Clothing, books, clear glass- these are some of the things that overwhelm thrift stores. Which means, of course, that I love coming up with new upcycle ideas for them. So, today I’m sharing some coastal candle holders that I made with glass vases that I found at one of the Habitat ReStores here in Charlotte.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
I’ll be the first to admit that this isn’t an overly unique project idea. But it’s SO simple and wonderfully effective if you love beachy decor. Plus, it’s a great way to jazz up all that cheap glassware you see while thrifting.
I picked up a couple of glass vessels for my coastal candle holders, but this bubble glass really caught my eye.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
It reminded me of my Beach Jars in antique aqua mason jars. I loved using jars with air bubbles in the glass because they had such an underwater quality to them.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Anyway, let me show you how I painted these clear glass holders with a coastal makeover!
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This project tutorial was also sponsored by the Charlotte Region ReStore(s).
From Clear Glass to Coastal Candle Holders
First, I collected the specialty spray paints that I intended to use. One was a sea glass spray paint by Rust-oleum; you may remember that I’ve used the Krylon version before. The other cans were stained glass spray paint, which I’ve also used before.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Next, I cleaned the glass holders and removed the price tags. I also used a bit of Windex on them to remove any fingerprints, as well. Then, I set up a workstation outside for spray painting.
I proceeded to give the larger glass holder two light coats of the sea glass paint…
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
And for the bubble glass, I layered on single coats of each stained glass spray paint, switching cans between layers. I stopped when I was happy with the shade of aqua/turquoise.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Once they were dry, I gave each candle holder a light spray of clear coat to protect the paints. Matte for the sea glass holder, satin or glossy for the bubble glass.
Next, I decided to embellish them further with some beachy touches, including nautical rope and dried starfish.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Using hot glue, I carefully wrapped some rope around the coastal candle holders. I also used hot glue to keep the ends from unraveling.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Lastly, I attached a starfish to the larger candle holder with hot glue. I poured a couple of inches of beach sand into the coastal candle holders and they were ready to use.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Coastal Candle Holders with Sea Glass Paint
Because I painted each of my coastal candle holders, I nestled my favorite LED pillar candles inside them. As opposed to burning real candles, which might be a bad idea.
And they looked fabulous, if I do say so myself. The coastal candle holders are just beachy enough without looking too overdone or downright hokey.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
I love how different but related they are- like a coordinated set, as opposed to a matching set. I was lucky to have the stained glass sprays on hand already. Believe it or not, I actually found the Rustoleum sea glass spray paint at another Habitat ReStore.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A few additional thoughts on these coastal candle holders:
- This Rustoleum sea glass spray paint is much paler than the green Krylon version. The Rustoleum version is almost white; but they both feel the same, texturally. Just keep that in mind if you want to make these and whether you want more or less color.
- I personally hate using things like dried starfish and prefer using empty shells I find on the beach. I made an exception in this case, but still feel badly about it. But that’s definitely a personal choice! And the large conch shells? I picked those up at thrift stores; I absolutely love finding large shells while thrifting and rarely pass them up.
- Usually I whip-knot the ends of rope for projects (like I did on this coastal tray or this Pirate Pub sign). But today, I was lazy and used glue. Honestly, either way is totally fine!
- I used actual beach sand in my candle holders because I had some on hand (remember this project?). But decorative sand would be fine, too.
Think you’ll give any clear glass a coastal makeover this summer? Even though we don’t live anywhere near the coast, I always get that beachy decor itch at this time of year.
Speaking of which, here is a collection of other beach house-inspired upcycling projects. Gotta love coastal decor from the thrift store, no matter where you live, eh?
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Craft on!
S
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Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
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.
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