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    Home » DIY And Crafts

    Upcycled Wooden Wall Sconce Vase

    Published by Pam Kessler | 663 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article. - 13 Comments

    What is the one thing you see time and time again at the thrift store?

    Wooden candle sconces, circa 1985!!!

    The day I bought these, there were 6 other pairs to be had, so I decided for today's Thrift Store Decor Wednesday project I'd save a pair of them from thrift store purgatory and transform them into cute and trendy home decor.

    DIY copper wall sconces - a thrift store upcycle project

    And what's more cute and trendy than copper these days!

    While I'm at it, why not repurpose them into something other than just a boring candle holder!

    So yes, I'm going to turn a pair of outdated wooden wall sconces into super cool copper sconces with vases.

    DIY copper wall sconces - a thrift store upcycle project

    Honestly, I don't even know if they are still called sconces at this point if there is no candle involved, but I'm pretty sure the Home Decor Police will let me slide on this one.

    DIY Copper Wall Sconce: An Upcycling Project

    (This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)

    Supplies:

    • 1980's Wooden Wall Sconces (head to the nearest thrift store or your basement)
    • Fine Grit Sanding Sponge
    • Copper Spray Paint
    • Test Tubes
    • Elmer's Poster Tack or similar adhesive
    • Jute Twine
    • Glue Gun
    • Fresh And Perky Flowers

    supplies to repurpose wooden candle holders

    Instructions:

    Clean your wooden candle sconces and lightly sand with your sanding block.

    Sanding paper works equally as well if you are careful to not sand your knuckles while using it. Am I the only one who has that problem?

    sanding wooden wall sconces

    And we're talking light sanding to just give the surface some tooth to hold the paint better, not a get out the electric sander and sand down to bare wood type of sanding.

    Spay paint your sconces and let dry.

    spray painting wooden wall sconces

    For the vases we are going to use test tubes. They are the perfect size to slide down into a candle holder.

    I bought my test tubes at Michel's in the Halloween section, but you can find them online at Amazon any old time of the year.

    craft test tubes

    If your test tubes have a ridge around the top where the lid would screw on like mine did, use your glue gun to wrap jute twine around the top.

    wrapping jute twine around test tubes

    Put a tiny bit of your Elmer's Poster Tack in the bottom of the candle holder and insert your test tube. I used about ⅓ of a row of tack per candle holder.

    repurposed thrift store wall sconces

    The Poster Tack is sticky without being permanent.

    In a pinch, you could just hot glue your test tube into the wooden holder. But if you want to be able to easily add water and clean the tubes at some point, you will want them to be removable.

     

    DIY copper wall sconce

    Add some fresh flowers or faux ones if you prefer and you are all set!

    DIY copper wall sconces - a thrift store upcycle project

    I think the odd looking green flower in the middle is a green cockscomb Celosia.

    If I had to guess.

    I've never grown it myself, but that is what Google is telling me it is.

    green cockscomb Celosia flower

    They came in a huge bouquet of flowers I bought at a local wholesale flower farm close to me.

    rustic table centerpiece using vintage scale and fall bouquet

    Have you repurposed a wooden candle sconce before?

    What's your favorite thing to do with them?

    thrift store makeover using wooden wall sconces

    More thrift store upcycles from the Thrift Store Decor Team

    In addition to is being Super Cool Copper Day, it is also Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday!  Woohoo!

    So pop on over to the other thrift store makeovers my friends have been busily working on and see what their items ended up as!

    DIY Rustic Candle Holders Our Southern Home

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    Ladder Back Chair Makeover My Repurposed Life

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    How to Create a Driftwood Finish Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

    Copper Wall Sconce House of Hawthornes (that's me)

    thrift store decor makeovers

    Other Projects You May Enjoy:

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    BOHO Succulent Garden From Repurposed Thrift Store Tray

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    798 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. gail

      October 09, 2019 at 9:06 am

      Pam,

      Genius idea to add the twine to the rim of the test tube. It totally changes up the look. Your copper sconces are so pretty with the sweet flowers.

      pinning!

      gail

      Reply
    2. Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces

      October 09, 2019 at 9:12 am

      Who would have thought of this? You! Now I'm looking at sconces in a whole new way! Fun project!

      Reply
    3. Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage

      October 09, 2019 at 9:39 am

      How clever Pam. These turned out so beautiful.
      Hugs
      Kris

      Reply
    4. Kristin salazar

      October 09, 2019 at 12:08 pm

      I love what you did with them, perfect!

      Reply
    5. Christy @ Our Southern Home

      October 09, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      This is so pretty! You are so right....I see these all the time. I love using the test tube. Well done, my friend!

      Reply
    6. Maryann

      October 09, 2019 at 4:54 pm

      Lucky you! I've been searching for wall scones for a project... love them with the copper paint!

      Reply
      • Sally

        October 09, 2019 at 6:42 pm

        Would love to see what you do with them!

        Reply
    7. Kathy A

      October 09, 2019 at 8:45 pm

      Great way to upcycle those old sconces. I think we have all seen them languishing in the thrift stores. I just painted a cardboard 3D ''grateful" with copper paint--such a nice change from gold or silver!

      Reply
    8. gina

      October 10, 2019 at 10:41 am

      At one point I had two such sconces from Home Interiors. They had cut out hearts in them...if I ever find one or both of them at a thrift store I will buy them! And maybe I will paint them a metallic copper - so pretty!

      Reply
    9. Beckey Rizzonelli

      October 10, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      Outstanding idea. Love the test tubes. I might give this a try after I finish my Front Porch Halloween from this blog, can post pic tomorrow, and then hope to make candles from Thrift Store glass dishes you had last month.

      Reply
    10. Sarah Ramberg

      October 10, 2019 at 7:01 pm

      Gosh those sconces are in EVERY thrift store, I swear. Always looking for new ways to use them and I LOVE the copper color you chose!

      Reply
    11. Kathy Owen

      October 13, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      Brilliant! Those candle holders don't look outdated anymore....and you used my favorite metallic color!

      Reply
    12. Rebecca Payne

      January 25, 2022 at 10:59 am

      Gorgeous! I love the copper color. Great job.

      Reply

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