[ chandelier makeover ]

I HAVE A HABIT of picking up various things when scoping out Habitat or Goodwill with great intentions of giving them a facelift and putting them somewhere in my home (never sure where!). So when our little shed started to overflow with these items and the lawnmower was becoming a struggle to get in/out, I knew I'd better do something!

First up, the chandelier I picked up at Habit for $15.

I debated what to do with it - should I paint it a bright colour like so many I've been seeing lately? Should I paint the crystals too and give it little shades? or should I keep it simple and give it more of a shabby chic look?

[idea pics: Better Homes and Gardens]

Although I like the brightly coloured ones, I decided that I might tire of it more quickly so I decided to go with something closer to idea 3 which would work in any room since I wasn't quite sure where I would be hanging it yet.

First, remove the crystals and give them a wash (hopefully I could remember where they all go!) and wipe down the entire chandelier.

Then tape off all areas I don't want painted and give it a spray.

Once it was dry, and I got the crystals back on (I had to refer to a Before pic to put all the crystals back in place), it was time to decide which room would get this fixture. I decided that the screened-in porch I just white-washed would be a great spot - it would give it a little bit of glam, plus the current fixture was pretty blah.

I'm really happy with how it turned out and for $15 and a bit of spray paint, it was an awesome deal!

lisa