How to: Turn an Outdoor Light Fixture into an Indoor Holiday Lantern

I had this old outdoor light fixture taking up space in the garage just waiting to be converted into an indoor, decorative lantern. So simple, the project took about an hour to finish, not including drying time for the spray paint. To start a conversion like this, a little reverse engineering is in order. Just figure  out how the fixture was put together, and disassemble it from finish to start. To actually take the fixture apart, you'll need a small wrench, Phillips screw driver, and a wire cutters.

I started by taking out the glass panels, which were held in by metal tabs. Then it was a matter of taking off the back bracket that held the fixture to the wall. 

Then the top was removed. (Seriously, it didn't take long at all to get to this point. Twenty minutes tops.)

After I had all the pieces I wanted to save disassembled, it was time to give them a good cleaning. 

While they were drying, I scrounged around our lamp parts bin (yes, we have one of those) and found a finial from another old outdoor fixture that would work perfectly. I attached the finial to the top of the lantern using a threaded tube and nut that I saved from the disassembly.

I made protective 'feet' for the lantern with a chunk of cork that I hot-glued to the bottom corners. 

Like so:

I considered inserting a battery-operated candle inside the lantern but decided to get into the spirit of the season and stuffed a 20-count string of twinkle lights inside. To tart up the outside, I placed a decorative pillar candle ring round the finial. I love how it turned out, and, honestly, this thing is SOLID, unlike those flimsy lanterns retailers offer these days.

Looking for more seasonal DIY projects and ideas?