Turn Old Terracotta Pots Into A Creative Way To Light Up Your Patio

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When your patio is in need of some sprucing up, look to that pile of old flower pots in the corner that you've been saving for propagation and container gardening. You know you need to tidy those pots up, but instead of just organizing them into neat stacks based on size, why not get creative and repurpose some of them into outdoor art? You can, for example, turn old nursery pots into the cutest wreath decor for your patio. Or, if you have some old terracotta pots, take a cue from Instagrammer Silvia Hart, posting as kleinebaummanufaktur, and use a pot to light up your patio. Hart stuffed fairy lights inside a terracotta pot to create a rustic pendant light, which she hung from a branch above an outdoor table.

In this DIY, a terracotta pot hung upside down with string lights inside will provide mood lighting, but it certainly won't be bright enough for activities like reading. This is a DIY to turn your garden into an illuminated, enchanted escape, not an intense spotlight for working on your latest crochet project. Still, this creative light fixture is sure to make spending evenings on your patio more relaxing and keep you outdoors past sunset. You can make this upcycled light with old materials you probably already have in your garden shed or garage, so you might not have to spend any money at all. You'll need a small or medium-sized terracotta pot with a drainage hole, a roll of ½-inch-thick Bretangme Heavy-Duty Twisted Jute Rope, some LitHome Battery-Operated String Lights, and a piece of chicken wire slightly wider than the mouth of the pot.

Ready to get started on this cheap and clever way to perk up your patio? Feed both ends of the rope through the drainage hole in the bottom of the terracotta pot. Make a knot inside the pot to prevent the rope from slipping through the drainage hole. Now you have a loop to hang your pendant light from. Next, place the battery-operated string lights inside the pot. Fix them in place by stuffing the chicken wire into the pot behind them. Pull some of the lights through the holes in the mesh if you wish. You can mold the chicken wire into whatever shape best fits the inside of the pot. You can also adjust it as needed once it's inside the pot. A pendant light made from fired clay is a little on the heavy side, so make sure to hang it securely and fasten it to something sturdy. Instagrammer Silvia Hart uses a fallen tree branch.

Of course, there are many creative ways to personalize this DIY project. If you're not interested in the rustic garden vibe that raw terracotta gives to the project, you could paint the pot a bright, solid color or add a pattern to the outside. Make sure to clean the planter of dirt first so the paint sticks better. If you're in need of brighter lighting for your patio, you also don't need to fill the pot with string lights. Instead, you could use a battery-operated closet light or a Jarxin LED Portable Outdoor Waterproof Lightbulb with a hook. You can even switch out the terracotta pot in favor of a different style of planter. For an elegant look, turn a pretty glazed ceramic pot into a patio light.