MAKE IT / 21
today we will be showing you how to make these beautiful ombre pendant lights! this is definitely one of my favorite projects so far (it looks awesome over my new dining room table). as always, let us know if you make it and send us photos please!
what you’ll need:
• 8 inch glass pendant light (Sea Gull lighting makes a nice one readily available online)
• Martha Stewart Glass Paint Spray System available exclusively at Michael’s
• Martha Stewart Opaque Metallic Glass Paint in Champagne
• Martha Stewart Translucent Frost Glass Paint in Pink Flamingo
• rubbing alcohol
• cotton squares
• tissue paper
• small mixing bowl
• painter’s tape
• scissors
• ruler
how to make it:
SET UP
• prepare the spray system according to the included directions (some paints are prepared differently than others so be sure to read all the instructions before mixing paints for the sprayer).
• clean glass globe surface with rubbing alcohol and a cotton square.
• lay the glass globe on it’s flat side and measure four inches up from the table surface with a ruler.
• cut small pieces of paper tape & mark all the way around. this will help serve as a guide when you’re painting but it will also prevent the paint from reaching the surface so try and use small pieces.
• lay tissue paper into the mixing bowl and carefully place the glass globe right side up making sure that your line is level all the way around.
TO PAINT
*the key to getting a great looking ombre surface is to paint in very light layers and allowing each layer to dry before applying more paint to the surface
• load the spray system with the champagne paint, spray a very light layer working all the way around your surface from your mark up to the top of the globe (flat side). let dry.
• spray another light layer starting 1 inch from your mark all the way around the glass globe.
• continue painting in this manner moving an inch up with each layer for a total of 4 layers of paint, if when you get to the top the last layer does not seem opaque you can spray it again. let dry. we let ours sit for 45 minutes between each layer to ensure that our paint would not run or drip.
• change the spray system to the pink flamingo paint.
• starting halfway up from your mark spray light layers of pink paint using the same method, working your way up the glass globe in 1 inch increments. again if you find that the pink isn’t showing up solid by the time you reach the top add additional layers.
• remove the painter’s tape, if you can see the area where the tape was you can very lightly use your finger and a little paint to touch up the area.
*a good tip when creating any gradient effect is to remember that you can’t go backwards, so it’s best to be patient and work slowly in nice light layers, this also makes the fade from one color to another more subtle and beautiful. be sure to read the painting tips that come with the spray system, we found them to be very helpful in terms of how to operate the sprayer and get a consistent spray. if you are hesitant to use the sprayer you can buy a opal glass replacement globe at the hardware store to practice on, they cost about $5 and you know what they say… practice makes perfect.
a fun idea for a work space would be creating multiple color combinations to hang like this!
project by: natalie shriver for designlovefest
photos by: kimberly genevieve
more DIY projects here
Very cool, Bri & Natalie!
And Bri – loving your new table. 🙂
Ronnie xo
Nice! You should make a bouquet of these!
Yep, this is happening. Glass paint spraying systems..Martha thinks of everything!
I think this is my favourite DIY yet!
That’s gorgeous! I’m getting ready to move and lighting is HUGE for me. I can’t wait to find (or make) the perfect fixtures for my new home.
This is a great project! Also, I absolutely LOVE the rug in your last photo, where did you get it?
emily – thanks! i got it at lawson fenning last year.
Okay! I am totallyyyyyyy in love with this and the new table! AWESOME!
Love it!
So neat! Looks amazing!
very chic and modern!
Bri, this is brilliant. Thanks for sharing the How-To!
~Anna
What a great idea! Gotta try this!!
http://beautymovesme.com/
That pendant rocks, and so does your new table! I love your DIY projects. They are some of the only ones I see that I would actually consider doing. Practical and beautiful!
So beautiful, couldn’t be more brilliant and simple, just loving it!!! Hve a great weekend
Oh my goodness! This is gorgeous! A must do.
Cheers
-Melissa
http://shakeshakee.blogspot.com
this is adorable and so genius! I love a good interior DIY
These are gorgeous Bri!!! Simply beautiful!
Brilliant idea! Love it!
GREAT IDEA! very chic
Looks like another winning DIY! I’m going to say a prayer for patience so I don’t over-spray my globe.
Love this! Well done.
Oh I love this! Maybe I’ll make a gold one!
That rug is fantastic. Just wondering: does the color on the lamp make the room have a pink glow? Colored lights creep me out
Fun project! Would be neat to do a post on other DIY projects using this technique. Xo
I will be doing this soon!!
What a pretty project. Also, love the new table. 🙂
This is gorgeous! I’ll have to remember this for a future house.
Oh my! What an awesome project! I could totally do this! Thanks for sharing!! : )
pretty!!
Does anyone know what kind of jar/candle that is? it is beautiful. great post, bri!
the candle is from illume candles, kim!
now that is very slick, worth a pin for sure
Great DIY! Pinworthy for sure. By the way, do you happen to have a source for that great rug? Thanks!
This is fantastic! One question though: how much light does the–gorgeous–painted pendant give off? My girlfriend and I have just bought a house (hooray!) and are slowly but surely renovating it and making it beautiful. (Which is also hooray, but with a lot more work and patience involved.)
We’re trying to find or make a light we actually like to overhang our very dark stairwell to our attic bedroom. Would this be bright enough or does it function more as a reading and ambience light?
Thanks! And again, my compliments. This is lovely!
Bri- congragulations on winning the Martha Stewart Crafts Month contest! I was on Martha Stewart looking up mac and cheese recipes and saw you won! I keep reminding myself to take your blogshop course..maybe next time you’re in LA! Congrats again!
Your lights are beautiful, thanks for posting your tutorial too – your photos are just gorgeous! I’ve got this linked to my DIY pendant lights post as well today, for inspiration!
I am with a few others on the rug. Fantastic. Where is it from?
I am in LOVE. Thanks so much for sharing this great idea!
Does anyone know what type of chairs are with the table and where they came from? Love them. Also, love this diy.
This is stunning. I would love to make this.
Love this pendant although I would feel intimidated trying to do it! Would you share where your table and chairs are from? I really love them. Thanks!
Have you ever considered creating an e-book or guest authoring on other sites?
I have a blog based on the same information you discuss and would love to have you share some
stories/information. I know my subscribers would value your work.
If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
I’m going to try this for sure! My dining light broke… this diy came just in time ❤
I was able to find good info from your blog posts.
I want to too thank you for this excellent read!!
I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it.
I’ve got you book-marked to check out new stuff you post…
lookie here
I think op means it’s creepy that you knew she made an ewok Just a guess, and that’s not a creepy thing to Don’t want info of your self on the internet, don’t put it there
it is beautiful. great post, thanks you!
Thanks so much for sharing this great idea!
Fantastic. Where is it from?
I deemed that to achieve such a nice spray painting effect need some good spraying skill. Great job, love it.
This is gorgeous!Thanks you!