Turn Dollar Tree Items Into A Rustic Hanging Light With A DIY

While its popularity may come and go, there are many rustic design trends you can't ignore in 2026. Rustic decor often uses natural materials like wood and stone that match a wide variety of other aesthetics and tend to look even better as they weather over time. New lighting fixtures can be expensive to buy and install, though. Wall-mounted fixtures, which are a great way to add more style to a room's walls and improve lighting for tasks, typically cost between $30 and $100, and your total could jump to $250 with installation. If you want a rustic wall-mounted light without the high price tag, you can make your own using Dollar Tree materials. The fixture made by TikToker @risseroe features a black wooden wall mount and a rope-wrapped cage around the light source for a surprisingly high-end yet natural look.

One of the best parts of this project is that you can get nearly all of your materials from Dollar Tree. You'll need a wooden plaque and wood planks for the base, a wire basket, some rope, rope glue, and a puck light. The Essentials round wire basket set is perfect for the pendant cage, and a couple of the floral garden decorative nautical ropes will work for wrapping. Finally, you'll need a light source. Dollar Tree often carries LED push lights and disco lights that are about the right size for this project, but it might be worth searching for a wireless puck light with a remote control to make the light easier to use.

With your supplies ready, you can start by turning the wire basket upside down and tying a knot in the center of what would normally be the bottom of the basket. Trim off any excess and bond the ends together using rope glue. Next, you can begin experimenting with different ways to wrap the wire basket to form the design you want. 

There are tons of amazing lighting fixture ideas using jute rope that add a bright touch that can be applied here. You can go for a more vertical style that involves starting at the rim of the basket and looping around to the lower bar. Many of the fixtures with this style have two vertically wrapped sections, so you might want to glue a ring to the base of the Dollar Tree basket to continue the vertical line after looping around the mid-point bar.

@risseroe

D.I.Y hanging lamp using dollar tree products #diyhomedecor #dollartreediy #dollartreehomedecor #homedecor #diylamp

♬ Autumn Leaves (Lofi) – The Machinist Beats

Alternatively, you can weave horizontally around the bars. Dense wrapping patterns will block more light, while looser ones will make your fixture seem brighter by letting more light through. Consider wrapping all of the metal bars with a thin strand if you don't like the gold or black peeking through. At the top of your DIY fixture, you can spiral the rope from the center to the edges, securing the rope with glue and knots. When you are done wrapping, trim off any ends and make sure all of the rope is tightly secured using knots or glue.

To complete the pendant, you just need to add the puck light. You can glue the light directly to the wire basket, or if you have a looser weave, you may want to stick it to another pendant so it dangles inside the rope cage and looks a bit neater. You can do this by removing the bulb and repurposing one of the Luminessence LED hanging lamps from Dollar Tree.

Then, you can move on to the wood. If you are using the Dollar Tree wooden plank, start by cutting it in half and gluing the halves together with wood glue to create a thicker plank. When the glue is dry, drill a hole through the combined pieces to create an opening large enough for the rope to pass through. Sand all of the edges before gluing the plank to the center of the plaque and painting if desired. 

Finally, you can hang it on the wall. You can use a nail and sawtooth hanger or a removable wall adhesive strip for a renter-friendly option, but be sure to choose the right place first. Ideally, wall-mounted lights should be a bit above eye level to look nice and provide useful light. This could be eye level when standing in areas like a hallway, or it could be while seated in a chair or on a bed in an office or bedroom. Once in place, you can enjoy your light and explore more easy and affordable Dollar Tree DIYs that will add a rustic touch to your home.