Chandelier Makeover

When we bought our home 10 years ago, there were many light fixtures that had been replaced by the former owners that were just not in keeping with the old 1847 home.  We replaced many of them over the years, but this Williamsburg brass chandelier in the dining room was one we never got around to doing anything with.  It did throw alot of light in an otherwise dark room, so it managed to "hang in there" until now.  When I started looking for another dining room light for my "new" dining room, my budget was getting thin, and my desire for a multi-armed antique kept me searching high and low.  I finally decided to do what I had threatened to for the past couple of years; take the existing one down and paint it black.

I didn't realize it had so many pieces until I started taking it apart.  Each candle style bulb had 4 pieces to it.

After dissassembling the candle arms, I cleaned all the metal well so the new paint would stick.

Many places the brass had just worn off, and others were shiney.  My husband finally agreed with me that it needed a face lift and was NOT the fixture he had thought it was.  I had tried to tell him they are a dime a dozen. 

I took a piece of wire and hung it on a branch of a tree after I had used painting tape to mask off the candle sockets and stems.

Before painting it black, I gave it one coat of metal primer.  I didn't take a picture of the primer, but it was gray.  Sort of liked it gray, but had already decided on the black.

Using the best quality black satin spray paint, I gave it about 4 even coats, and more in some places.  The worst part of this job was fighting the cacadis that had hatched out, and kept latching onto my shirt and hair.  The next day after it was completely dry, I reassembled it, and my husband put it up in the new dining room.

It may not be the best, but it will serve it's purpose for now, it's black, looks new to me, it's recycled, and still throws alot of light to another one of my dark rooms.  (old houses often don't have many windows, and with high ceilings you need more light).  Chandelier makeover complete.