How to Hang Paper Lanterns
Make sure your lanterns match the room., Decide if you want to light the lanterns., Choose hooks., Decide on the configuration., Mark the placement of the lanterns., Hang your lanterns on drywall or wood., Think about using adhesive hooks...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make sure your lanterns match the room.
A beautiful configuration of lanterns won’t impress your guests if the colors are clashing or mismatched.
Make sure that the lanterns you hang match any patterns, colors or themes present in your room.
Take a trip to a nearby Chinatown or shop online to find the perfect colored lanterns.Match colors with similar colors.
Categories of colors, like earth tones, jewel tones or warm/cool colors should be matched to similar colored lanterns.
For example, a red couch would be well accented with warm colored lanterns, like orange and yellow.
If your bedroom has a navy blue bedspread, match it with cool colored lanterns, like light blue, white or dark green.Match patterns.
Paper lanterns come in a variety of colors, and some even have patterns.
If you have floral patterns on a chair or bedspread, find a complementary patterned lantern online.
Try to match diamond patterns, spiral patterns, or plaids.
Be careful that the lanterns don't clash or overload your room with the pattern, however. -
Step 2: Decide if you want to light the lanterns.
Some lanterns are purely decorative while others contain small lamps or lightbulbs.
Decide whether you want to use the lanterns as accent lights in your room, and then search for the right kind of lanterns.
Many come with pre-wired plug-in lightbulbs or battery powered LED lamps., To hang your lanterns, you’ll need hooks.
Because paper lanterns are relatively light, you won’t need anything too large or heavy duty.
Look for small, screw-in hooks at a local hobby store or at hardware store.
Look for hooks small enough that they won’t be noticed, and consider buying some that match the color of your walls., You’ll want to decide where the hooks will hang before you do any drilling.
Visualize your room and the way you want the lanterns to hang.
You may want to hang them in a row across the room, in a corner in a bunch, or over a bed or chair.
Look at websites like Pinterest to get some ideas, or ask a creative friend for help., Using a pencil, make marks on the wall or ceiling that your lanterns will hang from.
Visualize what they’ll look like in those places.
Remember, you can make and erase the marks as many times as you want, but once a hole is drilled, you’ll have to fill it in if you’ve made a mistake., Most homes in America have interior walls and ceilings made of drywall.
Drywall isn’t meant to bear a lot of weight, but since paper lanterns are lighter than paintings or mirrors, you can go ahead and screw your hooks directly into it.
Alternatively, if you want to hang your lanterns from a wood surface like a cabinet or a shelf, you can use the same method.Drill a pilot hole.
While you may be tempted to screw the hook in by hand, it’ll be much easier if you drill a pilot hole.
Choose a drill bit that’s the same size as the inner core of the hook, not the width of the threads.
Power up your drill and drill straight into the wall, making sure your hole goes all the way through the drywall.
Screw in your hook.
Place the hook into the hole, then begin screwing it into the wall.
Apply pressure as you turn the hook clockwise, stopping when the base of the hook is flush with the drywall. , Some homes have walls or ceilings made of plaster or brick, which are hard or almost impossible to drill through.
For these surfaces, consider using adhesive hooks.
They aren’t quite as sturdy as hooks that screw into the wall, but they’ll work for something as light as a paper lantern.
Their strong adhesive will keep them attached for years and they’re easier to use if you’re nervous about using a drill., Your lantern is going to hang from a hook, so it needs a line to hang from.
You can use twine or fishing line to hang the lanterns, depending on how “invisible” you want the line to seem.
Find twine at a craft store, or check out an outdoor/adventure store for some inexpensive fishing line.Cut the line to the right length.
If you want all of your lanterns to hang at the same height, make sure that you cut all of the lines to the same length.
If you want them to be staggered, play with line lengths a bit to see what combination looks best.
Tie a small loop at the end of your line.
Most paper lanterns have a rigging device inside, shaped like a “C”.
Because of this small hook, you don’t need to tie the line onto the lantern directly.
You can simply tie a small loop at the end of the line and then slip it over the “C”.
Make sure your knot is tight so it doesn’t come loose and let the lantern fall.
Tie another loop at the top of the line.
Tie the same knot at the top of the top of the line, then slip it over the hook. , Some lamps have small lightbulbs inside that need to be plugged in.
These can be a bit trickier to hang, because the cord will have to be hung as well.
For these lamps, you’ll need to screw in additional hooks and loop the cord through them, all the way to an outlet.
Use an extension cord if the original cord isn’t long enough.
Look into buying battery powered lamps to avoid the unsightly cables altogether., Paper lanterns may have traditionally held candles instead of lightbulbs, but any open flame is unsafe, especially indoors.
Use LED lamps or small lightbulbs in your lamps to avoid any accidents with open flame.
Many lanterns come pre-lit for your convenience. -
Step 3: Choose hooks.
-
Step 4: Decide on the configuration.
-
Step 5: Mark the placement of the lanterns.
-
Step 6: Hang your lanterns on drywall or wood.
-
Step 7: Think about using adhesive hooks
-
Step 8: especially on tough surfaces.
-
Step 9: Thread your lanterns with fishing line.
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Step 10: Plug in electric lamps.
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Step 11: Make sure never to use candles with your lanterns.
Detailed Guide
A beautiful configuration of lanterns won’t impress your guests if the colors are clashing or mismatched.
Make sure that the lanterns you hang match any patterns, colors or themes present in your room.
Take a trip to a nearby Chinatown or shop online to find the perfect colored lanterns.Match colors with similar colors.
Categories of colors, like earth tones, jewel tones or warm/cool colors should be matched to similar colored lanterns.
For example, a red couch would be well accented with warm colored lanterns, like orange and yellow.
If your bedroom has a navy blue bedspread, match it with cool colored lanterns, like light blue, white or dark green.Match patterns.
Paper lanterns come in a variety of colors, and some even have patterns.
If you have floral patterns on a chair or bedspread, find a complementary patterned lantern online.
Try to match diamond patterns, spiral patterns, or plaids.
Be careful that the lanterns don't clash or overload your room with the pattern, however.
Some lanterns are purely decorative while others contain small lamps or lightbulbs.
Decide whether you want to use the lanterns as accent lights in your room, and then search for the right kind of lanterns.
Many come with pre-wired plug-in lightbulbs or battery powered LED lamps., To hang your lanterns, you’ll need hooks.
Because paper lanterns are relatively light, you won’t need anything too large or heavy duty.
Look for small, screw-in hooks at a local hobby store or at hardware store.
Look for hooks small enough that they won’t be noticed, and consider buying some that match the color of your walls., You’ll want to decide where the hooks will hang before you do any drilling.
Visualize your room and the way you want the lanterns to hang.
You may want to hang them in a row across the room, in a corner in a bunch, or over a bed or chair.
Look at websites like Pinterest to get some ideas, or ask a creative friend for help., Using a pencil, make marks on the wall or ceiling that your lanterns will hang from.
Visualize what they’ll look like in those places.
Remember, you can make and erase the marks as many times as you want, but once a hole is drilled, you’ll have to fill it in if you’ve made a mistake., Most homes in America have interior walls and ceilings made of drywall.
Drywall isn’t meant to bear a lot of weight, but since paper lanterns are lighter than paintings or mirrors, you can go ahead and screw your hooks directly into it.
Alternatively, if you want to hang your lanterns from a wood surface like a cabinet or a shelf, you can use the same method.Drill a pilot hole.
While you may be tempted to screw the hook in by hand, it’ll be much easier if you drill a pilot hole.
Choose a drill bit that’s the same size as the inner core of the hook, not the width of the threads.
Power up your drill and drill straight into the wall, making sure your hole goes all the way through the drywall.
Screw in your hook.
Place the hook into the hole, then begin screwing it into the wall.
Apply pressure as you turn the hook clockwise, stopping when the base of the hook is flush with the drywall. , Some homes have walls or ceilings made of plaster or brick, which are hard or almost impossible to drill through.
For these surfaces, consider using adhesive hooks.
They aren’t quite as sturdy as hooks that screw into the wall, but they’ll work for something as light as a paper lantern.
Their strong adhesive will keep them attached for years and they’re easier to use if you’re nervous about using a drill., Your lantern is going to hang from a hook, so it needs a line to hang from.
You can use twine or fishing line to hang the lanterns, depending on how “invisible” you want the line to seem.
Find twine at a craft store, or check out an outdoor/adventure store for some inexpensive fishing line.Cut the line to the right length.
If you want all of your lanterns to hang at the same height, make sure that you cut all of the lines to the same length.
If you want them to be staggered, play with line lengths a bit to see what combination looks best.
Tie a small loop at the end of your line.
Most paper lanterns have a rigging device inside, shaped like a “C”.
Because of this small hook, you don’t need to tie the line onto the lantern directly.
You can simply tie a small loop at the end of the line and then slip it over the “C”.
Make sure your knot is tight so it doesn’t come loose and let the lantern fall.
Tie another loop at the top of the line.
Tie the same knot at the top of the top of the line, then slip it over the hook. , Some lamps have small lightbulbs inside that need to be plugged in.
These can be a bit trickier to hang, because the cord will have to be hung as well.
For these lamps, you’ll need to screw in additional hooks and loop the cord through them, all the way to an outlet.
Use an extension cord if the original cord isn’t long enough.
Look into buying battery powered lamps to avoid the unsightly cables altogether., Paper lanterns may have traditionally held candles instead of lightbulbs, but any open flame is unsafe, especially indoors.
Use LED lamps or small lightbulbs in your lamps to avoid any accidents with open flame.
Many lanterns come pre-lit for your convenience.
About the Author
Peter Patel
Creates helpful guides on pet care to inspire and educate readers.
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