Turn An Old Set Of Tuna Cans Into A Candle Holder That Looks So Chic With An Easy DIY

Say you've just brought home a set of sturdy pillar candles to serve as centerpieces for your cozy dinner table or as warm light sources on your mantel and shelves. But alas, you don't have any candle holders. And no one wants to place a lit candle directly on their table and risk messing up their luxurious table runners. Well, this is your chance to DIY a gorgeous elevated candle holder on a budget using tuna cans.

While you'll be reaping the usual benefits of a candle holder, such as preventing wax spills and heat damage to surfaces, this DIY stand also adds charm and can be customized to suit your taste. Now, for each candle holder, gather two tuna cans and a small plastic bottle. One tuna can forms the base, the bottle acts as the stem, and the second can sits at the top to hold the candle. While you can use any bottle-shaped containers that you fancy, small yogurt bottles work especially well because they create a vintage candlestick-style silhouette. Then gather acrylic paint in your preferred color, baking soda, a spoon, a paintbrush, a mixing container, and glue. You can even let your kids join in on this little decor project as it's quite simple to execute — just be cautious when handling the cans as sharp edges can cause cuts.

You'll want to start by washing the tuna cans and yogurt bottle with soap and water, remembering to remove all labels. After that, place the yogurt bottle upside down on top of one upside-down tuna can to form the stem and base. Attach the bottle to the can using glue. Next, assemble the candle socket by gluing the base of the other tuna can to the free end of the plastic bottle. At this stage, the candle holder structure is complete.

We now just want to make the candle holder look high-end by painting it. Aim for a textured paint finish that mimics store-bought home decor. This step uses a baking soda painting technique to create a textured matte look. Begin by pouring some acrylic paint into your mixing can, add in a spoonful of baking soda, and stir it well. The baking soda will thicken the paint and leave a rough texture on your candle holder once dry. Brush the textured paint over the whole exterior of your DIY candle holder. Once dry, your candle stand is ready for use, so you can place it on your dinner table and put your candle in the socket.

But that's not all. This simple DIY candle holder can also serve as a candle lantern for your outdoor dinner table. All you'll need to do is get a glass hurricane (you can buy one for cheap at your local thrift store) and place it in the socket so it shields the candle's flame from the outdoor wind. Make several candle holders using the same process and paint them in different colors to create a more eye-catching display.