Edison Bulb Light Fixture Makeover by Christina Katos

diy, lighting

Edison Bulb Light Fixture Makeover

By No. 29 design on May 21, 2013

The sun porch has one light fixture at the moment. I was considering replacing the light altogether since it is obviously an original fixture. It is small and does not give off much light. After painting the ceiling fan, I began to think of another (and much cheaper) way to get a new light fixture.

I removed the glass sconce which was barely hanging on to begin with and realized it was holding in a lot of the light. It was frosted glass and had seen better days. I first considered replacing the sconce with a clear one, but it is a strange size and Home Depot had no matches. Then, I had an idea: Edison Style light bulbs are beautiful works of art in themselves.

via Edison Light Globes

Edison style light bulbs come in all shapes and sizes and with a vintage feel to them. They are reproductions of light bulbs from the late 19th to early 20th century and look great in exposed light fixtures. They give off a very industrial vibe and I happen to love the industrial look. If I painted my fixture the same way I painted the ceiling fan and then used just an Edison bulb, I'd have a rather industrial looking fixture.

Using Behr Premium Plus Ultra Exterior paint I applied two coats to the fixture itself. I ordered a $6.00 Edison bulb and -- presto chango -- I have a new fixture! Considering I was looking at light fixtures in the $50 to $100 range, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out!

I went from this...

to this...

This will not be my only source of light in this room. It casts a warm, soft light throughout the space that is difficult to catch on camera. I love the look of the light bulb, especially at night. This solution would not be ideal for just any light fixture; if my wall mounted lamp had been an exterior one this would not have been an option.

A simple touch up gives a whole new look to an outdated fixture as well as a new feel to your space.

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