DIY Vintage Farmhouse Light Upgrade Using Existing Fixture

Hi there, Friends! Today I'm sharing my latest DIY project. I had been wanting to upgrade my dated kitchen light fixtures and ideally, hoped to replace the shades without having to change out the entire fixtures. However, after hunting unsuccessfully for some time, I was beginning to wonder if this would be an option. That is, until I shopped in Round Top...

....when I found two of these for 

fixtures that looked like this. I could picture the farmhouse style baskets in place of the dated frosted light shades but the challenge had been finding the right size. You'd be surprised how many different sizes there are! In my previous searching, I found those deep enough to accommodate the existing fixtures either had openings that were too large, or none at all. 

Since I'd hunted high and low locally, the light fixture update was the biggest priority on my shopping list during our recent road trip.  I not only took measurements but also brought a tape measure and most importantly, parts of the fixtures to make sure they fit with my repurposed finds. When I saw that the basket's opening was large enough for the fixture rod, but not larger than the round bracket, I knew I had a winner. 

To complete the vintage farmhouse vibe, I also switched out the light bulbs from chandelier style to retro Edison types. These can be pricey, but I found better prices available online; see the links at the bottom of the post.

Now I was ready to center the basket over the fixture,

add the round fitting and secure it all with the fixture's finial. 

Ta-daaaa! Two down--one to go!

This vintage barn light shade that I found on the first day of the trip was just what I hoped to find for the fixture over my breakfast table.  

While this may seem like an obvious choice, I'd run into two obstacles that prevented me from buying previously. First, most of these included the whole light fixture which I didn't need and of course raised the price significantly.  Second, the size of the opening had once again been a challenge; most were larger than what I needed. I made sure to bring the round white fitting with me. It was the perfect fit that sold me. Incidentally, I didn't see any others during our shopping trip that were the right size or didn't include the fixture so I sure was glad I bought mine. 

Here's the fixture ready for its new shade...

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...which slid right over the grooves and just needed to be screwed on with the ring adapter. The most difficult task in this project was finding just the right pieces. 

Just as I envisioned! The vintage upgrades are perfect with the rest of my kitchen and I was able to update all three for under $50. 

More DIY projects you may enjoy:

DIY Reclaimed Door Fireplace Upcycle

The Lazy Girl Way to Give Hollow Core Doors a Vintage Inspired Upcycle