Pair of Stained-Glass Candle Lanterns

Sold at a neighborhood art show. Dimensions: 6 inches square; Height, 11 inches; Weight, 3 pounds each. These lanterns cast a pretty reddish/pink glow that would add some nice atmosphere to a living room, bedroom, or covered porch. They should not to be left out in cold or rainy weather; the tile and grout may not stand up to such conditions. $75 for the pair.

The Story

I found this pair of lanterns in a large pile of metal outside a house in my Glover Park neighborhood of D.C. A moving truck had been there the day before, so it looked like all this material was left as trash or recycling for scrappers to cart away. (Weeks later, it was all still there.) Originally from Ikea, they were dirty from being kept outside. I cleaned off the dirt and wax with water, a stiff wire brush, and a razor blade. I also removed and cleaned the glass panels. My goal was to give them a new, prettier look by adding translucent mosaic tiles on all four sides. I calculated that this would require 128 tiles and I just happened to have 140 of these real stained-glass tiles, a color called “Cranberry,” which I bought from Mosaic Art Supply (online) for another project that I ended up not doing. Perfect! I glued them on one-by-one with MAC Multi-Purpose Craft Glue, which dries clear. Then I used charcoal-colored non-sanded grout in between to mimic the look of lead in stained glass art. I was unsure at first about possibly spray-painting the galvanized metal frames, but when I saw how this tile color looked next to the original finish, I decided to leave the frames as I found them. I like how the texture of many of the tiles complements the random, splotchy pattern of the zinc. And I think the silver and red/pink tones look good together. I also cut and filed away the nail-like spike that was there to hold large candles in place, to allow the option of using a votive or other candle without a wax bottom.

Related Items: Decorative Colored Glass Mosaic Tile Table Lamp; Decorative Colored Glass Mosaic Tile Table Lamp #2; Old-Fashioned Radio Lamp.