Light it Up

Now that our backporch makeover is underway, we have turned our attentions toward the finishing details like fans and lights. It seems as though my lighting research is never ending, so why not throw some outdoor lights onto the search pile as well. 

Pottery Barn

The Bolton from Pottery Barn has a nice, classic European feel, but the overall size was a bit small for our space. And, I prefer a hanging or supported lantern style versus the wall mounted flush version. 

Moving on…

Savoy House

This Savoy House Monte Grand light found on Amazon, is similar in style to the Bolton, but offers the non-flush option that I was looking for. But, John wasn't feeling the seeded glass and thought the light lacked that little something special overall. Ie, it's boring. 

Next…

Shades of Light

The Shades of Light catalog arrived in the mail a couple of days ago and I immediately singled out this one, known as the Charleston. Pretty fitting right? 

I love the dark hue, all the details and the European feel, but John wasn't sold on the cream wavy glass. 

(who knew he was so picky with his taste in glass?)

Back to the drawing board...

Shades of Light

Their catalog was just enough to peek my interest, so I logged onto their site and discovered the Richmond. My favorite detail about this light? The Copper finish. I love that it's a living metal and will age and patina over time. Plus, we'd love to put copper accents (portico, gutters, etc) on this house in the distant future and wouldn't that just tie everything together so nicely!

Quoizel

Once I got my heart set on a copper finish, I went back to Amazon to have a second look. Leave no stone unturned, right? Well, thankfully I did just that because I stumbled upon the Rue de Royal which is very reminiscent of the the antique gaslights often found in both Charleston and New Orleans. 

Ding, ding, ding. 

I think we have a winner. 

John approved.

Quoizel

Oh, I was just about to wrap up this post when I noticed they offered the same light in a hanging version vs. a supported version. Oh, decisions, decision. Which one do you prefer? Let me know in the comments section!

until next time, 

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Flash Sale Lighting

So…remember when I was on vacation at the beach and I posted a little something, something about making a rash purchase during a flash 50% off sale at Horchow.com?

Well, if you don't remember, I did it. Now you know. 

And, if you do remember and have been wondering what I was talking about, this is the post for you.

You probably assumed I purchased the light I've been obsessed with lately, but I didn't. I got this one. 

Truth? I had been looking at it for awhile thinking about how great it would be for our foyer, but that's about as far as I had gotten.

Then, it magically appeared in my inbox at a great price and I thought - yes, do it! We were at the beach, the sale lasted just a couple of hours - I didn't let that stop me. 

A couple of days later, on my door step it arrived. 

Imagine my surprise when I pulled it out of the box and noticed just how big it was. Perhaps I should have measured in advance! 

Sure enough, we couldn't even open the front door with this light hanging in the foyer. Too big.

Hmmmm….

Change of plans. Looks like our dining room is getting a new light. 

Another truth? I was not going in this direction at all - I had planned to find a vintage, french inspired, crystal dowsed, brass fixture. But, I'm loving this light in here. It's fun! It doesn't scream formal dining room, but it's still elegant. Plus, the shape plays so nicely with our foyer paper.

Win-win.

Sure, I could have returned it. But, I like this idea much better. 

Remember, always think outside the box. If you really love something chances are you can find a home for it. Even if it's not the original plan. 

until next time,

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Obsessed

Ya'll my search for perfect lighting continues. I've seen a lot of options, at a lot of price points. But, the more I search, the more I come back to this light.

horchow

It's dramatic, that's for sure.

Most wouldn't consider hanging a pendant in the middle of a den - a safer option would be a flush mount or semi flush at the most. But not this girl. This girl loves her drama. Have you seen my foyer paper? Plus, there's little risk of bumping into a fixture with the 3' square coffee table below it. 

I think it would look stunning in the den. At 24" in circumference, the oversized style will only help to make the room feel more cozy. And against those dark walls? Love.

Of course, it would mean a new mirror over the mantel, but I think I could handle that.

Framed by the built-ins in the living room, the capiz shell pendant would really draw your eye through to the den. 

Of course, with heavy afternoon sun streaming through the den windows, maybe there's a reason the previous owner had an overhead fan. Only time will tell on that one, I'm afraid. 

horchow

Yes, it seems to have everything I am looking for. But, one question remains. Is it timeless? Will I love it in the many years to come? 

Tell me your thoughts - persuade me in the comments below.

until next time, 

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Loving this week: Lighting Edition

If you follow me on Pinterest (you know you should be!), you know that I am mad-cap pinning lighting right now. Our new to us, 80's lovin' home is full of true winners...from builders basic chandeliers, to boob lights, to all sorts of fans in various degrees of meltedness. 
(side note: I've never seen a melted, droopy fan before moving here and now I notice them everywhere. )

Check out this madness (clockwise): 

1. Multicolored fan - this is in the garage, people. The previous owner loved his garage. He installed separate, garage only, heating and cooling systems. And the fans. He clearly spent a lot of time out there. 

2. Classic, shiny brass boob light. There are more of these than I care to remember. Why, oh why, do people love to install these in their homes? I will never know. 

3. This beautiful frosted glass, sea shell inspired sconce resides in a little alcove off the hallway near the powder room. Such an interesting choice, certainly makes a statement. Perhaps, not the statement they had in mind, but a statement nonetheless. 

4. Another classic: the dreaded builders grade chandelier. I love brass, actually, but not this type of chintzy brass - all shiny and lightweight. Ugh.

5. Semi-flush mount, frosted glass, globe light. So old it's almost retro. Not in this house, sorry.

6. Brass tulip inspired foyer fixture. I'm not sure if i've just spent too much time looking at it or it's actually starting to grow on me. Help!

Restoration Hardware

I wish I could replace all the lighting in one fell swoop, but alas, having a budget and sticking to it is high on my list of design priorities. For now, it's day dreaming. These are some of my favorites at the moment. 

Parisian wood chandies are a dime a dozen these days, but the zinc accents on this one from RH had me at hello. Although, to be fair, I imagine hitting the edges with a bit of Rubb 'n Buff in Antique Gold to give it a bit of subtle bling. 
Just like in our last home, we are planning a family friendly, casually elegant dining room and I think this would fit in beautifully.

Shades of Light

This Old World Lantern from Shades of Light took me by surprise, for sure. I'm going for a slightly transitional look in our new home, (still traditional, but a bit more modern) and I wasn't thinking a classic charmer like this fixture would do it for me. But, I was wrong. Love it. 
The petal like embellishments of this fixture would work well with the similar embellishments of the RH Parisian chandelier, pictured above. Even though the finishes are totally different, similar shapes help the fixtures coordinate.

Ballard Designs

The Eldridge pendant from Ballard Designs in a great example of transitional design. Take a classic and very traditional shape like a lantern, modify it just a bit by straightening the lines to make it more modern and bam - transitional. 
I am seriously considering this for the over-the-kitchen-sink pendant. I think the tone of the metal will add a lot of warmth to the kitchen and the slightly over-sized scale of the piece will fit nicely in our big window. 

Wisteria

I'm loving all the oxidized, antiqued goodness of this oversized iron pendant. Talk about drama, in the breakfast room no less.
Again, the finished are not the same, but they speak to eachother, which makes it OK in my book. Besides, who wants everything to be so matchy, matchy. Not me, that's for sure. 

Wisteria

Check out this beauty. All gilded and of the moment with the Moroccan-inspired design. Love it. Want it. 
So out of my price range, it isn't even funny. 

Our den is a strange bird. It's all warm and cozy with it's fireplace, built-ins and dark paint color (sharing that soon, promise!), but with no obvious spot for the TV, we are breaking with tradition and keeping it as the quiet space and moving the TV to the front of house in what would traditionally be seen as the living room (read more about that here). Currently there is a fan in our den and I am eager to replace it with a chandelier. Not some frilly, crystal encrusted monstrosity, but definitely something with a bit of shimmery, golden goodness. I can see it reflected in a big mirror over the fireplace...sorry, I digress, that's a different post. And possibly a different house! ha.

I just had John proof-read this post for me - he looked up and said, "really, these lights? For our house? I don't like any of them"
uh-oh.

 until next time,

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Oh, the Wonders of Spray Paint

After completing my PB inspired, DIY, glass lamps, I had to find new homes for the old lamps. Who doesn't love a good game of lamp swithcher-oo! 

The more masculine of the two lamps {that's normal, right? to think of your lamps as female or male?} made its way to the antique dresser in the corner.

I really like the shape of this lamp and the white shade certainly goes a long way to lightening this corner of the room, but it still didn't feel quite right. 

Oh, the wonders of spray paint. A couple of quick, light coats of grey spray paint transformed the lamp. 

I choose grey because white seemed too predictable and I already have a lot of green in the room. Plus, it pulls some of the grey tones out of the bedding. Bonus. 

After the final coat, I sanded it lightly with 220 grit paper. I love how the details in the lamp really shine now - when it was dark on dark the details weren't quite as noticeable. 

So, much better. And all for the cost of a simple can of spray paint. 

I'm still working on the styling, but at least I got the picture hung. And on the first time, no less. I still need to go back and patch, sand and paint all my other nail holes. Boo. But, that does mean that the reveal is right around the corner.

Have a great weekend! 

until next time, 

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PB Knock Off Lighting

I was so excited last week when my long envisioned bedside lamp project finally came together. 

You see, I had been looking, and looking, and looking for just the perfect bedside lamp. My list of demands was long....I wanted it to make a statement, but still be light and airy, and it couldn't be white. 

pottery barn

What I really wanted was this beauty from Pottery Barn. But the $200 price tag had me looking for other options. 

That's when I decided to make my own. I found the recycled glass vase at HomeGoods for less than $10. When I saw that lovely textured, wavy, greenish glass and the tear drop shape I knew I had found my perfect solution. 

The best part? It was so simple. A DIY lamp kit, picked up at Home Depot for only $10 made it a cinch. Just follow the directions on the back and boom, you've got light!

The most expensive and time consuming part of this project was finding just the right lamp shade. I settled on these yellow flocked shades from Target. At $20 a shade, I think they make just the right statement.

Usually I'm not much of a joiner when it comes to the matchy-match game, but in this case, I caved. I love this lamp so much I put one together for Mr. DD too. 

The perfect addition to our bedroom makeover at just $40 each. Happiness. 

linking in with:

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

until next time, 

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Sconce decision made, finally!

Do you ever have one of those decisions that just haunts you daily, but yet, you still manage to do nothing about it?

The breakfast room sconces - that's mine! Even with the offer of a review, I just couldn't pull the trigger.

Literally, every meal time I would sit there and look at those sconces and know I needed to order the new ones, but I just couldn't do it.

Until today!

And can you guess which one I went with?

Not what you were expecting, right? Almost everyone that took the time to leave a comment selected option 1, the slightly more modern choice. And to be honest, it had me confused. What was everyone seeing that I wasn't? And so I pondered, and pondered and pondered some more.

Then I decided to go with my gut! Option 2.

I'm hoping the curved lines and rustic hammered texture will work well with our existing chandelier. I'll be switching out the shades, for sure. This Victorian silhouette is really not working for me at all.

Now the waiting game begins. But don't worry, just as soon as they arrive and are installed, you'll be the first to know!

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Searching for Sconces: Part Deux

As you may remember I posted some time ago about my search for sconces for the den turn breakfast room. Remember this photo? Brass swing arm sconces in a breakfast room, not so much!

Well, the search was going no where fast until the lovely people at CSN stores offered me the opportunity to review one of their products. In case you didn't know, they have over 200 stores and sell everything from nightstands to lighting to kitchen sinks, literally!

Obviously, I'm back on the path.

After a lot of searching (seriously, they have so many options!), I have narrowed it down to these.

TransGlobe Lighting Modern Meets Traditional Wall Sconce

Savoy House Venetian Guild Wall Sconce

Artcraft Pot Racks One Light Wall Sconce

I'd love to know which one you like best, so leave a comment and let me know!

I'll be reviewing one soon - In the meantime, have a look around their site, the selection really is second to none. CSN stores

For a refresher on my previous search for sconces, click here.

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Big Girl Room: the dresser accessorized

My progress on the Big Girl Room has been fast and furious as of late. I found a lamp for the dresser and have finished accessorizing it (amazing what I can get done now that my little one is in school a couple of hours a week) .

Here's the 'from a distance' shot:

I kind of struggled with this area, I feel like I might have gone too grown up; at the very least, it's something that she will grow into.

The 'up close and personal' shot:

I've chosen a muted lamp in a shade of green gray from HomeGoods for this space; I debated on a turquoise or yellow lamp but ultimately thought they would be a bit too garish. The clock and plant have been repurposed from other locations around the house; I love how all the grays work together. The tray is from Pier One ( I like the vintage feel and the antiques cream base color goes so well with the distressed dresser) and will be essential to keep the millions of barrettes, bows and silly bands contained!

Only a couple more projects remain for this room - those pesky bedskirts, which I plan to embellish with ribbon and a cork board for above the book shelves.

Then it's just a matter of getting the little lady to transition to this room, which might prove to be the hardest part of the whole project.

PS. I almost forgot to mention that the cute artwork featuring the Big Girl's name was a gift and painted by an artist from MI, Lyn Kostus. Look her up on Facebook if you'd like some custom artwork (or email me directly at designingdomesticity@gmail.com and I will pass along her details).

PPS. I'll be off next week; check back a week from Monday to see what I've been up to.

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Big Girl Room: Bedside Lighting

By now, you have probably seen my first lighting project for the Big Girl Room...and how well it turned out! Unfortunately, it's not the only light in the room so I've had to move on.

I'm searching for a table lamp for between the beds. This is an important piece as it will be seen just as much as the beds, bedding, etc.

Some of the lamps I considered for this space are below.

Too adult?

The candlestick - too predictable?

cute - could be filled with something, like shells?

Owl lamp - fun, but wrong color.

Can you guess which direction I went?

That's right - the owl lamp.

 

After a simple coat of white spray paint we are in business. I love this lamp and I love the sense of fun it brings to the room.

Also, notice the new headboards purchased from Target. I am still trying to think of something I can do to help them become more 'special', but for now, they are just fine.

Still on the to-do list: bed skirts, accessories for the dresser including yet another lamp, and a cork board. Stay tuned...

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Pole Lamp Transformation: Complete

Finally, the much awaited and anticipated Pole Lamp Transformation Reveal!

Here is the lamp before - just your standard brass lamp with empire shade.

And after - with a new white coat of paint on the base and cute yellow trim on the shade.

I have to say, that I am really enjoying the newly revamped lamp. It has a whole new life - and a lot more character!

Here she is in the Big Girl Room - in all her newly found glory. I love it!

And I hope you do too!

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Pole Lamp Transformation: The Base

I knew I wanted to spray paint the Pole Lamp white, but I have to admit that I was nervous. I've never really used spray paint with good results before. That being said, every design show and blog that I have read or seen seems to sing the praises of spray paint. So, given this was a free lamp - I figured I would give it a try.

First things first, when it comes to painting (spray or otherwise) you have to prep! I cleaned the lamp with a damp towel and gave it a good drying. Then I taped off the electrical elements with painters tape. And of course, I used a drop cloth as well.

Once I had the prep done there was really nothing else to hold me back. I geared up for the first spray!

Here we go.

No going back now. Smooth even strokes, never holding the spray in one place - the first coat was done quicker that I would have imagined.

And it dried in less than an hour! The second coat filled any minor imperfections that were missed previously.

This stuff is great. And because this pictures does not give the finish justice - one more close up of the base detail.

I will never again doubt the wonders of spray paint. I have a feeling this is going to open up a whole new world of accessories for me. Very exciting!

I can't wait to put the lamp back together and into it's rightful spot in the Big Girl Room. Only one small problem:  I lost the shade finial in the yard! Humph.

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