Living in a rental means I’m stuck with a few things I don’t like, including vertical blinds, ugly ceiling fans and popcorn ceiling. While some things are more difficult to swap out (whether you’re renting or just on a budget), it doesn’t have to completely limit you. Upgrade a fan or ceiling lamp with a simple beaded fan pull to replace an ugly, boring chain in about 10 minutes.
I dislike the ceiling fans in my apartment more than anything, but we can’t rip them out, so I decided to make the small upgrade of removing the boring standard chain and replacing it with a DIY version made with painted wooden beads. It’s simple to make in about 10 minutes and customize the colors and designs of the beads to fit the look of your space and your personality.
Materials:
- 4-6 wooden beads, approx. 1 inch wide
- Acrylic paint
- Small paint brushes
- Cording
Step
Paint the beads as desired using colors, patterns, etc. For easy paint and drying, thread the beads on a straw or wood dowel to hold in place without touching a surface. I used 5 beads.
Tip: use tape to create straight lines and color block the beads
Step
Once the beads are dry, cut a piece of cording about 7 inches long so that you’ll have extra space after the beads are threaded. Tie a tight knot at one end and thread the beads in your desired order with the knot being the bottom.
Step
To attach the new fan pull, remove the existing chain section (they usually are multiple pieces held together). Carefully push the existing chain through the top bead to help hold it in place and tie the cording very tightly around the chain at the base of the top bead. Cut away excess cording.
Note, after continual use over a period of time, the cording may slip. If so, simply re-tie the cording to secure again.
This adds the pop of color my boring dining room fan needed. Although it’s simple, it makes a big difference for me every time I look up!
