For this knockoff lighting project we created much cheaper versions of our favorite schoolhouse pendant light from Rejuvenation.
You may remember in our library planning post last month that we had plans to switch out the lighting in our library. We wanted to replace the overly decorative light fixture with something that had clean lines and was simple.
DIY KNOCKOFF
We found the Rose City Classic Schoolhouse Pendant light fixture at Rejuvenation and thought the style was a perfect match. However, the price was not so perfect for our budget. Just buying one was going to be a stretch and we wanted two, one for each of the front rooms. We knew we definitely could not afford to buy two from the store any time soon so we got to thinking and decided to piece one together ourselves. We created the one above and are very happy with the results.
Today we are sharing our affordable solution for creating a classic schoolhouse pendant light that came in $137 cheaper than it’s Rejuvenation counterpart. The lower price allowed us to make two for less than the cost of purchasing one. It was a great solution for our budget.
Here is what we started with when we moved into the house. The light on the left was the light in the front room (formerly the formal living room). It was small, plain and lacked character.
The light on the right was in the library (formerly the formal dining room) and was the opposite. It was almost too ornate and long. It was a nice light fixture, it just didn’t fit with the style of our library or our house in general.
We wanted the two light fixtures to match to create a cohesive feel between the two rooms since the space between the rooms is open. So we set out to assemble matching schoolhouse pendant lights.
How We Put Together Our Schoolhouse Pendant Light
1. First, we purchased the three pieces of the light fixture we needed: the pendant, the glass holder and the vintage schoolhouse globe.
1. Light Oil Rubbed Bronze Adjustable Mini Pendant – $16.47
2. 6-in. White Glass Holder – $11.25
3. Antique Art Deco Schoolhouse Tiered Globe 14” Diameter – $49.99
*We bought the vintage schoolhouse globes off of E-bay where the seller had acquired schoolhouse globes and fixtures from an old church. They were in great shape!
1. Brent used a jigsaw with a sheet metal blade to cut a hole in the top of the glass holder large enough so the ceramic part of the pendant light fixture would fit through it.
2. In between cuts he would test the size of the hole to make sure it was the perfect fit.
3. Before painting the glass holders, Brent roughed up the smooth surface with medium grade steel wool. The scratches the steel wool makes give the surface of the glass holder a rough texture so the paint can adhere to the surface. Because the bronze pendant light fixture we bought was a different color bronze than the spray paint we already had to paint the white glass holders, we ended up spray painting the pendant light fixture as well so it would match. Brent roughed up the surface of these pieces also.
4. Next, we applied an even coat of spray paint to all the parts.
5. To paint parts of the light fixture, we wrapped the cords in plastic wrap and secured them down to the cardboard with tape.
6. After the paint was dry, Brent assembled all the pieces to create our schoolhouse pendant lights and then hung them in each room.
Yesterday not only did we hang up our new lights, we also painted the last few areas (the front room and hallway) in our house gray. That means there are only two rooms left to paint and then the inside of our house will all be painted. Two projects in one day, that is a productive Saturday! Our front room/music room/photography studio is coming along great. *Shout out to my Dad for all the help with the painting!
Here is what the room looked like yesterday morning:
Here are some progress shots of it now:
The gray paint color we used is Mindful Gray from Sherwin-Williams and is the same color we used in our library, kitchen and living room. It looks so nice to now have the front two rooms have the same wall color and light fixtures. It makes the front of the house flow really well. I would call this a successful weekend.
PIN THIS PROJECT
Very nice! Pendant lighting can add great visual style to a room. This pendant light is looking awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Very interesting, good job and thanks for sharing such a good blog. Your article is so convincing that I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great job. Keep it up
looks perfect! We love making light fixtures for a fraction of the cost. I’ll have to file this away for the next time we want to change out the kitchen island pendants.
Hi Brianna! Thanks for the kind words. We love making light fixtures for the fraction of the cost too. It feels so rewarding knowing you were able to save money but still achieve the same look! We’re so glad you stopped by our blog. (:
-Courtney