Decorating DIY Home Decor DIY Home Accents How to Make a Battery-Operated Pendant Light for $35 A budget-minded blogger dreamed up this battery-operated pendant that couldn't be easier to install. By Mallory Abreu Mallory Abreu Website Mallory Abreu is currently an associate editor at Better Homes & Gardens, a position she's held for nearly five years, where she directs the editorial vision for lifestyle and design features. Mallory is a writer and editor specializing in design, home, and lifestyle. She has expertise in architecture as well, working as an architectural intern for KAO Design Group and studying it at Tufts University. Mallory's first reporting role was covering music and arts for the Boston Globe, and she also wrote architecture, interior design, and human interest stories for Boston Magazine. In 2017, Mallory joined Dotdash Meredith as a staff writer and editorial assistant for luxury home titles like Country Home magazine and Elegant Homes. Mallory holds a bachelor's degree in English and architectural studies from Tufts University. She has worked in editorial since 2014. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on November 1, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC Project Overview Working Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours Skill Level: Beginner Looking for the final touch for a home office she designed for a friend, blogger Timisha Porcher suddenly had a lightbulb go off. Or on, really. "I saw a chandelier in a magazine for around $300 (too expensive) but I thought, I can make that," she says. A mere $35 and two hours later, the pendant was cut, drilled, and glued into existence in this Baltimore home. Because there was no ceiling light in the room, Timisha used battery-operated LED puck lights with a remote control. Fabric attached to the bottom of the shade with hook-and-loop tape hides the inner workings but provides easy access to pucks to change batteries. Follow the how-to below to make your own pendant light. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools 1 Drill and drill bit 1 Hot glue gun and glue sticks 1 Fabric scissors Materials 1 Wood finials 1 Wood stain 3 Paint stir sticks 6 Wireless LED puck lights 1 Rope 1 Drum shade 1 Cotton fabric 1 Hook and loop tape 1 1/2"-diameter PVC pipe 1 Rubber band 1 Ribbon 1 Screw-in swag hook Instructions Make the Wood Topper Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC To create a decorative topper for your pendant, gather a variety of wood finials with interesting silhouettes. Drill through the center of each wood piece, then stain if desired. (Timisha sprayed on a powder-base wood dye then buffed it in.) Attach Lights to Stir Sticks Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC Stack the paint stir sticks on top of each other and mark the center; drill through the center of the stack. Hot-glue the bottom of a puck light to both ends of each stir stick. (The light tops twist off for battery changes.) Create the Light Frame Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC Assemble the stir sticks to form a frame for the bottom of the drum shade. Thread one end of the rope through the holes of the sticks and knot. Fan the sticks out like a sunburst and hot-glue them together. Make a Fabric Diffuser Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC To create a diffuser for the bottom of the shade, cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than the diameter of the shade. Glue one side of the hook-and-loop tape along the inside edge of the bottom of the shade and the other to the fabric edge. Pleat the fabric as you go so it won't bunch up when hung. Finish Assembly Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC Thread the end of the rope through the PVC pipe and the shade. String the wood finials onto the remaining rope at the top. Attach fabric diffuser to the bottom of the shade using hook and loop tape. Hang the Fixture Timisha Porcher/Toolbox Divas, LLC To hang the pendant, create a loop on the loose end of the rope and secure with a rubber band. Wrap the rubber band with ribbon. Screw a swag hook into the ceiling and hang the light.