Re-purposed birdcage
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- AFTER
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- side 2
I had a friend ask me the other day about my outdoor light that we have hanging up in our aluminum gazebo. I was telling her all about it and thought that I should share how I made it a few years ago. Taking pictures before and after has become a new thing for me so I don’t have pictures of the process! ugh. Why did it take a new blog to get me to start doing that? It would have been nice to have the before pics of all of my projects throughout the years. SO….take note!! People will want to see a before picture even if you don’t post your projects online. UPDATE: WOW…Just found a wedding before PIC!!
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- before
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- BEFORE
Sorry for the weird scanned image here on the left. My wedding pictures were all hard copy prints and this one had been cut. I then couldn’t crop it very well. Well, you can get the idea from it right?
When Ed and I got married we had a birdcage that held all of the cards and gift-cards from our wedding. People just slid their cards through the slits at the top. I wish I could take credit for the idea but one of my best friends had a bird cage for her wedding and I asked if I could copy! I thought it was a great idea and even had one of those fake doves at the top. Well fast-forward a few years and the birdcage ended up being too large as decoration in my house. So….I got the bright idea of turning it into a light. The look I was going for was Moroccan flair.
Here is what I did to turn my old birdcage into a hanging light:
- I turned it upside down. Ed drilled a hole for me at the bottom of the birdcage…which is the top of the lamp.
- I added radiator cover metal screening over the slits that was once the top of the birdcage. This was applied at the top and inside of the birdcage. The top of the bird cage can open which made it easy to apply the radiator cover. I used utility scissors to cut the radiator cover metal to size and I wrapped and bent the radiator screen metal around the inside of the birdcage. I applied wire to attach all of the pieces of radiator cover to the birdcage. I also used radiator screen to slant at the top of the lamp so it looked more dome-like instead of completely flat at the top.
- I added a light kit
- I painted the whole thing the same color- silver!!
That light was up for a couple of years in our sun-room. When we had our sun-room gutted and insulated into a 4 seasons room, my shabby chic lamp wasn’t welcome anymore. ha. Ed shook his head at the thought of this birdcage lamp sticking around for another couple of years in our basement closet. But I am sure happy I did!!! Once our aluminum gazebo was put up 2 years ago…..I ran downstairs to that closet and it was just waiting there for me. I will never forget….he said “Oh no, that thing?”
The silver didn’t look as nice in my dark aluminum gazebo so I painted it again!!
- I spray painted again with Rustoleum oil rubbed bronze. I did not do multiple coats because I wanted to let some of the silver peak through.
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- AFTER
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- AFTER with light on
The gazebo provides cover for the rain on the lamp. I would not recommend doing this with an arbor or pergola where it will always be getting wet. We only use the lights when it has dried out enough for a couple of days. It is just safer with all of the electrical in the gazebo. Now I feel like my old birdcage is part of our home, has a place and a story. And…. I think after all these years, Ed finally likes my hanging birdcage lamp! Most likely he likes it better when it’s dark but that is beside the point ;)!
update: You can see this Re-purposed Birdcage at these link parties. Click on the link or party button.
My Thrift Store Addiction: vintage charm #89
A pretty fix: sweet inspiration link party #67
Chic on a shoestring: flaunt it friday #366
Grandmas house DIY: wednesday link party #48
Ashly says
May 10, 2017 at 7:57 pmWow I love it! Super creative and clever idea that I would have never thought to do! Now I’m going to have to come over see it in person lite and all! That would even be fun for the dining room too!
K.Rupp says
May 10, 2017 at 11:26 pmThanks Ashly! It was a fun project. Yes at night it has a really nice glow. Ed put in dimmers too so it gives a party ambience! ha
Jennifer Anne Fleming says
June 15, 2017 at 8:34 pmWhat a cool idea!
K.Rupp says
June 15, 2017 at 11:25 pmThanks Jen!!
Gentle Joy Homemaker says
June 29, 2017 at 12:13 pmWhat a fun idea! Very unique. 🙂
K.Rupp says
June 29, 2017 at 12:26 pmThanks so much!!!!
Cecilia says
June 29, 2017 at 6:00 pmHi Kathleen! I love everything about this! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm & welcome to the party! Pinned to our Features & Favorites!
K.Rupp says
June 29, 2017 at 6:22 pmOh thank you so much!!!! I’m so happy to have found your website and link party! I will be back:)
irisabbey says
July 28, 2017 at 7:21 pmThis is such a creative idea. At first I was concerned about any bird who would live in such a cage, but then I read you covered with metal screening. You did a great job. I saw your link at Sweet Inspirations party.
K.Rupp says
July 28, 2017 at 7:55 pmThanks so much! I had fun doing that project and love the light in my gazebo! Thank you for stopping by from the linky party!! Come any time:)
Carol ("Mimi") says
July 28, 2017 at 8:39 pmWhat a unique outdoor light! I bet nobody would guess that it was a bird cage unless you told them. It looks great as a light fixture — very creative!
Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi
K.Rupp says
July 28, 2017 at 8:52 pmThank you so much! It is one of my favorite features of the gazebo:)
Mary says
August 4, 2017 at 10:48 pmThis is a fantastic repurpose. Your lighting fixture is a showstopper and something that is very original.
K.Rupp says
August 5, 2017 at 2:17 amOh thank you so much! I do love it; one of those things that I could never get rid of and is a great conversation piece. Thank you so much for your complement and stopping by my site!
Bright says
September 21, 2018 at 11:41 pmOkay this is super cool! I loved it as a birdcage and wedding card holder. Turning it into a light means you have a little something from your big day for years and years to come. Who has that much happy memories and joy when they look at their light fixtures. Great idea!
K. Rupp says
September 21, 2018 at 11:56 pmI know!!! I couldn’t get rid of it just for that reason! That is so true. Wish my hubby saw it the same way! HA. I have to update the post because recently I was shopping and saw hanging pendants in a super expensive home dec store looking almost exactly like it. I had to pat myself on the back with that one and show Ed. Thanks for your comment!!