DIY A Stunning Hanging Patio Light On A Budget With A Few Simple Items

Warmer weather means more time for al fresco dining and learning tips to maximize your outdoor living space. Stylishly outfitting your yard or garden can be expensive, including choosing the perfect furniture, plants, and lighting. You can find many ways to turn items into a stunning DIY outdoor lighting feature, including this ingenious TikTok hack from @hometalk that shows how to create an amazingly inspired hanging lantern from some ordinary supplies found at hardware and budget-friendly dollar stores. The result is a flowing waterfall-effect chandelier perfectly suited for outdoor use. 

To create this fun lighting fixture, you will need a wire tomato cage, a pack of wood shims, and a solar light like this one from Dollar Tree. You will also need some wire and a small drill bit to place holes in the shims. Depending on where you purchase the supplies, you could create this stunning lantern for well under $10. The finished chandelier gives off a relaxed boho or Balinese-style aesthetic with a flavor of mid-century modern simplicity. The wood shims will also make noise as they clack together, which gives it the dual function of a windchime that will light up your backyard patio for summer nights.

To create your outdoor light fixture similar to the one made by TikTok user @hometalk, stain or paint your wood shims to your desired color or finish. Using a drill, make a small hole at the top center of the shim to thread the wire through. String the shim with wire and attach it to the rungs of the upside-down tomato cage. Repeat until you've covered one row, then add more shims along the lower rows.

To add the puck light, attach it with wire to the inside of the cage near the top. Disassemble the solar stake light and use the upper portion, or you can purchase a puck-style light on its own. If you plan on hanging the lamp out of the sun, like in a shaded area or on a porch, you can also swap out solar lights for regular LEDs or string the inside of the lamp with battery-operated twinkle lights inside the cage.