Light Up a Room With a DIY Shoebox Lantern

Shoeboxes are great for storing baseball cards and other knick-knacks, but did you know they can double as stylish decor? With this simple upcycling project, you can transform a boring old shoebox into a colorful lantern perfect for any room in your house. Here’s how to do it:

Prep

Set your shoebox on a cutting board and use a craft knife to remove the lip and ends of the box.

Design

Choose geometric shapes that fit your style and trace them on the box. With the box sitting upright, carefully cut out the shapes using a craft knife.

Paint

Your shoebox probably has a logo on it and probably isn’t your ideal color. That’s a quick fix. Use spray paint to change the color to your favorite hue.

Decorative Paper

Your box is full of holes but that’s about to change. Cut vellum paper to the size of each side of the lantern. Place the paper inside the box and use masking tape to keep it in place.

Light it Up!

Find a spot where you want the lantern to be and then set an LED puck light on the table. Place the decorated shoebox on top and voila! Your DIY lantern is complete. We recommend changing out the paper to achieve a different look and being that the lantern is so lightweight, try using it in different rooms or even outdoors.