Turn An Ordinary Thrift Store Find Into Dazzling Ambient Lighting With This Whimsical DIY

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Lighting plays a huge role in the way we feel when we're inside our homes. If a room is too dark, it can feel gloomy. Sometimes, a big, bright light is too much. You can find a happy medium with soft, glowy ambient lighting. Don't let the fancy terminology inspire panic about having to buy expensive fixtures. Like ambient music, this type of lighting creates a mellow feeling. It can be induced by something as simple as a flickering candle or something as traditional as a fireplace. There's a fun and affordable way to embrace ambient lighting while adding a trendy, whimsical accent to your home. Thrift a lantern and transform it into a stunning luminary using wax paper and glass paint. You stencil or hand-draw a design onto the paper and affix it behind the glass panes. It acts as a guide for the paint.

The basis of this project is a creative trick with some simple craft supplies. Starting this project is as easy as thrifting an old metal hanging lantern with the glass surround still intact. Alternatively, new lanterns are relatively affordable. Get this Kate Aspen Distressed White Rustic Metal Candle Holder for about $5. A two-piece set of Staymoment Small Black Candle Lanterns costs about $10. You'll also need wax or parchment paper, a pencil, a fine-tipped paintbrush, and a set of Pebeo Vitrea 160 Gloss glass paints. On a really tight budget? Make your own stained glass paint by mixing white glue or Mod Podge with food coloring. If you go this route, you'll need a permanent marker to create your outline.

With all your materials in hand, it's time to learn how to decorate a lantern — thrifted or store-bought. Ready to turn it into a whimsical ambient lighting fixture for your home? Sketch a line design onto the wax or parchment paper. If you think you'll struggle to free-hand a design, find a pattern online to trace or use a stencil. A set of Sunverse Geometric Stencils costs just $12 and has 16 patterns to choose from.

Stick the drawn-on paper inside a glass pane using double-sided tape. Clean the outside of the glass with an alcohol swab, then trace over the lines with glass paint in your choice of color. Black or deep gray best simulates the leading in real stained glass. Fill in the areas between the lines with your favorite hues — you could, for example, choose colors that coordinate with your existing home décor. Repeat for all panes of glass. When the paint is dry to the touch, remove the paper from inside the lantern.

If your lantern is made from metal, you can use a real candle inside. The effect of candle flickering warmly through the colors imitates stained glass and casts an ethereal rainbow of light around any room. If the lantern is made from a more flammable material, like wood, use a battery-powered LED tea light instead. Choose waterproof lights and you've got budget-friendly patio lighting that works no matter your style. Or make a bunch and string them (temporarily) between trees for your next backyard party.