How to Make Your Own Dining Room Teapot Chandelier

Recycle teapots into creative lighting.

If your love of china has turned into a collection of mismatched teapots, don't toss them with the spring cleaning. You can hold on to your favorite porcelain pieces and display them in an original, whimsical way with a teapot chandelier. Teapots for a chandelier should be lightweight, have thin sides and hold no more than about 16 ounces of fluid. Decorative china teapots are perfect for the job.

Things You'll Need

• Chandelier light fixture (no more than eight upturned arms)
• Spray paint
• Protective eyewear
• 1 1/2-inch diameter diamond-tip boring bit
• Electric hand drill
• Spray water bottle
• Tile adhesive

Instructions

1. Spray paint your chandelier, if desired. Shiny metallic finishes can look tacky and dated over time, so cover them up with classic finishes like oiled bronze, brushed silver or enamel in any color that complements your décor. Allow the paint to dry overnight.

2. Remove the lids from each of your teapots and flip the teapots upside-down. Mark the center bottom of each teapot with a pencil dot. This marks where the center of your hole will be.

3. Put on protective eyewear and snap your 1 1/2-inch diameter drill bit into place. Center the bit on the pencil mark of your first teapot and drill a small divot in the bottom of the pot. Spray the divot with water and continue.

4. Drill through the bottom of each pot, stopping every 30 seconds or so to spray the bit and pot with water. This cools and lubricates the process, reducing flying china pieces. Don't push down on the bit; you'll either break the bit or shatter your pot, possibly both.

5. Slip each pot down over the lightbulb on each arm. Your chandelier must have arms that come down and loop upward in a U-shape; other varieties will not work. Adjust each teapot so the spout and handle face the same direction going around the chandelier. Other configurations may confuse the eye.

6. Run a bead of tile adhesive around the hole on the bottom of each teapot and settle them into place. Allow the glue to dry overnight. The light should shine translucently through the sides of the pots when turned on.

Tips & Warnings

• Leave the lids off of the pots when your chandelier is lit to avoid overheating the fixture. Alternatively, you may drill a few holes in each lid and in the top edge of each teapot. However, the more holes you drill in your pots, the higher the risk that they'll shatter.

References

• Design Dazzle: How to Make a Teacup Chandelier
• Country Living: Teapot Lamp Project
• Folksy: How to Drill Through Vintage China, Ceramic Plates, Crockery, Etc.