DIY French Farmhouse Candlesticks
We’re sharing DIY French Farmhouse Candlesticks today as part of the bimonthly Lifestyle of Love Blog Hop hosted by the always sweet and creative, Cindy of County Road 407.
If you’re coming over from Debra’s blog, Common Ground, welcome, we’re happy to have you here. Didn’t you love all her Valentine’s by candlelight ideas?
If you’ve missed any of the other Lifestyle of Love Blog Hop posts over the years, you can catch up here:
- How to Create Farmhouse Crocks from Paint Cans
- Easy Tips for Styling a Bookcase (one of the most popular posts from this series)
- Simple Ways to Organize the Pantry with Baskets
- Simple Tips for a Fall Cider Bar
- Easy Ways to Decorate with Frames
- DIY Farmhouse Tool Caddy
- Jadeite Inspired Cupcake Stands
- 8 Easy Tips for Styling a Dining Room Hutch
- 11 Architectural Salvage Decorating Ideas
- Simple Chalkboard Decorating Ideas
- A Beginner’s Guide to Chair Upholstery
- How to Clean Vintage Pillowcases
- French Country Script Ornaments
- Sweet Shop-Themed Christmas Tree
Our Inspiration…
When I first saw our topic for this month’s post was related to candles or candlesticks, this idea was not the first one that popped into my mind.
I immediately thought about how I intentionally light a candle before beginning my morning quiet time because it’s so incredibly cozy.
But as I was working to declutter a few things in the garage, I came across a set of post pieces that used to be a part of my childhood bed.
If you’ve seen any of the bedrooms at Journey’s End, it will not surprise you at all that I had a huge four-poster princess bed growing up.
Several years ago, we transitioned the headboard and footboard into a bench for the entry.
And these spindles were some of the leftover pieces.
I’m not usually sentimental about things so I have no idea why I even kept these pieces.
Like any avid DIYer though, I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I thought I would have a chance to repurpose them someday.
And thanks to this month’s topic, that moment has arrived.
Here’s a look at how we created DIY French Farmhouse Candlesticks from old bed posts…
DIY French Farmhouse Candlestick Supplies:
- Wooden Posts (make sure they are from heavy-duty wood)
- Circular Saw (and related safety gear)
- Wood Base
- Wood Screws
- Drill
- Drill Bit
- Chalk Paint or Spray Paint
- Paintbrush (if using chalk paint)
- Sandpaper
- Clear and Dark Furniture Paste Wax
- Cloth or Brush to Apply the Wax
DIY French Farmhouse Candlestick Steps:
Gather your supplies.
Make sure your wooden post pieces are clean and free from dirt and debris.
As you can see from the picture above, this section of the post from my childhood bed was much too tall to work in a vignette or on a tablescape.
But they had fabulous potential.
Initially, I spraypainted the bottom layer with Rust-oleum Primer. It’s one of my favorite shades of gray and I wanted to cover up all the yellow.
I allowed the gray paint to dry completely, then spray painted the top layer with Rust-oleum Flat White.
After the white paint was completely dry, we used a circular saw to create two French farmhouse candlestick holders from each post.
As always, use all safety precautions and care when working with power and sharp-edge tools.
Next, we used a drill and a 3/4 inch spade bit to create a hole in the top of each candlestick post. Again, always use caution and care when working with power and sharp-edge tools.
Creating Age and Patina…
Once the hole had been drilled for our DIY French farmhouse candlesticks, I sanded each one with sandpaper to achieve a quick and easy chippy look.
But there was just something about them that seemed…plain.
DIY French Farmhouse Candlesticks in Blush Pink…
So, I decided to start the entire process over again and I painted them Blush Pink.
They were a tiny bit too pink though.
So, I added a mix of clear and dark furniture paste wax to give them a little more age.
And I couldn’t be more excited about the way they came together.
They look like something you could find at a French flea market!
Things to Keep In Mind…
Keep in mind, these candlestick holders are relatively heavy. So, we didn’t add an extra base to the bottom of them.
That said, it’s definitely something you should consider.
After all, you don’t want your candlesticks to fall over and cause a fire.
In fact, when I first lit them, I thought the candlesticks we had were much too tall.
So I cut the candles in half and the scale was much better.
All in all, this project was simple to create and took far less time than I expected save for deciding at the last minute to paint them pink.
It was so quick and easy, I’m almost embarrassed I left the bedposts in the garage so long. They definitely deserve a place to shine!
Up next on the Lifestyle of Love Blog Hop, is Lora of Lora Bloomquist. She always comes up with out of the box ideas I adore!
Once you’re finished there be sure to check out what the rest of these fabulous ladies are sharing.
Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Many blessings,
CoCo
CoCo,
Oh my gosh! These are just so cute. I love this idea. Thanks for sharing.
I really appreciate it, Rachel, thank you! Hope you have the best weekend, CoCo
These are absolutely adorable, CoCo. I love how they turned out. What a great way to repurpose some old “junk”. I’m going to share a photo and link to your candlesticks in my recap post next Saturday.
I hope you have a fabulous weekend and a happy Valentine’s Day!
That is so sweet of you, Jen, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I’m excited to have them and they were definitely easier than I thought they would be. Hope you and your family have a happy Valentine’s weekend as well. There are so many fun things to celebrate this weekend! Big hugs and thank yous, CoCo
These are beautiful! I have been looking for some type of spindle for a project, but it never crossed my mind to use part of a bed post! Thanks for the inspiration!
I felt the same way, Susan! It never dawned on me to use the bedposts for this project until recently either. I can’t wait to see what you come up with, I know it will be amazing. Hope you have the happiest weekend, CoCo
Great project, Coco. Easy instructions and such a great look. Wonderful that you got to keep a piece of your past.
Thank you bunches, Carol! I was this close to just recycling the posts because they had been in our garage for so long and I’ve been on a major decluttering spree this year. I’m thankful I gave them a second chance though. They’re one of those projects that just makes a heart happy. Wishing you a fabulous weekend fille with lots of love and laughter, CoCo
How fun, CoCo!!! I am so happy you held on to these pretty spindles!
I also LOVE The pink…you chose well! They look beautiful..truly like they came from a French market!! Just lovely!
I am definitely not a sentimental person but so many times I’ve wished I had saved Addison’s bed from her early years. And the vintage mirror! Dang it, I was so dumb. Adore what you’ve done with your old bed. First the bench, now over-the-top beautiful candlesticks?! They look amazing. Glad you explained how you got that patina too. I love it! Thank you for sharing them with us. Enjoy that table too. It’s party ready. And I can hardly wait to light a candle on Monday before my quiet time. SO FUN! pinned
I totally get the not wanting to throw something like these out. Not sure how to use them at the moment, but definitely not wanting to let them go. These turned out so beautifully, especially the blush pink color. You do pink so well, it’s your signature color!! Have a fun weekend, CoCo!
Such a fun idea. I love this.
LOVE the blush pink you painted these candlesticks, Coco!
Don’t forget to join us over at the Creative Crafts Linky Party every Wednesday through Sunday
https://creativelybeth.com/team-creative-crafts-linky-party/
Followed and Pinned!
Creatively, Beth
These turned out perfectly. What a money saving project. I know exactly what Habitat for Humanity has loads of these wooden spindles. Thank you for the inspiration.
One of my favorite decor items is candlesticks! These are gorgeous! The fact you made these from your childhood bed makes them even better!! Plus I love the painting technique you used on them. The wax at the end was the perfect touch! I know you will always cherish these!! Thanks for sharing your amazing creativity with us!
I absolutely LOVE what you did with these! I’m always trying to come up with new ways to use architectural salvage in my decor. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen
I LOVE these candlesticks, CoCo. I’m featuring this post Monday evening at All About Home. I so appreciate you always coming by and sharing with all of us!
LOVE the barely pink color that you chose for these candlesticks, Coco! We will be featuring you starting Wednesday at the Creative Crafts Linky Party! Pinned and shared!
Creatively, Beth
CoCo – I LOVE how these turned out. I saw your image of these candlesticks on pinterest and immediately pinned it. Thank you for sharing the step by step instructions. Your last minute change with using some pink really gave these candlesticks some vava voom.
Aww thanks, Anna. S was like “Pink? Again?” 😂 what can I say, it just grabbed a hold of me and hasn’t let go yet. Thankfully, it’s so neutral it goes with everything 😉 Sending you hugs and can’t wait to talk on Sunday, CoCo
I am just now getting into applying transfers and different painting techniques to repurpose items I find at the local thrift store and it seems I am always attracted to candle sticks and I think I will make that my priority item to repurpose. Of course it will inspire other accessories. Thanks for getting me started with this post.
You are so welcome, Barbara! I’m excited your learning new painting techniques and trying new ideas. Candlesticks and small home decor items are a great place to start as a new painter or DIYer. It always feels so good to give something that is old or outdated fresh life so have fun with it! There is no limit to your creativity. Hugs, CoCo