How To DIY A Fun Blue Pot Pendant Light

Brian Obernesser


Using found items as light shades is a unique way to upcycle while showing off your personality and aesthetic. One of our favorite types of shades to use includes clay pots of all shapes and sizes. In fact, you can find one of our clay pot light shade tutorials here! Depending on the style you want, you can explore terracotta pots in various earthen shades, retro pots with bulbous silhouettes, and painted pots that match with your interior decor.

In this how-to DIY lighting tutorial, we’re working with a boho blue pot that has plenty of fun curves. Here, we’ll show you how to turn a clay pot into a pendant light fixture using our hardware kit, basic socket, and a ready-to-wire plug in pendant whip! Follow along for a simple way to spruce up your lighting design and personalize your space.

Materials

You don’t need much from us to get this job done. Just pick up a pot from your local hardware center and make sure you have these lighting accessories from our store:

When you’re choosing your cord whip, please note that you have over 30 cloth covered cord options — and it already comes with a plug on the end. You can customize your cord whip with a two or three-prong plug, as well as the ideal length for your project. We recommend ordering a bit more length than you think you need so that you have enough to strip it for wiring. We also offer a few upgrades in the shape of thumb switches and end preparation that make your life a little bit easier.

Additional Tools

additional tools for wiring light fixtures

To ensure that putting this blue pot pendant light together is quick and easy, gather a few extra tools, including:

  • Phillips Head Screwdriver
  • Flathead Screwdriver
  • Needle Nose Pliers 

Instructions

Now on to the good stuff.

  1. Grab the female barrel cord grip, loosen the set screw, and feed it over the exposed ends of your power whip.
  2. Follow the barrel cord grip with the knurled nut, metal washer, and one silicone washer — in that order so they sit on the outside top of the pot.
  3. Now take your pot shade and feed the exposed end of the power whip through the pot’s outside top.
  4. Apply the other silicone washer and thread it onto the cord so it sits on the inside top of the pot.
  5. Take your socket cap and locate the smaller screw on the inside of the cap, and loosen it so you can thread the all-thread to the top of the cap.
  6. Tighten the smaller set screw back down so the all-thread is completely secure in the socket cap.
  7. Then, loosen the larger screw on the inside of the cap and feed the stripped end of the cord whip through the all-thread.
  8. Match the exposed conductor wires to the appropriate points in the socket cap, starting with the green ground wire.
  9. Use the needle nose pliers to bend the green wire and slip it through the hole where you’ve loosened the large screw.
  10. Tighten the large screw to secure the wire in place and ensure that you’ve grounded your fixture.
  11. Match the white and black wires to the prongs on the inside of the cap, black goes to the long positive prong, and white goes with the short negative prong.
  12. Flip the body of the socket so you can thread the black and white wires through the corresponding holes.
  13. Once threaded, tug the wires a little bit to ensure that they’re secure. If they slip out, push them in a little further than before and test again.
  14. Snap the cap onto the body of the socket to complete your wiring. Once snapped on, the two pieces will not separate again.
  15. Fix the cord whip into place by feeding the socket up into the pot so that it’s sitting flush with the silicone washer against the inside top of the pot.
  16. On the outside of the pot, slide down the silicone and metal washers before threading the knurled nut and female barrel grip into place.
  17. With all the pieces flush against the inside of the put, you can tighten down the set screw on the cord grip.
  18. Finally, screw in your light bulb, attach your swag hook to the ceiling, and hang up your brand new pendant light!

You might already have a suitable hook for hanging your light. But if you don’t, Color Cord Company has a few options that might appeal to you. Explore our swag hook selection to find several variations in multiple finishes to match every part of your setup to the blue pot light fixture. We have hooks and fixture hardware in Polished Copper, Solid Raw Brass, Brushed Nickel, Raw Metal, Matte Black, and Matte White.

If you have any questions about how swag hooks work or how to use them, check out this blog for an overview.

Time to DIY

reading nook with a blue clay pot light fixture

Now that you’ve watched our video and read through the instructions, you’re ready to DIY. If you have any questions or concerns, our team is always here to help! Reach out to us through the chat feature directly on our site for additional support. You’ll also find more tutorials and instructions on our blog to help inspire new fixtures and guide your DIY projects.

Once you’ve completed your blue pot light fixture, we’d love to see what you’ve made. Share your project with us on social media for a chance to be featured!

Thanks for watching!

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