Frankenstein Switch Chandelier Mashup

Turn a tacky brass chandelier into a shabby chic shocker with a bit of paint, plugs and plastic. This Frankenstein light switch and chandelier mashup can make even the drabbest of spaces sparkle!

Thanks to LoboCNC from Thingiverse for the fantastic light switch design.

Supplies

Old chandelier
Matte black spray paint
White chalk paint
White lamp wire
Slider light switch
Gold acrylic paint
Brown acrylic paint
2 marettes
Plastic cord organizers
Ceiling chair hook
Metal cord concealers (conduits)
Lamp plug
3D printer filament (preferably PLA, any colour of your choice, it will be painted anyway)
3D printer
Small paint brush

Step 1: Sand and Spray Matte Black

Remove the faux candle socket covers and bulbs. Sand the body of the fixture down, just enough that it is no longer slippery. The idea is to create a surface that the paint will easily stick to. Carefully cover the bulb sockets so that paint will not clog them. Begin spraying the body of the fixture matte black with long, sweeping strokes to prevent pooling. Try to spray about 12” away from the fixture, or whatever the instructions are on your spray can. When the top coat is dry, flip the chandelier over and spray the bottom parts that you missed. Let dry thoroughly.

Step 2: Candle Drips

Using a glue gun, pipe decorative drips along the top edges of the candle covers. Chill covers in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up the glue.

Step 3: White Chalk Coat

Gently stir the chalk paint, and begin painting the body of the fixture, taking care not to allow too many drips. Add a second coat if you find you can see through the white paint to the black. Let dry thoroughly.

Sand the white paint vigorously, letting the black paint show through partially. Run a damp sponge over the chandelier lightly to remove the excess paint dust.

Spray the entire chandelier with a coat of clear protective paint. Let dry thoroughly.

Step 4: Light Switch

For the light switch, I found this fantastic template by LoboCNC. Link is below:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:649284

The designer recommends printing this switch in PLA with 0.2mm layers, 3 perimeter shells, and 20% infill.

Remove the rafts and sand the components down before adding a couple coats of brown and gold acrylic paint, wherever you like.

Step 5: Wiring

I brought in my electricity consultant (grandfather) for the wiring and mounting. This part can be dangerous, so you should always make sure that the wire is unplugged while you are attaching and mounting it. Strip one end of the lamp wire insulation about an inch, divide it in two, and attach the wires to opposite ends of the plug. Screw the wire organizers (conduits) to the wall. You will need to measure out your own length of wire and conduit, to fit your space. Run the wire and conduit along the wall, add a conduit elbow, and run some more wire and another conduit to the switch. Follow the switch package directions for assembly. Run the wire after the switch in another conduit up the remainder of the wall. When you reach the ceiling, you can switch to cord organizer clips.

Step 6: Mounting

With a drill, attach the chair hook to the ceiling, making sure that you drill into a joist, to ensure stability. Hang the chandelier from the hook, wrapping the excess cords around the top of the fixture to help conceal them.

Step 7: Final Notes

• You may need to sand the switch nubbin down to fit your toggle.
• Consult the electrical code in you region if you are uncertain about safety technicalities associated with this project.
• Experiment with layer height to cut down on 3D printing time.