Upgrade IKEA's Holiday Lanterns With This Beautiful And Easy DIY

There's no better feeling than pulling out your holiday décor and setting everything up for the season. In the midst of the gift-buying chaos, we can't forget to enjoy the little moments of putting up the Christmas tree and adorning it with baubles or getting ready to set up a beautiful menorah for Hannukah. However, using the same decorations for years can lead to some damage along the way, especially if they're not stored properly the year before.

Buying new décor can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be if you decide to DIY a few holiday embellishments this year. One easy and simple way to add holiday magic to your home is by displaying IKEA's star-shaped lampshades in your living room, entryway, or dining room. TikTok user @mariam_redesigns customized her lanterns by giving them gold accents and spray-painting the cords. It's the perfect hack to fill your home with holiday cheer, while allowing you to customize and personalize the lanterns to match the rest of your Christmas décor. 

You can paint the entire star red, gold, or green for a full Christmas effect, or switch up the colors to complement any holiday you're celebrating. If you buy multiple star lampshades, you can hang them together on IKEA's gold curtain rod instead of drilling too many hooks in the wall to hold the stars and their cords. You can place them on any vacant wall to illuminate the entire space.

You'll need a few materials: IKEA's three star-shaped lampshades and one curtain rod, gold paint, painter's tape, a small paintbrush, gold spray paint, and a drill gun. You can find the spray paint at Lowe's for $6.98 and the gold paint at Michael's for $2.49. Gather your materials and set them up outside to prevent making a mess inside. Start by assembling the lampshade halfway to get its shape; don't close it entirely. Then, add a strip of painter's tape to the sides of each point or ray, leaving the fold exposed. Paint the exposed folds with your gold paint and let them dry. While the paint dries, spray-paint the cord. Repeat the steps with the other two stars.

Next, hang your curtain rod on the wall where you want your lanterns. After the stars and cords are dry, loop the cord through the holes on the star to close them. Finally, hang the star lamps on the curtain rod, ensuring the cords are looped and hung in the same direction so that you don't have awkward cords in the middle of the wall where your stars are hanging. Light up your stars and watch them fill your space with whimsical holiday magic.

Buying materials for a DIY can sometimes be more expensive than buying a new item to replace the old one. If you tally up the cost for the three IKEA lampshades, the curtain rod, and the paints, the estimated cost is about $55. If you have a few items already at home that you don't have to purchase, perhaps the paints, the price drops slightly. However, buying all the items brand new can make for an expensive DIY project. The IKEA lanterns are affordable at $7.99 each. Other retailers sell them at a higher price: Wayfair sells a similar lantern for $30.00, and Amazon sells one for $26.99. IKEA has the most affordable star lanterns, but if you can't purchase all three, get one or two.

While this DIY is stunning and elevates your holiday décor, there are ways to reduce the price and still have a gorgeous setup. Instead of purchasing a brand-new curtain rod, you can upcycle an old one you have at home by spray painting it gold and adding a few gold hooks to hold the cords. You'll save about $25. Or, if you don't have an extra curtain rod, head to your local thrift shop and purchase one for a few dollars. Look for one in good shape and give it a new paint job. It'll look like you bought it brand new. Using an older curtain rod lowers your DIY cost to about $30, perhaps a little less if you already have paint.