Fashioning an Outdoor Candelabra and Beautiful Chandelier

I love bringing a touch of elegance to outdoor spaces. Below I have taken two beautiful Chandeliers that I found for great deals and transformed them into elegant additions to my lake house and guest house. This is an easy project that requires a repurposed chandelier, paint, and manila rope.

After my partner, Danny, and I found these beautiful chandeliers I decided to turn one of them into an amazing outdoor candelabra, and the other a repurposed chandelier. One we found for $5 from a garage sale, and the other for $15 from my local Habitat for Humanity. First, Danny stripped the candelabra for outside, of its electrical hardware and the plastic light bulbs. Coincidentally these were perfect for placing taper candles.

Next we removed the chain from the top of the one that we wanted to transform into a candelabra so that we could fashion it to a tree that overlooks our deck using Manila Rope. This rope can be found at many hardware stores. This particular rope is used on boats, and I have also used it for landscape projects. I thought that if it can withstand being used out at sea, then surely it will be strong enough to hold my beautiful candelabra above our deck. The braid that I used to fashion the candelabra to the tree with is called a 'Single Rope Braid - Chain Sinnet'. It is so simple! Here is the link to learn how to do it too!
http://www.instructables.com/id/single-rope-braid-chain-sinnet/

Now, my amazingly handy partner, Danny is starting to construct the rope support for the candelabra. He fashioned the rope to hang between two trees that are perpendicular to one another on either side of our deck. We then hung the candelabra from the rope, and simply measured the height that I felt was comfortable for the setting above my outdoor picnic table.

What I am doing below is melting wax into the candle holders to give them more support so that they don't fall out due to wind or rain.

Voila! The candelabra I decided to paint a nice matte black. Make sure you choose a paint that is for outdoors so that it does not rust or peel from the weather. I think that this makes a great statement on my deck and seating area. I am really glad that we choose hang it from the rope as opposed to a chain. It makes it seem so much more natural in an outdoor setting.

The other chandelier I kept it with the original hardware, but spray painted white. I think it goes great with the sunroom in our guesthouse. I wanted to hang it in a room that would still be seen from the deck and vice versa to add unity to both spaces.

​I love it...I hope you love it too!