02/01/2021
Wagon wheel light turned ring chandelier:
This wagon wheel light used to hang in the middle of the livingroom from one of the beams, so it was like you had to duck to even walk around the room.
I shoved it in the basement and used basic track lighting for the last few years, because one, it was an eyesore, because two, it was in the way, and because three, it belongs with the house (rental).
I recently started looking for better lighting — the track lights were always burned out and ineffective, and the livingroom was just too dark. The knotty pine tongue & groove walls and ceiling are warm, but not bright.
Shopping around (pricing and quality... omg read as expensive and shoddy) led me to remembering the old 1940s wagon wheel, and led me to learning about ring chandeliers...
So I pulled the old girl out of the basement, twisted and pulled a bit, and the spokes + hub came right out, leaving a simple wooden ring with a copper band, topped with copper mini-lanterns. Pretty.
I gray-washed the ring, then painted the copper with salt + vinegar to remove the fake antiquing and to create a weathered patina. It’s somewhat greenish blue, and will continue to deepen over time. I reversed the lanterns so that the bulbs would hang facing downward, to capture as much light as possible, meaning the light bulbs would be visible.
I decided to go with crystal clear sphere lights, as the Edison-style bulbs I found were too bright, even at 25 watts. Crystal clear bulbs were like $2 each, and Edison bulbs were around $16 each, so there’s that.
Cheers to finally being able to see in this darling, quaint, rustic cabin!
💡🐻🐟
