Solar Floor Lamp for Outdoor Decor

Solar Floor Lamp for Outdoor Decor

While perusing an estate sale on half-price day, I came across this old floor lamp that was positively gorgeous. The wiring was shot but it was otherwise in well-loved but decent shape. But didn’t care about the electrical issues, though. I knew right away it would become a solar floor lamp that I could use as backyard decor!

old floor lamp

I went to the hardware store and purchased three solar path lights or solar driveway lights. And this is what I planned on doing with them:

how to make an outdoor solar floor lamp

But, before I could outfit the old floor lamp with solar lights, there was some clean up and de-wiring that needed to happen first. 

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Upcycling an Old Floor Lamp

First, I needed to remove the old wiring, which was no easy feat given the curvy lamp frame. Sure, I could snip it off and leave it, but it felt like a safer move just to remove it all.

removing the wiring from an old floor lamp

But, with some tools and determination, I was able to pull all the wiring and sockets out without damaging the lamp.

Then, I turned my attention to the sockets and the decorate cups that held them, and…

This is what several decades of NOT dusting adequately looks like. YIKES!

cleaning an old floor lamp

It was like a dust-sweater in there!

Canned air to the rescue. It blew the dusty chunks out of the socket cups in no time.

When everything was said and done, everything but the main lamp base had been taken apart and/or removed.

making a solar floor lamp

Next, I wiped everything down, and the old floor lamp was suddenly far more green than grey! In the end, though, the only original electrical parts I kept were the metal socket shells.

Why? Because those small solar lights were a perfect fit inside them.

diy solar lights project with an old floor lamp

So, I replaced the socket cups back on the floor lamp.

Adding Solar Path Lights to a Solar Floor Lamp

Because I wasn’t going to paint my solar floor lamp, I wanted the solar lights to blend in. I also didn’t need the stakes that they were screwed into.

solar path lights

Thankfully, I found a pretty close match in spray paint color. Next, I carefully covered the solar cells with painter’s tape before spray painting them.

painting the solar path lights

See what I mean? A pretty close match to the color of the old floor lamp.

painted solar lights

After the paint dried, I re-assembled the solar path lights so that I could add them to my solar floor lamp!

upcycling an old floor lamp

The painted solar lights look like they were ALWAYS meant to go with this old floor lamp, don’t they? Painting them made a HUGE difference.

Solar Floor Lamp for Outdoor Decor

Finally, I left the lamp out all day to charge the solar lights. And then…

MAGIC.

old floor lamp as a solar floor lamp

Let me tell you, it was EXCRUCIATING to wait for night to arrive! All I wanted to do was see my solar floor lamp in action.

Thankfully, though, it was worth the wait.

DIY project with solar path lights

Like A Midsummer’s Night Dream come to life in my backyard. Or a street light in a fairy world. It was…sublime

solar floor lamp for outdoor decor

And since the solar lights aren’t attached permanently to the lamp, I could still re-wire it if the desire strikes. But I don’t know, I’m pretty taken by these solar lights.

Once the weather cools down and the mosquitoes die off, there will be wine drinking and moon-gazing to do under the magical glow…

If you enjoyed this upcycling idea for a solar floor lamp, then you may also be interested in how I made this firefly lantern, as well!

Firefly lantern with a brass light as upcycled lighting

Craft on!

S

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Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.

Comments

  1. Love this … I think I have an old pole lamp I have been saving that I can give new life to with solar power.

  2. wow, wow and WOW! Thanks so much for linking to me Sarah! I love, I mean WANT this lamp! It’s gorgeous. I’ve never seen one quite like it before.

    super job blending the colors of the new with the old. PINNING!

    gail

    • It’s a pretty spectacular piece, isn’t it? I couldn’t resist…and now I’m so glad I brought it home! And thank you so much for sharing on FB…you know that means the world to me!! 😀

  3. Love it! What a great idea! I have other solar lights I have made, but never a floor lamp! Pinning!

  4. What a great idea and it looks so nice too! Good Job!

  5. Love this so much! What a great find. And knowing you can rewire in the future when you are ready makes it even better 🙂

  6. What a clever idea! I see old floor lamps at yard sales all the time, can’t wait to find another one. Thanks for sharing this idea at Vintage Inspiration Party.

  7. Oh my gosh, this is so genius! I would love to have a few of these on my deck near the pool. I am going to stalk the ReStore until I find something comparable. Thanks so much for sharing at Inspiration Thursday!

  8. This is such an amazing upcycling project!

  9. Fantastic idea! I’m curious if it is heavy enough to stand up to some wind though, and/or how to weight it down?

    • Luckily I plan on keeping this on our screened-in back porch. But, I’m sure you could add some quikcrete to the underside of the base…I just don’t want to do that since we do plan on re-wiring it at some point. 🙂

  10. What a fantastic idea! It looks amazing! I’m sure you will enjoy it 🙂 Fiona x

  11. You’re a genius really – the things you come up with !!!
    This is just fabulous !

  12. I hopped over from A Tray of Bliss’s Five Star Frugal #17. This solar lamp is brilliant! The base you used reminds me of a (long gone) floor lamp my parents owned when I was a child. Now I must start checking the thrift stores for my own base.

  13. What a great idea…makes me look at light fixtures in a whole new way…thanks for sharing!

  14. Totally gorgeous!

    You have done a fantastic job with this lamp and the solar lights are a brilliant idea!

    I came by from A Tray of Bliss.

    xTania

  15. I love the way this turned out! What a delightful lamp and of course I love the color. Green is my favorite. Have a great weekend. Dianne

  16. Absolutely gorgeous!

  17. So cute Sarah! I would love to find something similar for out under my pergola. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

  18. karionforward says

    That is so creative. I love the vintage street like look! And it is eco-friendly. Love this repurposed idea. Sharinfg!

  19. Hi Sarah, this was indeed sublime.. and a half! 🙂

    Love at first light, truly. Now you need to find a few more of these on sale and have yourself a fully illuminated backyard, one worthy of hosting a royal family event or two 😀

    I admire your dedication and persistence in the (re)making of the floor lamp. It came out excellent due to sterling work and bright vision (pun intended) 🙂

    Just think of all the possibilities if you actually had several of those, although not necessarily of the exact same type.

    I only fear those might not hold the candle (oops, I did it again) in the rain. But either way, great find and awesome crafting skills!

    Best regards,
    Christabel Benoit

  20. Oh I love the lamp! Great find and such a clever idea! Thank you so much for linking up to Merry Monday this week! I am sharing your post tomorrow on my FB page. We hope to see you next week for another great party! Have a great week!
    Best,
    Kim

  21. This is absolutely beautiful and brilliant too, I might add. I so love this! Thank you for sharing at Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in this week’s issue and on Instagram tomorrow.

    • Thank you so much!!!

    • Catherine says

      Just saw this!!! I have an antique floor lamp that will NOT rewire, lol! It has paper cup holders. (Sorry-newbie, don’t know the correct term). My question is, since I do not have a back porch, this will be exposed to downpours. (When I’m not home), I will move or put bag over in rain. But what else can be done to protect it? Super idea!!

  22. What a wonderful transformation – I love it. Now I will have to find a floor lamp to transform for our outdoor area. Thank you so much for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy

  23. Wow you did a great job with the transformation of this lamp.
    Thanks for sharing it at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
    Enjoy the week.
    Julie xo

  24. I LOVE lamps of all kinds! This turned out great!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

  25. Love this! Sharing on my facebook page!

  26. You are so creative!!! Such a great idea!!! Thanks again for linking up to Welcome Home Wednesday!

  27. Totally AWESOME!!! What a terrific transformation and thanks so much for sharing and inspiring. Now I’ll be on the lookout for a floor lamp to convert. Best ~ Mickie

  28. Stephanie @ Casa Watkins says

    Great project!! I adore a good upcycle and this is a great one! Pinning and Sharing. Thanks for sharing at the Your Home Decor and More Party!!

  29. Thanks for stopping by to share and linking on http://ohmyheartsiegirl.com/heartsie-girls-wordless-wednesday-43/

  30. I want one for my deck. So now I’m looking for an old floor lamp to transform. Well at least I have a few months until Spring. Thank you for sharing your genius idea at Vintage Charm.

  31. Great save on that lamp and I have to say I NEVER thought to use canned air like that! I’ve only used it on keyboards. When I get home, guess what is getting sprayed out…only every lamp and sconce in my house!!

    Thanks for linking up with us on Throwback Thursday – we appreciate it, and are always looking forward to next week’s posts, too!! 🙂 Be sure to follow our pinterest board, too! 🙂

    Mollie

  32. This is interesting! Pls do Link UP at the Practical Mom Link Up! I’d love to see you there 🙂

  33. Such a wonderful idea! I always look for ways to reuse the things that don’t work anymore and this always turn to something good. I love creative solutions and this is really a nice one. Using the solar lamps for fixing this floor lamp is great! Thumbs up and thanks for sharing! 🙂

  34. You are so darn crafty and creative! This is a great project! Thanks for sharing over at Celebrate Your Story! I have pinned this one for future reference!

  35. You have opened up a world of possibilities for outdoor lighting, thank you!

  36. Robin~AllThingsHeartandHome says

    Thank you for sharing your magical light…xo

  37. How do you secure the base of the solar light to the lamp Since the light would eventually need replacing?

    Thank you.

  38. natashalh says

    Very, very cool! We’ll be without reliable electricity for a while this summer. Last year we used some little solar string lights, but I totally never thought to use a “real” lamp to hold solar lights! And canned air for the win! I love that stuff for blasting out dust.

    • Sadie Seasongoods says

      Thank you so very much! It sounds like this will REALLY come in handy for you. 🙂

  39. Kathy A. says

    You did it again; you took something we couldn’t see much promise in and turned it into pretty, functional piece.Awesome!

  40. Now this is one of few posts of yours that I missed, Sarah. It caught my eye this morning at the Friday Favorites party and I had to pop over to take a closer look. Love it – pinned it!

  41. That is adorable! Reminds me of a miniature lantern, also love the fact that it’s with solar lights!

  42. Hi Sadie, I have to say this has got to be the best upscale, repurposed, recycled, project I’ve ever seen. Thank you for this great idea.

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  1. […] finest Solar Lights & Outdoor. Modern solar light. Charming solar lights are a cinch for your next outdoor party- simply remove the wiring from a floor lamp and replace with solar lights. Perfectly charming! Source: http://www.sadieseasongo… […]

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