There are quite a few different styles, can you share a photo of yours so I and others can brain storm what might be done to bring them up to date. It could be quite fun to redo them for a child's playroom.

At the risk of sounding too opinionated and bossy - no, ick, yuck, don't waste your time, get 'em out of there! Somewhere there are fixtures you can afford and can stand until you CAN afford your schoolhouse fixtures, that will be better than those.

Something like this one on sale at Home Depot, which is a pendant that will reflect light up onto the ceiling:

...or this one at Lamps Plus (also under $100), which mounts close to the ceiling, but also throws the light up to reflect off the ceiling:

I bet there are things you could do... Just brainstorming:

- Definitely take off the globes and get fresh bulbs, then
- What about weaving in some grapevines?
- Maybe add a string or two of clear Christmas lights for a 'twinkle' effect?
- Hang crystals, shells, corals, beads, eggs & birds -- not all at once, one of them ;-) for a chandelier effect
- Maybe Google 'wagon wheel lamp' to see what others have done?

"This stupid, wagon wheel, Roy Rogers, garage sale COFFEE TABLE"

Here is a link that might be useful: wagon wheel coffee table

Can a '60s wagon wheel light fixture be recycled/redeemed? Only if you can find a wagon that needs a wheel. Other than that, I'm with bronwynsmom.

LOL. The minute I read the subject of the thread I was quoting Carrie Fisher in WHMT myself. I've got to get a life away from the movies!

Toss those things, do not wait a minute if you have to toss them out the window. There is NO way to update them and they are and always have been ugly.

I think since it is a playroom you have nothing to lose painting them white or yellow until you can afford the schoolhouse. Of course, I would rather have a quirky, even kinda ugly fixture than something generic. But that's me.

I honestly got excited about the possibility of painting it out white or pale grey!

Playroom you say? I agree w/ Pal - pick a fun but not offensive color!

lceh-

I'd paint them in a heartbeat, but I would paint them a high energy contrasting color; apple green, red, periwinkle, purple or something that says fun and campy, and that, yeah, they're recycled wagon wheel fixtures, but just I'm confident (and nutty) enough to pull it off. You could paint each one a different color or paint the wheel one color and the spokes another color, all in a high gloss.

I agree with palimpsest, I'd much rather have a quirky, fun and authentic item than a generic Lowe's el cheapo made in the PRC.

Good luck-

sandyponder

Paint them either white or even bright primary colors! For a play room it would be perfect. Much better, quirky and fun than a "generic Lowe's el cheapo" for sure. One of a kind!

Paint them. If you don't like them, toss them.

How about a Mackenzie-Childs sort of paint job? Hard to say w/o seeing, but maybe you can even put some blocks or kids toys or funky globes.

Wow I'm shocked that some of you hate these fixtures so much! Maybe it's because my Aunt Rosie and Uncle Marion had one in their living room that makes me have a warm spot in my heart for them, but I love them. I think they'd be awesome in a kids playroom. Heck make it a Woody and Jessie themed room. You know, the cute cowboy and cowgirl from the Toy Story movies. If you're not into a movie theme than there's bandannas, checks and so many other cute western style that could make the fixture fit right in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Western Boys Rooms on HGTV Rate My Space

Oh gad originally I opened this thread to ask what your obvious crack dealer thinks...I mean who keeps a wagon wheel fixture? Then my head read "play room" and my crack kicked in!!! Go nuts and don't turn them upside down. Paint them crazy vibrent colors and use white bulbs...take the globes off and just go bare bulb with the really cool white frosted round ones on crazy arse colored wheels, each a different color with added pokadots in other colors. Glue on circus animals (not too close to the lights) or have monkeys hanging down (those ones that you hang hand from hand.....someone help me) but not far enough for the kids to reach. Or have an invasion of toy soldiers on the wheels, come climbing up the chains etc. and paint them similar silly colors.

Gad yes make them work! I think they'd be a hoot!

After looking at the two matching wagon wheel chandeliers in her beamed ceiling ranch home for over 30 years, my Mom had them taken out and replaced with lighted fans and those look great. Never liked the wagon look...OK if your a cowboy/girl though.

Yep. What Pal and sandyponder said. You've GOT to show us some pics, though.

If life deals you wagon wheels...exploit them. Think Gypsy caravan wheels...lots of painted colors....a little striping here and there screw in some, lightbulbs and put them on a dimmer so you can adjust the intensity.
You may like them so well you will keep them...
Or....maybe make them into a coffee table!!

I think it could be interesting:

A playroom? Perfect. How old are the children?

I'd leave them up there and use them to accent the space for your little buckaroos. You wouldn't have to go overboard on a cowboy/cowgirl theme, just a few pieces would get the point across. It's easy to find vintage western stuff. there's some swell retro fabric on ebay or etsy for making a few pillows (or use different colored bandannas), and be sure to add a rocking horse if the children are under 7. *Not* one of those "crafty" wooden horses with rope mane and a flat seat that's about as much fun to play with as a board; a "real" Wonder horse on springs. Tacky? Perhaps, but no less so that all the gaudy colored, rounded edge, featureless plastic junk that you so often see piled up all over people's homes and yards.

I also love Lindac's idea of a Gypsy Wagon, or hey, even Circus Wagon wheels. JMHO, but I think replacing them with some kind of generic pendant lighting would have all the appeal of a mausoleum, but then, growing up, my girls were known to frequently sneak a real, live pony into the house, so we probably take "play" a little more seriously than most folks... ;^)

The answer is: no :)

I agree totally with littledog - you're lucky these are in a play room and not your master bedroom :o I would paint them with children in mind in interesting colors (the paint not the children :) ) and maybe go with a cowboy/cowgirl theme....maybe ask the kids what They would like to do as well......it could be a fun project for everyone!

Or put them on ebay and see if there are any wagonwheel memorabilia collectors out there - there may be one just dying to get his or her hands on these lights (hee hee)

of course- there is no end to the possiblities especially in a play room, if the kids are old enough they can help design, choose colors and paint( its a playroom it doesnt have to be perfect and they will be very proud to show their friends.
I am all about kids rooms being for kids. it will be so much fun to do!

Hey folks, I think we scared another one away.

Retrofit it with wine bottles.

Here is a link that might be useful: PB wine bottle chandelier

OMG the PB wine bottle wagon wheel chandelier LOL!!!

My first thought was set up toy train sets on them, running of course. Then I thought of a my little pony collection for them. Then I went back to the train idea only this time the train is being hijacked by aminatronic cowboys on horses. And then the crack kicked in and monkeys got involved- thanks igloochic.