When I was working on giving a friend’s small bathroom a facelift, I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated lighting fixture that also happened to be off-center over the vanity. Since replacing it wasn’t in the budget, I opted for camouflaging the fixture with a DIY light cover that cost less than $15 to make, all without using any power tools!
Here’s what the fixture looked like before – very dated, to say the least, and off-center over the vanity.
You can watch this video of how to make it or follow the steps below:
Step 1: Make the structure for the new cover. Here’s what I used to make the structure:
1/4″ x 6″ poplar boards
3/4″ thick square wood dowels
I cut the boards into 3 sections (2 x 4.5″ and 1 x18″) and cut the dowels into 4 pieces (4 x 5.5″) using a hand saw. I used wood glue to attach the square dowels to join the front to the sides (Painter’s tape helps to hold the pieces together while the glue dries).
Then I glued the other 2 dowel pieces to the back of the sides.
Step 2: Paint or stain the wood
Here’s what I used as a finish for the wood:
I painted the wood with 2 coats of the paint, then brushed on a coat of the stain and then protected the surface with a coat of the white wax.
Step 3: Make the light diffuser: Here’s what I used to make it:
Thin linen like fabric
Plexiglass (Acrylic) sheet for diffuser (11”x14” ⅛” thick)
I placed the fabric on top of the non-glare side of the acrylic panel and soaked it with MOD PODGE making sure the fabric is soaked through.
I let it dry and trimmed off the excess along the edges with a utility knife.
Then I glued it to the structure using double sided tape.
Step 5: Installing the new cover.
I removed the old cover and placed 3M command strips on either side of it to hang the new cover so that it would be centered over the vanity. The new cover is very light so the strips are fine to hold it and this avoids having to make holes in the wall (but you could also use brackets to attach it to the wall). I didn’t have a level handy so I ended up using an app on my smart phone to make sure the fixture was level!
The new cover completely hides the existing fixture and it’s now perfectly centered! So much better than what was there before!
You can watch the entire bathroom makeover in this video here, enjoy!
I just love it. It is really very amazing. This DIY light cover looks awesome. I really liked this tutorial.
Thank you!
Thanks you!
Where can I find the instructions on the over the toilet shelf unit?
Here’s the video: http://www.engineeryourspace.com/diy-over-the-toilet-storage-cabinet/
Amazing procedure, it looks so neat and furnished now with that imbedded light. Much better than having hanging lights in bathroom.
Hello. Love the light fixture, and am planing to follow your instructions to do the same in both of my bathrooms. But my Son said he was afraid that the heat from the light bulbs might melt the plastic or start a fire. How is yours holding up?
Hi Sandy, I recommend only using LED light bulbs for this project, and for all my lighting projects. They don’t give of as much heat as incandescent light bulbs so they work great for a project like this. Of course, it’s important to make sure that the plastic doesn’t touch the bulbs. Hope this helps!