been wanting one of these cool Orb lights for the longest time but I wasn't prepared to pay a lot. In my mind, this was a great DIY project.
I was searching new "for sale" listings on the local website VarageSale to find the perfect light insert for the center of an Orb.


I was lucky because I found an older light fixture for $15. What made this deal even better was that the girl who was selling this light fixture wanted to trade for a pair of jeans i was seling. So basically the light fixture (shown below) was free. YAHOO! SCORE!
We have all seen this older style light fixture. Many older homes still have similar styles hanging in their foyers and hallways. You can buy these cheap on Craigslist or Garage Sales. I took apart the light and discarded the glass covering. The middle insert is what i needed. It had to be small enough to fit in through one of the slots of an Orb ball.
I went to the Nashville Flea Market and found this wonderful Orb. it was already rusty and chippy. All I had to do was paint and prep the lighting mechanism/insert that i had purchased prior.
I painted the lighting insert with Annie Sloan "Old White" chalk paint and distressed it with dark wax. I also wrapped the candle sleeves in jute twine. I started to add some crystal teardrops to figure out their placement ahead of time.
We inserted wired lighting mechanism inside the Orb. We secured the chain and wiring. I attached three teardrop crystals inside Orb and one large round crystal from bottom. Honestly, you would never know I made this. It came out fantastic.
This DIY Orb Pendant adds just that little bit of flare to my foyer entrance. I really love it. I'll be on the lookout to make some more of these for resale. Total cost $48. Not too shabby, just shabby chic!
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