Not everyday does someone make their own pendant light but I’m here to say that if the instructions are right, it’s a simple DIY project. You can either buy a light kit and go from there or you can buy everything separately. We decided to buy everything separately because one, I couldn’t find a kit that I liked and two, it gave me more freedom to personalize the pendant light!
I had found some lampshades at Goodwill that caught my eye and knew I could use them for a space in our home! I loved the original 70’s color that it had but I decided to paint over one of them for the dining area in our linai. From there, we customized and made our own pendant light in these exact steps!
PRESS PLAY:
https://honestlydesignedinteriors.com/wp-content/uploads/Video-Oct-22-3-08-52-PM.mov
*we found our light accessories at Lowe’s and Home Depot
- cord/chain (can purchase together, separate, or just have the cord)
- light socket (get one with the mounting pieces that attach to top and bottom or buy separate)
- lampshade
- ceiling cover/canopy
- light bulb
- wire stripper
- screw driver
- spray paint (optional)
1. Customize Lampshade if Needed
- thrift it, clean it, paint it, stencil it, or MAKE it — it’s really up to you
2. Take Socket and Attach to Lampshade
- take the bigger mounting piece that the light socket came with and attach to top — it’ll keep it from falling through (as shown at :17.0 in video)
- place socket in the hole of the lampshade and screw the other mounting piece on from the bottom (as shown at :24.0 in video)
3. Pass Cord Through Mount, Split, and Attach
- take the piece that loops in cord and run cord through (as shown in video at :57.2+)
*If you are wanting to make this a plug-in light than cut the other end of the cord to desired length (leave a little longer) THEN pass cord through
- split the cord
- take wire stripper and take just enough plastic off to reveal wire
- curve that wire on both sides of the split so that each side can go underneath each screw, shown above
- tighten the screws with a screwdriver so that wires will be intact (as shown in video at 1:33)
- tighten the top mounting piece into socket, like shown above
4. Cut Cord to Length
- if you want your pendant light to be electrical (without a plug-in) cut your cord to desired length with a little length leftover (as seen in video at 1:58)
5. Weave Chain On and Attach to Mount
- start with the end of the cord and weave it through your chain (2:09)
- you can use your wire stripper to split the first chain link and attach to top mounting piece of the light socket (2:24)
- close the chain link once it’s attached so it doesn’t fall
6. Attach Ceiling Mount to Ceiling Canopy
- take your ceiling canopy and attach the pieces it comes with ABOVE the cover (we messed up and placed a mounting piece underneath the cover but it needs to be OVER the piece that the chain attaches to and the cord loops through)
- loop the cord through so it comes out from the back side of the ceiling cover
7. Install- AKA You Did it!
- install to where you want it as you would with any light fixture
- screw your light bulb on
Be the first to comment: