DIY Wall Sconce (Lighting Hack)
I found some simple wall sconces for the bedroom that I absolutely loved. But they were more than I wanted to spend ($600-1,000 for a pair - depending on the size). So, as usual, I thought I'd try to find / make something similar for less. I was hoping to spend less than $100. I did go over budget, but not by much. And I'm so happy with how they turned out. Amazing what some spray paint and tape can do to completely change the vibe, right?
Yield: 2 sconces
Cost: $112
Instructions
Remove the glass globe and tape off the parts that you don't want to be spray painted.
- I already had blue painters tape at home so I used that to tape off the base of each sconce, after removing the glass shade / globe. You can use any kind of painters tape or masking tape that you have. Just wouldn't use duct tape.
- *IMPORTANT: Make sure you throughly tape off the inside area where the bulb will go. You don't want any paint to get into that area.
Prime and paint the metal base of the sconces outside in a well ventilated area.
- After taping everything off, I took the sconces outside to spray paint them. I started with a thin coat of primer on each of the two scone spaces. Once the primer was dry, I spray-painted the beige-tan color onto each sconce base.
- *I highly recommend using primer made for metal (I linked it in the materials list). It will ensure the paint bonds properly to the surface.
Once dry, remove the tape, install the sconces bases and reassemble.
- After that was dry I brought them back inside and removed the tape. Then I put in a light bulb and put the glass shades back on and they were ready to install. When installing though, I realized, it would have been easier to just keep the sconce unassembled until the base was mounted to the wall.
- Anyway! You can hardwire these into the wall with the help of an electrician. OR do the puck light trick with a remote.
Notes
How much did the wall sconces cost?
In total, this project did cost more than what I was hoping. The final budget breakdown in below. Although I went slightly over budget, I’m happy with the results. I still ended up saving over $480+ in the end, compared to the sconces I was originally thinking about.
And because they were so affordable, I won’t feel bad about spray painting them in new color if I ever decide to change it up.
Budget Breakdown
If you're curious, here's the full budget breakdown for how much this sconce hack actually cost me.
$49.99 per sconce ($99.98 for two)
$6.19 primer spray paint
$5.98 color spray paint
painters tape (no cost)
Total cost: $112.15 for two sconces
$6.19 primer spray paint
$5.98 color spray paint
painters tape (no cost)
Total cost: $112.15 for two sconces