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Life On Virginia Street

Life On Virginia Street

DIY . Home Decor . Travel . Style . Life

DIY Wood Bead Chandelier Using Chalk Paint

DIY Projects, Paint Projects

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I will show you how to make a DIY wood bead chandelier using chalk paint.

DIY wood bead chandelier using chalk paint poster.
This is the first project in a Look-for-Less Design Challenge I participated in with six other bloggers. We were each tasked with creating a designer-inspired piece at a much more affordable price-point. More details and other great projects at the end of this post!

Up close picture of the individual wood beads.

You may remember my office lighting design dilemma. Bottom line – as much as I love natural wood bead chandeliers, they are pricey! After my failed attempt using the Feiss Charlotte Chandelier in the office {it was much too small} I hung it in our guest bedroom. But I was back to square one for the office.

I then stumbled upon this pin from Dear Lillie. She used Annie Sloan chalk paint to transform an old brass chandelier into a “wood” one.  After my success with the AS chalk paint on the office desk and upstairs table, I figured a light fixture would be equally as easy.

DIY Wooden Bead Chandelier

I was in Lowe’s one day shortly after the other chandelier didn’t work and saw this piece. It had just been marked down from $169 to $139. More than I wanted to spend for a DIY wooden chandelier makeover but I liked the lines of the fixture, shapes of the wooden beads and the scale was right. I bought it, praying I wouldn’t end up botching the whole thing. Then I scoured the internet once I got home to see if I could find a similar project for tips, but came up empty-handed {everything I found involved buying and stringing your own beads and building out your own frame for the chandelier}. So, I was going to have to make it up as I went along if I wanted to turn this into a “wood” chandelier.

Medium sized wooden chandelier hanging up.
Bead Chandelier

I thought about keeping the piece as it was, but I knew I didn’t want a brushed nickel base in the office. I actually didn’t mind the larger “jade” beads, but the clear ones had a purple tint that made the whole piece feel like it belonged in a little girls room – not an office. So, I picked up some spray paint, chalk paint and wax. This $1,248 Regina Andrew Lighting Wood Bead Chandelier from Serena & Lily became my inspiration:

Wood and metal chandelier with faux candle lights on it.
{via}

It also happens to be the same inspiration light I used in my design board. It’s amazing how little I have swayed from this original plan. So not my regular M.O. 😉

Office inspiration design board poster.

So back to the light I purchased. Here are the supplies I used (some affiliate links used for your shopping convenience):
  • Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old Ochre – I bought a quart because they were out of sample sizes, but a sample pot would have been more than enough to cover this project (and much cheaper)
  • Annie Sloan Dark Wax
  • Cheap Chip Paint Brush
  • Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint
This wooden chandelier came fully unassembled so it made it much easier to paint the various sections as I chose. Setting aside all the beads {with the exception of those that were built into the light fixture frame}, I took all the metal pieces outside to spray. Then I used Frog Tape to tape off the electrical wires and the light bulb sockets. I didn’t bother painting the chain because we knew with the height of our ceiling we did not need the extra length {we had an extra carabiner chain clip so I used that instead to affix the two ends together}. Finally, I did two coats of spray paint, flipping most of the pieces over for the second coat.
The pieces of the chandelier outside on cardboard being spray painted black.
Then I then laid out all of the beads on a cardboard box and I painted about half of them and then they sat like this on my office floor for nearly a month.  I work best under pressure {insert sarcasm font} so I just finished painting the rest of them on Friday.
The wooden beads laid out on cardboard.
The wooden beads being painted white.
So I ended up doing two coats on each side of the chandelier beads. There really was no technique. I just tried to get maximum coverage with each coat without having drips or paint blobs. The good news is the chalk paint is very forgiving. If you mess up, just let it dry and then you can pick or scrape it off. The first coat will go on streaky {because of the nature of the plastic} but by the second coat, you’ll be in good shape.
Painting the beads white with a paint brush.
After two full coats on each side, I thought about leaving it as is. It looked a lot like pine beads at that point and I thought it would be a good contrast to the oil rubbed bronze on the iron.
The wooden beads painted drying on cardboard.
I tested a strand of beads and loved how it looked with the wax so I painted one strand at a time {front and then back} and then simply wiped it all off with a paper towel. Then I pretty much just wiped off the excess wax until I liked the look – but left it on a little heavier in some places because I liked the variation in color that it added.
Sealing the wooden beads with wax.
Up close of the wooden beads on a string.
Once the wax was applied
The beads after the wax was wiped off.
After the excess wax was wiped off
You can see just how little of the wax I used for this project. Although the Annie Sloan lines are pricey, they last forever. Sort of like painting the beads 😉 This is by no means a difficult project, but it is definitely time consuming.
The beads on cardboard, a can of wax, a paint brush.
I let all the wax dry for about and hour and then conned my husband into helping me hang the light. We dinged up the spray paint in a few areas {likely my fault since I didn’t use a primer}, but I simply sprayed some of the spray paint into a plastic cup and then lightly touched up the areas with a tiny paint brush. Good as new.

And now for the fun pictures!

Wooden bead chandelier hanging up.

Up close picture of the wooden beads joined by metal rings.
Side view of the chandelier with black and white curtains behind it.
Black metal base with painted wooden beads attached to it.
The close-up shots are a much more accurate representation of the true color. When I zoomed out, it seemed to give a yellow hue to the beads that just isn’t there in real life. I couldn’t be happier with the end results – except maybe if the beads were a bit denser. But the $1,000+ savings makes me forget all about that 😉
Do you think you would ever have the nerve to buy a new light fixture, only to try a DIY project on it? It’s safe to say I’m glad I gave it a shot on this one! I am this.close to wrapping up the office, so I hope to have a final reveal for you next week! If you missed the sneak peak, you can check it out here.
DIY wooden chandelier hanging up with dark wooden panelling behind it.

The good news is, the fun doesn’t end here. Be sure to check out all the other great projects in our line-up. There are six more amazing bloggers with projects that are equally as amazing.

Look for less poster.

The talent in the blogging community never ceases to amaze me. Each of these projects is completely different from mine yet all are so inspirational. Check them out!

West Elm inspired herringbone floor mirror poster.
West Elm inspired Herringbone Floor Mirror by Home Coming
DIY Board and Batten Shutters from Absolutely Arkansas poster.
DIY Board and Batten Shutters from Absolutely Arkansas
Drink Station poster.
Drink Station from Like a Saturday
Peace with poster.
CB2 Knock-Off Peace Wreath from Life.Love.Larson
DIY coasters poster.
Anthropologie inspired coasters from Sewing Barefoot
Faux pie safe poster.
DIY Faux Pie Safe from Kitchen Table Art
We’ll be back {likely in January} with another round of designer inspired projects. I’m already excited to see what other ideas these creative ladies will come up with!

disclosure: some affiliate links used

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October 30, 2013 · 45 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kylie Helm says

    October 30, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    Oh my goodness, Sarah! I’m so incredibly impressed! WHO KNEW that chalk paint could give you that incredible “wood like” finish. AWESOME DIY! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

    xo Kylie

    Reply
  2. Rachel says

    October 30, 2013 at 2:04 pm

    This is amazing! I would have never thought to paint the beads with chalk paint. It really looks like wood. Great job!

    Reply
  3. Kayla Janachovsky says

    October 30, 2013 at 2:09 pm

    This turned out so great. Such an improvement over what it looked like from the store! I love it!

    Reply
  4. Sita says

    October 30, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    That turned out amazing! Great job!

    Reply
  5. HB says

    October 30, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    That turned out awesome Sarah! Good work!

    Reply
  6. HB says

    October 30, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    That turned out awesome Sarah! Good work!

    Reply
  7. Tyesha Turner says

    October 30, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    Awesome job Sarah!

    Reply
  8. Andrea {lifelovelarson} says

    October 30, 2013 at 7:32 pm

    Loving this project so much! What a transformation! I also work best under pressure :)…

    Reply
  9. amy says

    October 30, 2013 at 9:57 pm

    I’m losing my mind on this DIY. You did a stunning job!!! Just started following you via Bloglovin’, can not even wait to see what else you do!

    Amy @ http://www.delineateyourdwelling.com

    Reply
  10. Tammy Snider says

    October 30, 2013 at 10:09 pm

    That looks amazing! I can’t believe the transformation. You did an awesome job.

    Tammy @ thecoloreddoor.blogspot.com

    Reply
  11. Christine Graves says

    October 30, 2013 at 10:13 pm

    Wow, excellent job. I love it…..

    Reply
  12. Gracie Lathrop says

    October 31, 2013 at 1:14 am

    I seriously thought you actually beaded lines to make this but painting a already made chandelier is awesome!! Whenever I get a house that can handle a chandelier I’m gonna try this out fo sho!

    Reply
  13. Mark and Trisha says

    October 31, 2013 at 1:30 am

    Love how it turned out. Way to time consuming for me. I am afraid if I started a project like that I wouldn’t finish. Nice job.

    Reply
  14. Julia Konya says

    October 31, 2013 at 1:17 am

    This turned out amazing. Love it! (coming over from Amy’s at the Blissful Bee)

    Reply
  15. Laura says

    October 31, 2013 at 5:15 am

    Ummm, I LOVE this! I’ve never heard of or thought about giving a faux wood look with chalk paint. I’m going to have to give this a whirl at some point. Pinning!

    Reply
  16. Shannon Barefoot says

    October 31, 2013 at 1:00 pm

    Your version is way better than the inspiration. You did an amazing job!!

    Reply
  17. Shirley Arocho says

    November 1, 2013 at 1:56 am

    Oh I LOVE IT! So beautiful!

    Reply
  18. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    November 1, 2013 at 2:38 pm

    Oh my word, this is totally amazing. I love it. Fabulous tutorial too. Don’t forget to link up to Inspire Me Tuesday. It will go live on Mon. at 2:30 PT. http://www.astrollthrulife.net Hope to see you there. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  19. Abby says

    November 1, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    This is just so beautiful! I think would be pretty nervous about messing with a brand new light…but it looks way more expensive and classy after your paint job! Amazing work!

    Reply
  20. Angi Solle says

    November 1, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    I love those chandeliers! I have a little obsession I must admit!

    cantbuymelovvve.blogspot.com

    Reply
  21. the cape on the corner says

    November 1, 2013 at 5:38 pm

    wow, that is truly impressive. excellent job!

    Reply
  22. Jan says

    November 3, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    Hi, first time visitor, I checked out this post at the Shabby Nest Frugal Friday. What a wonderful project. I can’t get over how MUCH the beads look like real wood, even in the close-up photos. What a beautiful chandy, too. $139 was NOT too much to pay, it does look very much like a thousand bucks.

    Reply
  23. Angela Conley says

    November 4, 2013 at 6:19 am

    Wow, these really do look like wood! Excellent work and thanks for sharing your creativity!

    Reply
  24. Clydia Mangold says

    November 4, 2013 at 2:21 pm

    Looks like a TON of work but it paid off! It’s fabulous! Thanks for linking up to ITS PARTY TIME. Pinned it. xoxo

    Reply
  25. Jess @ Spool and Spoon says

    November 4, 2013 at 11:02 pm

    Wow — that’s all I can say! This is incredible. New follower simply because of this post — can’t wait to check out all of the other goodness you have going on!

    Reply
  26. Tasha A. says

    November 5, 2013 at 1:12 am

    WOW! That is an amazing transformation. I can’t get over the painting technique on the beads. Love it! I am visiting from the @twelve0eight linky party. Glad to have found this post there! -Tasha (www.trappeddesigner.blogspot.com)

    Reply
  27. Aimee at Refresh-Renew... says

    November 4, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    love this! I have a similar inspiration piece I want for over my master bath…and now I think it may come sooner verses later….new follower! :o)

    Reply
  28. Krista thehappyhousie says

    November 5, 2013 at 4:40 am

    Wow Sarah- this is seriously fabulous. Thanks for sharing this at Work it Wednesday this week. Absolutely must pin it:)
    ~Krista from the happy housie

    Reply
  29. being-bianca.com says

    November 6, 2013 at 1:09 am

    The chandy looks FAB! Too funny – I have the same (original version) chandy in my office. Love the wood looking beads! Related – what’s that gray color on your wall? Looks so good!!! xx, b being-bianca.com

    Reply
    • Sarah S says

      November 8, 2013 at 2:00 am

      Thank you! The color on the wall is Behr Castle Path.

      Reply
  30. Desiree @ The 36th AVENUE says

    November 7, 2013 at 12:36 am

    Oh my goodness we are in love with your chandelier. We are featuring you on Friday since you are one of our favorites this week. Thank you so much for linking up with The Party Bunch!
    Desiree

    Reply
  31. Leslie Lambert says

    November 7, 2013 at 1:00 am

    Congratulations…this post was featured on Create It Thursday #27! Thanks so much for sharing such a great idea with us last week!

    Reply
  32. Brynne Delerson says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    No way – those beads look exactly like wood! That’s crazy! I love the outcome!!!

    Reply
  33. LivingVintage says

    November 8, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    GORGEOUS! Love it!

    Reply
  34. Jennifer Flores says

    November 8, 2013 at 9:22 pm

    I thought it was wood! Such a brilliant project. It looks gorgeous in your home.

    Reply
  35. Alexis Middleton says

    November 9, 2013 at 12:09 am

    Such an impressive DIY! You totally got the look of your pricey inspiration fixtures. Love it! Pinning!

    Reply
  36. Kathryn Ferguson Griffin says

    November 11, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    This is fantastic! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the features today at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Pop on in and grab a feature button for your blog. Here is the link to this week’s party. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2013/11/make-it-pretty-monday-week-75.html Hope to see your prettiness again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

    Reply
  37. Sweetbug Studio says

    January 17, 2014 at 9:39 pm

    Came from Thrifty Decor Chick. Did you see the price now? I really don’t like time consuming projects (my etsy shop uses my free time), however, I have really loved the look of these lights. I wasn’t sure if too trendy, the cost of some, or husband would poo-poo the idea. But I have to do this!!!! You did such an amazing job!! If we build our mudroom or bonus room I could use it in there??? I don’t want to pass up this DIY–it is just that great!

    Reply
  38. Sarah S says

    January 18, 2014 at 10:25 pm

    Yes, I saw the price dropped even further! Even more incentive for you to give it a try now 🙂 I would love to see your end results if you do try it out!

    Reply
  39. Michelle @ Ten June says

    January 21, 2014 at 12:41 am

    Sarah, this is legit awesome! Seriously, you killed this whole DIY! Love, love. Great job!

    Reply
    • Sarah S says

      January 24, 2014 at 9:40 pm

      Thanks Michelle – and thanks so much for the feature 🙂

      Reply
  40. Dear Lillie says

    February 9, 2014 at 10:25 pm

    That turned out AMAZING! Love it!

    Reply
  41. Jamala Wallace says

    June 16, 2014 at 2:53 am

    I hope you ca hear me screaming “OH WOW!!!!!!” this is awesome.. I love your chandelier! My God this by far one of the best knock-offs I’ve ever seen

    Reply
  42. Rachel says

    April 17, 2016 at 8:25 am

    This is crazy!!! A month ago I bought this exact light with the EXACT same intentions with faking a wood finish. I was randomly searching for something entirely different when I came across one of your images. I can’t believe my eyes! Great minds, let’s be best friends?!? ????

    Reply
  43. Elizabeth says

    December 12, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    Wow!! You are a brave soul with great vision to take on that project. What an amazing outcome! Well done.

    Reply

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