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Dining Room Light Fixture Update

When we moved into our home I wasn’t a huge fan of the light fixture in the dining room.

lightbeforeonwwm

It just wasn’t my taste. I was constantly looking for a new one, but really didn’t feel like spending the money.

While I was shopping at Home Goods one day I came across this large lamp shade on clearance for $18! Had a vision of slipping this over the existing light fixture to create a whole new look.

shade

When I got home I tested the size. It was perfect! I couldn’t wait to get started, but I really didn’t actually know how I was going to do it.

I wanted to change the finish of the the original light fixture but didn’t want to take the whole thing down to spray paint it. So out came the paint brush!

How To Update a Light Fixture Without Taking it Down

Supplies: (Affiliate links for your convenience. See full disclosure here.)

Process:

I laid down newspaper under the fixture, removed the globes and started painting. I loved the dark gray color.

afterpaint

Now came the tricky part, figuring out how to attach the shade.

I needed to remove the center ring of the lamp shade. so I did that with a hack saw.

shade

Once I removed the center ring, I needed to figure out how to get it to hold in place.

There was nothing on the fixture to even attach the spindles too to keep the shade up. I went to Lowes and came across this little clamp thing. I didn’t know what it actually does but I figured it might help.

clamp

I attached it to the the fixture, and put the spindles through the holes. It held but was not sturdy so I decided to add some small chain.

I purchased, this chain measured it and went into my jewelry making supplies and found some small findings to attach the chain to the shade and fixture.

findinhgs
shade inside

It worked and looked great! I painted the chain the same color as the fixture and I absolutely love it.

light aftermw

I think the shade adds so much warmth the the space!

lightshadelightedaftermw

What do you think?

lifeproof flooring

Update:

This light was great though many changes in our dining room, decor, paint etc.
We used this light for 6 years and never had a problem with it. I loved it. But we recently painted and restyled our dining room and even purchased a new light! You can see full dining room makeover here.

dining room pictured with links to projects

SANDY

Monday 3rd of August 2020

I have a light similar to that, maybe bigger. Can't figure out how you attached the shade with the chains which is ok but how did you attach that to the chain that it is hanging to... you put something else on it? where did you get this stuff.... 8-3-20

:-) STAY SAFE.......

HOMEGIRL

Sunday 9th of August 2020

I used little jewelry findings that you can open and close. Everything is linked in the post.

Jan

Sunday 2nd of August 2020

WOW is all I can say !!! What an idea !! You ou just topped everything I have ever seen !! Well done !

Donna

Thursday 27th of July 2017

Love this! Did you take the fixture down to get the shade over the top? I don't want to take my fixture down but can't figure out how to pull shade up from bottom then attach like you have here - thanks!

FWIW Jeannie

Friday 19th of August 2016

Aren't you resourceful!

Stacey

Friday 19th of August 2016

LOVE this!Such a great Idea, I just saw a fixture that looks like the after at Lowes for 150.00. I'd pay more for yours!

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