I firmly believe you can never have too many garden lights. And when you’re not sure what to do next for your backyard, lights are always a safe bet. Recently, I got my hands on a beautiful tree stump. Just placing it in the yard felt… meh. So I decided to turn it into a glowing stump-lantern thing. A “glow-stump,” if you will.
I had a few solar lights from the dollar store. They were cheap — like too cheap not to buy kind of deal. And though the stump looked good as-is, I already had a new picture in my head, and it involved white paint, lights, and a bit of chaos. It was boho…
Materials I used
- One sturdy tree stump (flat top is helpful)
- 5–6 solar garden lights (mine were from Dollar Store)
- Wood stain in a dark brown shade (teak)
- White acrylic paint for outdoor use
- Clear outdoor varnish (for sealing the lights)
- Painter’s tape
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Round sponge brush (or any clean sponge)
- Drill with a bit that matches the light stake size
- Small saw for trimming plastic light stakes
- Grinder or sander (unless you’re into pain)
How I Made It Boho!
Let’s begin with my first mistake: confidence. I looked at that beautiful bark-covered stump and thought, “I’ll just peel this off real quick.” Nope. Apparently, this stump was made from the same wood they use for ancient shipwrecks and Viking shields.
After a few minutes of struggling and maybe swearing, I called in my husband and a grinder. Sparks flew. Dust everywhere. At one point I think a squirrel judged us. But we finally got the bark mostly off, and I pretended the remaining bits were “intentional texture.” Lesson learned: Don’t argue with a stump. Bring power tools.
Next, I held up my cheap solar lights and tried to imagine where they’d look best. Naturally, I overthought everything and spent 15 minutes moving one light two inches to the left like it was an architectural decision. Eventually, I marked a few holes and drilled shallow ones because, let’s be honest, I wasn’t about to wrestle this thing into submission twice in one day. Instead of deep holes, I trimmed the plastic stakes on the lights so they’d fit snug without drama.
I picked a dark brown wood stain called “teak” because it sounded fancy. I wanted contrast — dark wood with crisp white paint on top. And also because the only other option I had looked like orange soda. Two coats later, the stump looked rich and moody. Like, “forest witch with a skincare routine” moody. I stood back and nodded like I knew what I was doing.
While waiting for the stain to dry, I played around with the solar lights. And here’s where inspiration struck — what if I made them different heights? Like little glowing mushrooms. Or a very odd choir. I sawed off the plastic legs at random lengths and arranged them so the short ones were in front, tall ones in the back. It felt whimsical. It also felt like something someone with an actual plan would do. I gave them a makeover: white paint, sealed with outdoor varnish. Total transformation. They went from “forgotten bin item” to “minimalist Scandinavian sculpture” in two coats.
Now came the part that separates the dreamers from the “oops-I-made-a-messers.” I can’t draw. I once tried to paint flowers and they looked like haunted jellyfish. So instead, I chose geometric shapes — a bold stripe and circles. I used painter’s tape to create a band around the stump (measured it with a ruler because I’m that person), then sponged on white paint. The trick is: dab, don’t smear. Less paint = fewer regrets.
After removing the tape (and gasping dramatically), I added the dots using a sponge brush.
It looked good. Too good. I double-checked to make sure I didn’t accidentally summon a design spirit or something.
Once everything dried, I popped the solar lights into their holes and carried the stump out to my garden like Simba on Pride Rock.
Set it among the plants, poured myself a cup of tea, and waited for the sun to go down.
And wow. At night, the white paint glowed softly from the reflected light. It looked modern, cozy, earthy — like some kind of outdoor designer knew what they were doing (spoiler: they didn’t, it was just me with a grinder and poor impulse control).
Final thoughts (aka would I do this again?)
Absolutely. I mean, it took a little effort, sure. But the result? Totally worth it. The stump now looks like it belongs in some Pinterest board called “Modern Rustic Magic” or “Backyard Witchcore” or whatever the kids are into these days. Besides, it looks so BOHO.
So if you’ve got a leftover tree stump, a box of solar lights, and mild crafting chaos in your soul — this one’s for you. If you aren’t into standard tree stumps, try to make one from concrete!