DIY Lantern Made with Picture Frames and Paint Sticks

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Square feature image with DIY Lantern and beachy blue and green glass bottles in the background.

Make this beautiful DIY Lantern to brighten up your space or as a table decoration for a wedding or event.

Decorative lanterns make a stunning décor accent for any room and you can make this one with just a few supplies.

I love the light green color of these two picture frames that I picked up at the antique store. They look a little tropical and I was so happy that there were two. When I held them up I instantly thought–beach lantern!

Horizontal feature image with DIY Lantern and beachy blue and green glass bottles in the background.

I used starfish on the side of my lantern but decorate with any embellishments that match your decor.

For this DIY, you’ll need a few free paint sticks that you can get at any hardware store and two small wood frames (square or rectangular). See the list of supplies and steps below for more details.

Supplies

  • 2 wood picture frames
  • 12 paint sticks (free at the paint or hardware store)
  • Thin tack nails
  • A hammer
  • A drill and a small drill bit
  • 1.5-inch wood knobs for feet
  • A small hack saw
  • Small clamps
  • Wood glue
  • Hot glue
  • Paint (or stain)
  • Starfish or any embellishments you like
  • A battery-operated (flameless) candle

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How to Make A DIY Lantern – 4 Easy Steps

STEP 1:

Start by painting (or staining) your paint sticks, wood knobs for feet, and picture frames if needed.

Closeup of two wood picture frames and paint sticks used to make a DIY Lantern.

STEP 2:

Use short tack nails to attach the paint sticks to the sides of your picture frame then use wood glue to attach knobs for feet.

Tip: Pre-drill a hole into the paint sticks before nailing them to the picture frame. This will keep the wood from cracking. And, add a dab of wood glue for extra hold.

Closeup photo of paint sticks nailed to a picture frame and wood knobs glued to the bottom for feet.
Glue wood knobs to the bottom of your DIY Lantern for feet.

STEP 3:

Cut the remaining four paint sticks with a hack saw, paint them, and use wood glue to glue them horizontally to the sides of the lantern. Use craft clamps to hold everything in place as the glue dries.

Closeup photo of paint stick being cut to size with a hack saw.
Use a hand-held hack saw to cut paint sticks for the sides.
Photo of wood glue in the foreground and DIY lantern in the background with clamps holding horizontal paint sticks to dry.
Use wood glue to glue paint sticks horizontally to the sides of the lantern.

STEP 4:

Finish by hot gluing starfish or other embellishments to the sides. Just make sure you can fit a candle through one of the sides.

Note: Make sure to use a flameless battery-operated candle since the lantern is wood and flammable. Do not use an open-flame candle.

Closeup photo of a starfish being hot glued to the side of a DIY lantern.
Glue any decorations to the sides that you like.
Vertical Pinterest Pin with DIY Lantern and beach blue and green glassware in the background.

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