I have to admit, Joey is a genius. A few months ago, when browsing through the bins at Goodwill Outlet, he stumbled upon a giant pile of wine corks and a fan grate. He excitedly called me over to look at what he had found. To me it just looked like a bunch of junk; however, Joey saw something special in those materials. He had a vision, and I’m glad I allowed him to follow his vision, because now I have an incredible wine cork chandelier which was made from those seemly useless items. You can follow the tutorial below to make your own.
Materials:
- Fan grate
- 60-100 wine corks
- String
- 60-100 screw eye hooks (214 x 13/16)
- Rope (medium thickness)
- Picture hanging wire
- Pipe fastener
Instructions:
Start by screwing the hooks into the wine corks. Then you need to determine how many layers of corks you want and how long you want each layer to be. Following that decision, you can cut strings to the appropriate lengths. You will then take each string and tie one end of it to the hook and the other end to the fan grate. Arrange the strings on the fan to create the desired look. Joey and I found that 4 layers worked well for our chandelier. We tied the longest strings to the inner edge of the fan and then worked our way out. You want to tie the string to a stable base so it wont move around. Fan grates typically have three bases: the inner edge, the outer edge, and a circular beam about a third of the way from the edge. Since we wanted four layers, we had to create a fourth base. To do this, we molded picture hanging wire into a circle and attached it a few inches from the center edge. Later we wove rope around the wire to conceal the uneven wire edges. Then we created a handle to hang it from by screwing a pipe fastener into the inner edge of the fan grate. We also wrapped rope around the fastener. Then we tied an additional piece of rope to the handle and hung it from a hook in the roof.
Pretty cool, huh? The best part of this whole project is that it cost less than $15 and most of the items were thrifted.
Aria Hunt-Carlson
March 10, 2012 at 7:32 pm (9 years ago)oh. my. goodness. that is adorable. loving it!
D. NORDSTROM
September 13, 2016 at 8:35 pm (4 years ago)This is seriously one of the coolest, original ideas I’ve seen on any design blogs.
I’m so excited by it, I’m wondering how I could adapt it to another “design” if you will, like a tabletop one? Or whether a wreath ring could be used instead of the fan base? Will let you know, but meanwhile please know I would NEVER have thought of it without your idea first!!! thank you, thank you, thank you DN
Ally Gorelick
March 10, 2012 at 8:33 pm (9 years ago)You guys are insanely talented. I am beyond jealous. <3 you!
Kelcey Rockhold
March 10, 2012 at 9:33 pm (9 years ago)I love this, what an awesome idea!
Kathryn Ekloff
March 10, 2012 at 10:34 pm (9 years ago)Thank you!
Inspire Me Heather
May 9, 2012 at 5:09 am (9 years ago)Wow, your chandy is just gorgeous – love it!!! I have this linked to my cork post too today, for inspiration!
Kathryn
May 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm (9 years ago)Thank you! It was a really fun project.
Sheila @SZInteriors
May 9, 2012 at 8:10 am (9 years ago)Wow – this is very cool! I love it!!!
Kathryn
May 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm (9 years ago)Thank you!!
Angela
March 8, 2013 at 4:38 pm (8 years ago)Love this! I think I’ll add a cheap low wattage light to mine.
Carolyn
April 27, 2017 at 7:26 am (4 years ago)I thought of wrapping those really tiny and fine lights on the fan grill covering as much as I can inside only. I would use white. It wouldn’t be bright, but instead it would provide a really nice soft light which I feel would go well with the corks.
Ashley
August 26, 2013 at 11:09 am (7 years ago)So inventive! I love the creativity. I have a stash going and haven’t found anything inspiring, but this might be the inspiration I’ve been looking for!
Kathryn
August 27, 2013 at 4:26 pm (7 years ago)Thank you, Ashley!
Sean
November 16, 2014 at 11:04 pm (6 years ago)I’m not trying to be mean but this looks like a cork tampon chandelier.
Kathryn
November 19, 2014 at 5:29 pm (6 years ago)Haha – that is an interesting observation. I’m not sure if I see it, but to each their own.
Sharon
November 22, 2014 at 6:32 am (6 years ago)You don’t have to use string,fishing line,a fine chain and I’m going to use the stick on lights. You could use either size. I believe I’m going to use the several small ones.
Love your creativity!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Carolyn
April 27, 2017 at 7:29 am (4 years ago)I really like your idea of f ine chain. That would make it mo
Brandon Dole
May 1, 2017 at 9:00 pm (4 years ago)cool idea!
please take a look at my custom wine cork art:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.621982829297.2292590.3607674&type=1&l=c6bb277c6f
Thanks!
Nick Frost
October 6, 2020 at 12:13 am (2 months ago)great post