High-Class DIY Crystal Chandelier

The overhead light in our bedroom has been bothering me since we moved in.  It is just an exposed light bulb in a box-shaped hole in the ceiling.  Since the ceiling is so low and the shape or the hole so odd, I knew it would be best to make a cover myself. I thought of using all sorts of different materials, but didn’t fall in love with an idea until I thought of using crystals.  I’ve always loved the look of elaborate crystal chandeliers, and the thought of having one in a low-ceiling, wood-panelled basement room was just too good to pass up. You will need:

• thick wire
• 9 small rings
• small hooks (or other method of attaching to ceiling)
• small chain
• strings of crystal (whatever color or shape you please, I used these)
• thin craft wire
• glue gun and glue sticks
• strong glue
• measuring tape
• painter’s tape
• pliers
• wire cutters (if your pliers don’t have them build in)

I started the process by measuring the hole in the ceiling. I wanted a round fixture that went all the way around the hole, so my largest ring has a 16″ diameter. The second and third rings have 12″ and 8″ diameters. I bought some basic wire at the hardware store, measured out enough to make all 3 rings, and cut them. Then I shaped each length of wire into a circle, threaded on 3 of the small rings onto each (for attaching the large rings together later), and secured the seam with painters tape.  Put just enough painters tape so the wire stays in place,  leaving room to secure it more permanently.  I doubled wrapped some craft wire around the seam, and then used Gorilla Glue to secure it (in case you haven’t used Gorilla glue before, apply it sparingly. It expands a lot). While the rings were drying I cut the crystals into 7″ lengths.  After the glue dried I removed the painter’s tape and cut off any extra wire.

Once the large rings dried, I measured out how far apart the small rings should sit, and marked their place with painter’s tape.  To do this I measured the circumference of the rings, then divided that by 3 so they would be evenly spaced. Then I used the glue gun to attach the crystal strings. I put a dab of glue on the 2nd crystal, flipped the top crystal over the wire, and pressed the 1st and 2nd crystals together to secure them.  I added a small dab of glue where the crystal string and wire met to prevent it from sliding around too much.  Brendan ingeniously created the wine bottle holder to keep the ring elevated while I glued.  It’s just a wine bottle, a cork with an X cut in the top, and string threaded through the X with S rings on the ends.

After crystals were glued around all 3 large rings, I used 3.5″ lengths of chain to attach them. During this process some of the crystal strings dislodged, but I just spaced them out again after it was hung.  Since my fixture needed to be snug to the ceiling, I just screwed 4 small hooks directly into the ceiling and hung the chandelier by the top large wire ring.

This method could easily be changed to make a fixture with a different shape or number of tiers. There are also many different ways you could hang the crystals.  I wanted them to fall straight down, but they could be draped or looped, or different lengths. My chandelier may not be the nicest materials or best possible construction, but it serves its purpose well and turns an ugly hole that bothered me daily into a high-class light fixture that makes me smile.  I love when design defies the logical and serious, and instead brings some silly joy into everyday life.

I used way more crystals than are pictured here.

Hold the wire in place with painter's tape before securing.

Loop thin wire around the seam, then twist to make double thick wire and wrap that to secure the large ring.

Add a small dab of glue to the area wrapped in thin wire.

The 3 rings before adding crystals.

Crystal strands cut into equal lengths. Mine are 7".

My ring holder and the small rings spaced out and secured.

Essentially you are gluing the top 2 crystals on the strand to each other, placing the wire in between them. Then secure the strand with a dab of glue on top.

The complete chandelier!

The ugly hole it's hiding.

In all its glory.