How to Makeover a Brass/Gold Chandelier – To A Bronze Crystal Beauty

This article is about one of my favourite home dcor projects.  The makeover and revamp of a big gaudy gold chandelier.  A chandelier is this type of statement piece on your house and may set the tone for the look and feel of the whole room.  This massive chandelier was the first thing you see the moment you set foot in our home.

Step 1: Take Your Chandelier Down

You want to spray paint your chandelier outside.  You could be able to hang your brass chandelier from a tree or in this case, I hung it from our terrace pergola arrangement with a few ropes so it was free standing and I will readily rotate it and spin it.

Step 2: Prep and Supplies!

Prepping is always an important step with almost any home project.  You will want the following supplies at your fingertips.

Provides:

• Dust Rags (chances are your light fixture is going to be dusty)
• Dust Mask/Respirator Mask – so You’re not breathing in paint fumes
• Gloves – I just used rubber dishwashing gloves that I happened to have lying around
• Painters Plastic (put down on the ground and cover whatever you don’t want the paint to get on)
• Painters Tape (to cover up the light bulb sockets)
• Drill and small metal piece (optional – if you Want to drill holes to attach crystals)

Rust-Oleum Spray Paint

• I used about five cans of Rust-Oleum Forged Hammered Paint & Primer in One in color Burnished Amber
• I like this spray paint, it is around $7-$8 per can, but the result looks very high-end
• Light Bulbs if needed (this may be a fantastic time to switch to LED bulbs or more energy efficient bulbs)
• Crystals: I ordered these Teardrop Crystals from Amazon.  They’re around $10 for a pack of 10.  I ordered six packs of them.
• Additionally, I ordered a roster of Crystal Beading.  This is a 99-foot roster of crystal beading strands for $12

Prep:

• Dust and wash your light fixture in Australia – you don’t want any dust and dirt getting beneath your new coat of paint
• Eliminate all light bulbs and any removable parts you don’t want to paint. My chandelier had little white tubes that were removable I wanted to maintain white.
• Utilize your painter’s tape to cover up the light bulb sockets
• Lay down your painters plastic (or drop cloth or old sheet) to cover regions you don’t want paint on
• Put on your gloves and mask and get ready to paint!

Step 3: The Fun Part!  Paint

• Catch your Rustoleum paint can and begin spraying.
• Start with a light coat; you don’t Have to cover up all the gold using the first coat
• Let it dry and then continue coating the fixture

Step 4: Attach the Crystals

Use your drill and drill little holes into the base of the candelabra holders.  You can now use those tiny holes to attach your ring crystals to the chandelier.

You can now use the roster of crystal beads to drape across the chandelier.  I desired my chandelier sparkle, but not have an overload of crystals, so I draped it from the light bulb L to light bulb.  I secured the strands by tucking them beneath the white tubes beneath the bulbs.

Now you are ready to hang it back up!  Beautiful!