How to inexpensively transform a basic vanity bathroom light into a farmhouse style vanity light using mason jars and spray paint.
Hi y’all! Despite having some technical difficulties this week (sometimes computers get saucy and put up a fight), I’m so excited to be sharing this project with you. If you’re not a Pin-a-holic, you may not know this, but mason jar projects have run rampant. So this one is total white noise in the sea of mason jar awesomeness out there, but I’m stoked to finally have this in our house!
I am bound and determined to change up our builder grade basic materials in our home to make it more “us” and let it have some personality. This project was super duper easy and only cost me 6 bucks! Yup. Cheapo. And I did it in about 20 minutes total (Robert’s installation included)
Supplies used: ย (Affiliate links are provided below. For more information, see my full disclosure.)
- 2 mason jars (or however many lights your fixture has) – I chose the smaller ones, but the big ones work too.
- Oil rubbed bronze spray paint (This one is my favorite.)
- A Sharpie
- Hammer and 1 nail
- And, of course, your builder grade light fixture ย (This one and this one are similar to mine and you could buy it already in oil rubbed bronze if you wanted to eliminate some work.)
After detaching the builder grade shades and bulbs and my hubby took the fixture off of the wall (I’m a slave driver, I know), I gave it two coats of the oil rubbed bronze spray paint.
While I waited for the paint to dry, I went to work on the mason jars by using the flange from the fixture (it took me forever to think of what this little do-dah was called) and traced it on the center of the jar lid with the Sharpie. (Please ignore my terrible fingernails. I’m in desperate need of a mani. Mothering a toddler takes priority.)
From here, I just started nailing holes close together around the traced circle. It was easier to keep the lid on the jar.
And here it is all nailed out. No power tools needed! After this step, I painted the lid rings too.
ย All it took was a little pressure and this little guy popped right out of the lid.
I thought I could just punch it out with my thumb, buuuut I thought wrong. I succeeded, but I paid the price. Don’t be a hero, y’all! Use a screwdriver or something for goodness sake! It is jagged metal, after all. (FYI, all the cool kids wear Snoopy Band-Aids.)
Once the paint was dry and both jar lids were cut out, I had to overcome my hair-brained self to figure out this step. I put the cut jar lid top on first before realizing the lid ring should be the first thing to slide on, so that was crazy difficult to pull off (and my wimpy injured-thumbed self had to pull out her big girl straw and suck it up). So HERE is the order of operations. It’s not that complicated; I just had an airhead moment. Welcome to my world. ๐
And that was it! I used an Edison bulb to give it a little extra vintage flair. Even though I’m all for saving energy, I despise the day-to-day functionality of energy efficient bulbs. It takes a while for them to warm up, so by the time they’re bright enough to light up our tiny powder room, I’m already leaving and flipping off the switch. Ridonculous. Edison bulb it is.
This little light has so much more personality now! And it’s definitely more “us” than the basic one we had before.
So that’s one more thing we can check off the list for the powder room. One of these days, I’ll have to make the other brushed nickel pieces in here match the finish of our light. And I would loooove to have this faucet in the distant future. Baby steps, Lauren, baby steps.
It’s looking pretty spectacular with my HomeGoods mirror too. ๐
This project marks the official halfway point of personalizing our downstairs lighting. If you missed it, I already did our foyer and hallway. The kitchen and dining room are next on my radar! I’m a force to be reckoned with when it comes to our lighting lately. Must. make. them. match!
As a little teaser for next week, I wanted to do a small something to give back to you guys for checking in on me and my DIY madness. Y’all are the reason I keep this momentum going.
If you liked this post, check out these other lighting makeovers:
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bonjour ou peux t on trouver des bocaux masson ball en France merci a bientot
Hi! You could probably find mason jars on Ebay if you don’t have them in France. Some vendors might be willing to ship there.
Great update to that bathroom light!
Just 2 quickies:
1 – use LED light bulbs – very little heat, extremely low power consumption, they last forever, and don’t have that ‘warm-up’ period. (to keep cost down, buy online from China)
2 – I use a strong glue to glue the jar band to the fixture. much easier, quicker and no cut fingers.
hi do you sell your lights I live them
Hi Alice! I don’t currently sell them, but there are several Etsy shops that now sell similar ones. Just search “mason jar vanity light” on Etsy.com and you should be able to find lots of them.
Hello! Do you happen to have the link to the exact light fixture you used? I’ve found similar ones but don’t like them as much as yours! Thanks! LOVE this project and can’t wait to get started!
I have actually searched for it and can’t find it either, Kate. I’m so sorry. Our fixture was from our builder’s basic lighting, so I don’t have a clue. Hope you can find something similar though. Thanks for the love!
I love the light & easy redo is what I really love, but I was wondering if the jars get hot since they are enclosed??
Thanks, Debbie! This light is located in our powder room, so it isn’t usually on for very long. It doesn’t get hot at all, and we haven’t had to replace the lightbulbs even once since we DIYed it nearly a year ago. Mason jars usually can handle a lot of heat since they’re typically used at boiling temperatures for canning jellies/jams.
Holy MOLY I took apart a similar light fixture recently trying to figure out SOME way to do this, and I gave up and put it back together going, nope, it can’t be done. I am going mason jar and fancy bulb shopping today. THANK YOU!!!
Yay! So glad it could help! I really had to sit and figure it out too, but once I did, it was a breeze. ๐
http://www.everythingiwantandnothingidont.com/2015/05/you-guys-i-didnt-think-it-could-be-done.html
SO I totally did it, and gave you a shout-out on my blog. Thank you again!
YAAAAAAAAAY! Great job! I’m so thrilled you were able to do it. ๐ I’m doing a little happy dance over here.
So help me out a bit… sorry I’m a little confused. Is the weight of the jar resting on the bulb? In other words the bulb is what is holding the jar in place? It beautiful but wonder how it has worked out and held up?
Oh no no the jar is screwed into the lid around the flange just where the shade used to be. We made this light nearly a year ago, and it has held up great. We haven’t even had to change the light bulbs yet.
These are super cool! I’m doing my bathroom wall with the wood planking, these are going to go perfectly! Thank you for such a great project! I’m also thinking fan lights with those same type of tulip light covers, would look great with the mason jars. The wheels are turning now. Love the bandaids! I have Hello Kitty bandaids lol.
So glad you like it, Gypsie! (P.S. What a cool name!) I have thought about mason jar lights on a fan. Our ceiling fans don’t have the typical light kits on them though. But that would look really nice! Hello Kitty bandaids rock too. Hehe
I don’t understand the difference between the lid ring and the cut out jar lid? They are steps 1 & 2 in your order of operations, but not sure what 2 different pieces you are referring to…thanks in advance!
On mason jars, they have two pieces to the screw on top. There is a flat, round metal top piece and then a ring to the lid that holds on that flat, round piece. The flat, round piece is the one I cut out. The ring just holds it on. I hope that makes sense. The ring has to go on top of the flat, round piece to hold the jar.
Lauren-
Where did you find clear Edison bulbs that fit in the mason jars? I can’t find them!
Hi Tess. I found mine at Lowe’s.
Lauren-Thanks so much. I’ll take a look there!
Cool and so inspiring!
Very cool! I love the mirror too. Definitely going to try both. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you! Hope it turns out well.
Mason jars are one of my favorite things to decorate with. Don’t worry, about your blond moment! I have them all the time!! And I’m a brunette! lol
Haha Thanks, Jayne!
Great post, and great project. It’s too bad, however, that you had to “overcome [your] blonde brain” to get it done. You seem plenty clever, smart and capable to this reader. Self-depreciation only goes so far. It certainly does not extend to an entire group of blonde people.
Thank you, Anna. And you’re absolutely right. Elle Woods knew better than that too. ๐
I shared your mason jar light on my page Faux the frill of It and readers were asking what happens to help the heat escape? Thanks
Thanks so much for sharing it! I have not had any problems with it overheating or anything, but it’s in the powder room where the light isn’t kept on for very long. I’ve seen mason jar lights done on many other blogs for kitchen lights and I’ve never heard of any heat issues. If someone is really concerned about it and wants a way to ensure that heat is escaping, the jar can always be cut at the bottom so that it is open underneath. You can cut glass bottles and jars using a method I found here: http://www.natashalh.com/how-to-cut-glass-bottles-the-best-way/ I hope that helps!
Thanks for this response! I’ve wondered too about the heat. Although the the jars are tempered glass, I’d be concerned about shattering jars with the heat Edison bulbs give off in a fixture that is on for long periods. . Love your tutorial too! I’m thinking about using the large 1/2 gallon size for over our dining table. your rope idea is great!
They make LED light bulbs now that are amazingly cool. I’m not sure if there are Edison bulbs or not but maybe something else that’s less ugly than CFLs.
Yes! I just saw LED Edison bulbs recently and they’re really cool. These bulbs are still going strong a year and a half later. Once they bite the dust, I think I’ll be checking out the new ones.
Oh, I appreciate this reply and sorry for missing it and asking the same question below ๐
Incandescent lights that are less than 40 watts can be used in closed fixtures. (picture porch lights or hall globe lights)
I did this on a ceiling fan I have in my kitchen. I also used the small jars just like yours. LOVE IT!
Oooh! I’d love to see it!
How did you do it on a ceiling fan? Mine doesn’t have a flange on it and the mouth of the jars are too big. Thanks!
LOVE – OMG I love this – you’re incredible !!!
XOXO
Daww shucks. ๐ Thanks, Suzan!
Oh Wow! Great idea!! I love the Edison bulbs and have some I haven’t used. Never thought of that warm up time!! Have you considered spray painting your faucet? It works really well…I did my towel bars and they do not show any evidence that they were ever anything other than ORB
I had thought about it but was afraid it would wear off. Yours has held up??? I might have to try it then! Thanks!
I want to go run and do this RIGHT NOW! It came out gorgeous, I’m totally jealous. Hello from Anti-Procrastination Tuesday!
Do it! You won’t regret it. ๐ Thanks so much!
Fabulous project! I love your tutorial {except for the cut finger – ouch!}
My readers would love to see this post. Please link up with my Show-Licious Craft &Recipe Party this Saturday morning!
~ Ashley
I will definitely have to link up! Thanks for letting me know. I look forward to it. ๐