Transform Ordinary Pendant Lights Into Magical Fall Lanterns With An Impressive DIY

Halloween is a fun excuse to give your home a little personality, but with a busy schedule, that's where the enthusiasm can fade. It's easy to grab a few quick decorations for your front porch, but the kitchen is an often overlooked area. If you want an easy DIY Halloween decoration that brings a little magic into your kitchen, those familiar plastic jack-o'-lantern buckets can totally transform your space.

The cheap pumpkin-shaped buckets can be found at pretty much any retailer for around $1 to $2 a pop and can take the place of the glass shades on pendant lights in your kitchen. Their smiling faces and orange glow can turn your kitchen into something much more festive and are a clever visual twist on a Halloween staple usually reserved for collecting candy. You may even already own a few buckets tucked away with your decorations.

If you already have pumpkin buckets from the bargain store, this spooky Dollar Tree DIY that will light up your home puts them to work with just a few zip ties. When setting up, check the fixture manufacturer's shade and clearance requirements and make sure to keep plastic and zip ties clear of the bulb and socket. It's also recommended to do this spooky DIY with LED lightbulbs only, as incandescent bulbs can get very hot, potentially melting the plastic and creating a hazard.

Make sure the LED lightbulbs are off before starting this project, and for extra safety, turn off the breaker. Remove the glass shades according to your fixture's instructions, and store them with their hardware so you can put everything back after Halloween. Remove the bucket's handle and thread one zip tie through each hole, connecting the two ties end to end above the opening. Together, they should form a narrow oval stretching from one side of the bucket to the other.

That oval is what will straddle the pendant, holding the pumpkin beneath it with the bulb inside. The attachment needs to rest on the fixture, so if it doesn't feel secure, you could add electrical tape. Turn the pumpkin's face toward the room before trimming excess tie ends, and once the pumpkins are securely positioned, restore power and enjoy the seasonal glow.

If your favorite fall kitchen decor ideas lean into traditional autumn colors, orange buckets give you that classic jack-o'-lantern look, but you can experiment with other colors, too. You could mix different expressions or colors if they're available in store; just keep in mind that darker colors will dim the light even more. Another option is painting the bucket yourself with acrylic paint if you can't find the option you like in store. Those glowing grins can make even an ordinary evening of washing dishes feel a little more festive.