Budget-Friendly DIY Candle Display For An Elegant Golden Glow

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Making your home feel special doesn't have to cost a fortune. In fact, you can find several beautiful ways to decorate your home with candles that instantly enhance the room's atmosphere for a nominal price. If you're looking for a candlelight display that levels up the elegance, this DIY is for you. Using a serving bowl, two colors of paint, sand, and some candles, you'll create a fashionable candle holder that nobody would guess is super budget-friendly.

To get the glow in your living room, find a large, clear serving bowl, and paint the inside with a coat of reflective metallic gold paint. Use a different metallic shade if it better suits your home, as long as you still get the shimmer. It doesn't matter what size bowl you use. Pick one that suits the area where you want to display it.

Once the paint is dry, flip the bowl over. Paint the outside in a neutral shade that grounds the rich gold sheen on the inside of the bowl. Add a rough look and feel to the paint by mixing coarse materials like sand, flour, or shredded paper before applying it. You could also try this baking soda painting technique for a textured-matte look, an easy way to elevate a simple project into something special. As the paint dries, you can see the unique look of the surface you've created. Turn the bowl back upright, and fill it with decorative sand, such as RAINFLOW Fine White Sand for Crafts. Choose sand with a color and texture that you find satisfying.

The rough texture of bumpy paint isn't for everybody. If you'd prefer something that's smooth but still has character, try a 3D raised pattern with acrylic paint over it. Depending on the bowl's surface, you may also need to use a primer for better paint adhesion. But before you paint the outside, grab your hot glue gun to create raised patterns on your bowl. If you find the hot glue gun hard to control, you could make designs with Gallery Glass Liquid Lead instead. It's easier to make lines go where you want them to using lead instead of glue. You can also use a craft knife to tidy up your design as you work. Create geometric patterns, or go for swirls and curls to add some whimsy. Once dry, paint the outside of your bowl, covering the design to form elegant raised patterns that elevate your candle holder.

To create a different kind of glow, you could ditch the sand and fill the bottom of the bowl with water. For this variation, use a glass bowl and apply both gold and neutral paint layers to the outside of it. If you need a properly cleaned and prepped surface, vinegar is a secret weapon when painting glass that can ensure a smooth application. Buy candles designed for floating, such as the Ashlux White Floating Candles. The flame makes the entire candle glow, bouncing light into the water and the bowl and adding rippling depth to the warm, golden interior. The reflective surface of the water supplies an extra layer of cozy glamour.