A mason jar and a little light can change the whole mood of a room. These 15 DIY mason jar lights and lanterns run from a quick bathroom fixture fix to a dozen jar chandelier over the kitchen island. You’ll find pendant lights, a vanity light, a wall sconce, a colorful table lamp and a ladder of hanging candle lanterns for the patio, plus fairy light jars, a beaded hanging lantern and a starry night light for the bedroom. Three DIY JOY video tutorials are mixed in too. Some of these are hardwired fixtures, so if electrical work is new to you, have an electrician make the ceiling or wall connection. LED bulbs and battery fairy lights keep the glass cool and are the safest choice inside a jar.
1. Mason Jar Fairy Lights With Pressed Flowers
Mason jar fairy lights with pressed flowers glow like a tiny garden in a jar. Clean and dry the jar, then lay out your pressed flowers and leaves to plan the design. Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge onto one section of glass, press a flower in place and brush more over the top. Work in small sections so the glue doesn’t dry before you get there. Seal it all with a second coat once it’s dry. Tuck a string of fairy lights inside, close the lid and tie on jute twine.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
2. Easy DIY Fairy Jar Lanterns
Fairy jar lanterns make a cozy night light with a little storybook charm. Print a fairy silhouette, or trees and mushrooms, and cut away all the white parts. Paint the inside of the jar with white acrylic or primer, keeping it thin enough for light to pass through. Add fake moss or crumpled tissue in the bottom, then hot glue the silhouette against the inside of the glass. Tuck in a few leaves, drop in a tea light or fairy lights, and tie twine and leaves around the neck.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
3. DIY Mason Jar Vanity Light
A DIY mason jar vanity light gives a builder grade bathroom fixture a farmhouse makeover for about $6. Take the fixture down, remove the old glass shades and give it two coats of oil rubbed bronze spray paint. Trace the fixture’s flange onto the center of each jar lid with a Sharpie, then tap nail holes close together around the circle. Push the center out with a screwdriver (not your thumb!) and paint the lid rings to match. Screw the lids onto the fixture, add the jars and you’re done.
Get the full tutorial at Bless'er House.
4. Rustic Mason Jar Chandelier
A rustic mason jar chandelier brings warm, glowing light to a kitchen island or a dining table. Clusters of clear jars hang at staggered heights, each one holding a vintage style Edison bulb, so the light bounces through the glass. It suits a farmhouse kitchen or a more industrial look, depending on the canopy and cords you choose. Plan your drop lengths before anything is wired, and bring in an electrician for the ceiling connection if that’s not your thing. It’s a real showstopper once it’s lit.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
5. Easy DIY Beaded Plant Hanger and Lantern
A beaded lantern hanger does double duty as a candle lantern or a little plant hanger. Fold four 5 foot lengths of fishing line through a small wooden ring so you have eight strands. String on colorful glass beads, mixing 8 and 14 millimeter sizes, and knot neighboring strands together to form a net that cradles the jar. Knot all eight strands at the bottom. Set a mason jar with a flameless candle inside, then hang it from a porch hook or a tree branch. Swap in a potted plant any time.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
6. DIY Succulent Chandelier
This DIY succulent chandelier started life as a hanging pot rack, which is such a clever reuse. Hang a flat iron rack from a covered patio ceiling on sturdy chains, then line it with small pots of succulents and clear mason jars. Drop a pillar candle into each jar, and the glass shields the flame from the breeze. Mix trailing and rosette succulents for texture, and use battery candles if you’d rather skip real flames. It’s a living centerpiece that floats right over the patio table.
Get the full tutorial at Erin Ever After.
7. Pottery Barn Inspired Ladder Lantern Hanger
A Pottery Barn inspired ladder lantern hanger turns an old wooden ladder into a porch chandelier. Look for a weathered ladder with round rungs at an antique sale or flea market. Hang it flat over the patio table on chains, and C clamps can hold the chains to the patio roof so you don’t have to drill. Then dangle mason jar lanterns from the rungs at different heights. Add a little sand to the bottom of each jar, tie on ribbon and set a tea light inside. It’s pretty magical at dusk.
Get the full tutorial at Beth Bryan.
8. DIY Prism Light Candle
A DIY mason jar prism light scatters little dots of color across the room once the candle is lit. Pick up a bag of flat backed glass gems from the craft store; the smaller ones hug the curve of the jar better than big stones. Apply glue to one section of the jar, press the gems on close together and keep going until the whole jar is covered. Once it’s dry, drop in an LED candle. Make them in clear, blue or red, and they’re an easy last minute Christmas gift.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
9. Mason Jar Bathroom Light
A mason jar bathroom light is the easy fix for a pendant whose glass shade keeps breaking. Drill a pilot hole in the center of a canning jar lid, then use tin snips to cut out a circle big enough for the socket. Slip the lid over the fixture, lock it in place with the ring that came with the pendant, and screw on the jar. A vintage Edison bulb inside looks gorgeous, and a replacement shade is only as far away as the pantry. LED bulbs keep the glass cooler.
Get the full tutorial at Creative Cain Cabin.
10. Mason Jar Techno Tiki Torch
The mason jar techno tiki torch swaps a flame for color changing LEDs, so it’s safe just about anywhere. A tiny Gemma microcontroller runs a short NeoPixel strip tucked inside a mason jar, and the jar is filled with a diffusing material so the light glows instead of glaring. Then the whole jar slides right into the cup of a bamboo tiki torch. It’s an intermediate build with a little soldering and code, so it’s perfect if you like electronics. Bring a few to summer parties, campouts and backyard nights.
Get the full tutorial at Adafruit Learning System.
11. LED Mason Jar Lights
LED mason jar lights give a barn wedding or backyard party that soft, magical glow. Spray pint and quart jars with frosted glass spray so the LEDs look warm and diffused instead of harsh. For hanging jars, drill a hole in each lid and feed LED tape lights inside. For table jars, battery LED lights work, with the battery pack stuck to the inside of the lid. Hang clusters of pint jars from thick rope for a spiral chandelier, and scatter quart jars down the tables.
Get the full tutorial at Sarah Hearts.
12. Mason Jar Table Lamp
This mason jar table lamp is a sweet little accent light, and you can swap the color in seconds. Glue a 4 inch round wood plaque onto a 5 inch plaque, then drill a 1/2 inch hole through the center and route a small groove so the cord lies flat. Stain the base, wire in a bottle lamp kit with a cord switch and super glue a wide mouth jar ring to the center. Screw in a small low watt bulb, then twist on a tinted jar. Change the jar color with the seasons!
Get the full tutorial at Infarrantly Creative.
13. DIY Constellation Jar
A DIY constellation jar fills a dark bedroom with stars, and it’s made from things you probably already have. Cut a strip from a disposable aluminum cake pan tall enough to line a wide mouth jar, then smooth it flat with a spoon. Poke constellations with an awl, like the Big Dipper and Orion, and fill in the rest with smaller holes. Roll the strip into a tube, fold two tabs to hold it, and slide it in. Drop in a little click light, add the lid and turn off the lights.
Get the full tutorial at Design Mom.
14. Southern Charm Mason Jar Chandelier
The Southern Charm mason jar chandelier hangs twelve wide mouth jars from an IKEA utensil rack. Drill through the center of each lid, widen the hole with pliers and fit an IKEA pendant cord set through it, using the cord’s shade ring to lock it in place. Hang the rack from the ceiling, set each jar at the height you like and zip tie the cords to the rack. The wiring is bundled and joined at the ceiling, so call an electrician if that’s not your thing, and use a hook rated for the weight.
Get the full tutorial at IKEA Hackers.
15. DIY Ball Mason Jar Sconce Light
A DIY Ball mason jar sconce light is one of the easiest upgrades for a wall fixture that holds its glass shade with a washer. Find vintage zinc lids at a flea market, pop out the porcelain liner and cut a rough circle from the center with tin snips. Remove the old glass shade, slide the lid on with the washer beneath it, and screw a blue Ball jar right into the lid. Add candle bulbs and the bathroom feels cottage chic. The wiring never changes, so there’s no electrician needed.
Get the full tutorial at Robb Restyle.
