Tag: Lighting

A Night In
I’m not one for all white walls trend, but I am guilty of waiting for maximum daylight to take photos of my home so it’s as light and bright as possible. Bloggers don’t usually photograph their homes at night — not if it can be helped! But we do then miss out on sharing what everything looks like as the day goes on. Julia from Chris Loves Julia and Kim of Yellow Brick Home, in partnership with Rejuvenation, have organized ‘A Night In’ so we can see a cozy nook in some of the homes we know and love in blogland after the sun has set. There’s a full list of everyone that’s participating at the end of the post.

Here I am standing in the doorway of my library, just casually holding a mug, color coordinating with my decor and blog design. Hi!

My home is a Victorian with a double parlor, and I swapped out the existing lights in both spaces last year with a matching pair of Rejuvenation’s Hood Pendants. I actually did share a few photos of the space at night after the fixtures went up, but that’s a rarity. Here’s one from that post.

A few things have been shuffled and changed around since then, so it’s good to revisit the space. The vintage rug has been sold and replaced with the one from the library, and we’re using a coffee table from a local consignment store with a wood top instead of stone (Brandon was always nervous that the kids would fall and chip a tooth). And in that previous post, I didn’t share any photos of the corner with my secretary desk, which is a shame because it’s one of my favorite spots in the house! I even gave it a floral crown recently, like it’s enjoying its very own Snapchat filter.

It can get a bit dark over there, so a floor lamp helps. Want a peek behind closed doors? There are some bills and paperwork, and the rest is all crayons, markers, colored pencils, coloring books, paper, drawings, and sketchbooks.

I like to sit at the desk while the kids play or color at the table. It’s a good way to sneak in a few minutes for myself, either to sketch, flip through a magazine, or join them in coloring (I’m into the adult coloring book trend, yep). We all hang out in the library together most mornings before I start working, or in the evening while Brandon makes dinner.

There’s usually some background noise, either news or music on the radio, or maybe a podcast streaming, but I don’t like to see the devices. Please tell me I’m not the only one who hides our electronics? The kids’ smooth rocks and random little key? Sure, pride of place! But I spy with my little eye a cordless phone hidden behind that vase, and next to it is a wireless speaker. (I need a fluffy plant there for better camouflaging.)

Anyway, I hope I did the place justice. I’m definitely not used to taking nighttime photos! We’ve been here for three years. This space has changed over that time, sometimes all at once and sometimes not as quickly as I would like, but it has always felt comfortable and right for my family. I’m so in love with this house, and as always, happy that I get to share it here with you guys.

Ready to see more design bloggers’ homes at night? Read on!

A Night In
- Julia & Chris Marcum, Chris Loves Julia
- Kim & Scott Vargo, Yellow Brick Home
- Dana Miller, House Tweaking
- Gwen Hefner, The Makerista
- Melissa Coleman, The Faux Martha
- Brittany Cramer, BrittanyMakes
August 17, 2016
The Sara Chandelier
This was one of four turquoise chandeliers in yesterday’s post, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It’s stunning — the kind of light that makes the room.

I think the craze for this light can be traced back to Sarah Jessica Parker’s home featured in Elle Decor back in 2010. It was designed by Eric Hughes and featured an Egyptian hand-blown glass chandelier from Liza Sherman Antiques. The light is still sold through them for $7800.

There is another version available from Canopy Designs: the Sara Chandelier. They sell to the trade only, but I was able to find it on several sites retailing for about $2500.
The frame color can be customized and the glass shades come in various colors (Aruba Blue, Twilight Blue, Antique, White, Garnet, Coral, Lavender, BK Green, Pink). Clearly people are into the blue options though; they are by far the most popular.

It’s new and old at the same time, and it isn’t style specific so it’s versatile enough to work in a variety of homes. Modern? Victorian? Country? Industrial? A builder-grade suburban home lacking in architectural details? Add this chandelier. It will work.

Raise your hand if you’re dreaming of adding this light to your home now. * hand shoots up *

Image Sources: Wendy Resin Interiors • Elle Decor • LDa Architecture & Interiors • Rachel Reider Interiors • One Kings Lane • Lynn Morgan Design • House Beautiful • Bear Hill Interiors • Amber Interiors • House Beautiful
March 10, 2016
4 Turquoise Chandeliers for a Dining Room
My entryway and dining room are both in need of new lighting fixtures, and I’m thinking one of the spaces is either going to get something in pink or turquoise. I’ve already shared some of my favorite pink lights, and today I thought I’d have a little fun with the blue ones.

How would you mix and match to put together a dining room from the pieces below?
1. Vetrai Teal and Clear Chandelier, Lmaps Plus
2. Regina Andrew Bubbles Chandelier by Regina Andrew, Candelabra
3. Sara Chandelier, Maison Luxe
4. Wood Beaded Blue Chandelier, Target
5. Apex Round Dining Room Table, Crate & Barrel
6. Rogue Round Dining Table, Rejuvenation
7. Mid-Century Upholstered Dining Chairs, West Elm
8. Alfi High-Back Chair, Design Within Reach
9. Muuto Nerd Dining Chair, YLiving
10. Threshold Modern Dining Chair, Target
11. Moonstone Rim Salad Plate, Tartine and Heath Ceramics
12. Shell Bisque Dinner Plate in Blue, Canvas Home
13. Ring Dish in Aegean Blue with Gold Rim, Suite One Studio
14. Organic Shaped Blue Crackle Dinnerware, West Elm
15. Marin Blue Dinner Plate, Crate & Barrel
These are my picks. I have to say, I’m a bit obsessed with that chandelier.

p.s. Those West elm chairs (#7) came in pink not too long ago! Lovely, lovely.
March 9, 2016
The Best Pink Lighting
I bought a pair of pale pink ceramic lamps a decade ago. I loved them, and then one of my kids pushed one off a table two years ago in an act of defiance (he was shocked that it broke — what was he expecting?). I’m down to one now, but I still love it.

More recently, I bought and installed my pink tassel sconces in the library. They are amazing in part because of the shape, but also largely because they are the perfect shade of pink. The color makes everything better, I’m convinced of it.

If you’re looking to bring the perfect pink lighting fixture into your home, might I suggest these?
1. Vintage Bell Clip Light Hanging Lamp, Earth Sea Warrior, Etsy
  Only one! Everything about it is delightful, down to the pink cord.
2. Glass Carafe Pendant, Anthropologie
  A modern shape with the added detail of tiny bubbles in the glass.
3. Laura B Sconce, Stray Dog Designs
  Happy little berries and asymmetry in a surprisingly large scale.
4. Currey and Company Flamingo Chandelier, Candelabra
  Ombré beading in various shades of pink, done up in an empire silhouette.
5. Elsie Table Lamp, Kate Spade
  Simple geometry, refined to a delicate, feminine form.
6. Pink Glass Jug Pendant, ABC Home
  Two sizes to choose from, both in gorgeously thick pink glass (though other colors are available too).
7. The Tassel Sconce, Coleen and Company
  Best sconce ever. Not that I’m biased.
8. Robert Abbey Delta Schiaparelli Pink Lamp, Lamps Plus
  These faceted lamps come in a ton of colors, but the hot pink is so fun.
9. Totem I by Lindsey Adelman, The Future Perfect
  A work of art.
10. Pharos Collection Pendant, Niche Modern
  Plenty of shapes and colors to choose from, and they look amazing in groups.
11. Bebe Chandelier, Marjorie Skouras Design
  Slices of agate!
12. Alphabeta Pendant, Archiproducts
  Part of a customizable system with “10 billion possible combinations.”
13. The Tole Tent Semi Flush, Coleen and Company
  A lot of charming detail in a style of lighting (semi flush mounts) that is often lacking.
14. Ezra Blown Glass Pendant Light, Urban Outfitters
  You could choose clear too, but why?
15. Tea Caddy Lamp, Furbish
  Updated Chinoiserie.
16. Vintage Pink Porcelain Bathroom Sconces, City Lights Antique Lighting, Etsy
  A rare find in pink.
17. Serena Chandelier, Stray Dog Designs
  A mid-century Palm Springs vibe.
18. Candace Coral Table Lamp, Layla Grayce
  A lovely drop shape in an equally lovely shade of coral.
19. Token Pink Geo Pendant, ABC Home
  Mouth-blown recycled glass, and a rainbow cord.
20. Sally Pendant, Stray Dog Designs
  Pure fun and whimsy that calls to mind a Seuss asthetic.
21. Juliette Rose Table Lamp, One Kings Lane
  Great shape, and the gold band details are a nice touch.
22. Painted Loa Sconce in Blush and Brass, Sazerac Stitches, Etsy
  A modern sconce in a sweet color.
January 14, 2016
A Few Quirks

I’ve repaired the corners in nook above the closet sink! I’m chuffed about this, though I don’t look it.

I’ve only primed the walls, so the (dusty) mirror is going to come back down when I paint.

I used mesh tape (Fibatape brand), Sheetrock joint compound 45 (you mix it with water and the number refers to the working time — you can get stuff that sets up more quickly or takes longer), two putty knives (1.5″ and 6″), a corner trowel, and a plastic mud pan. To sand, I used a corner mouse electric sander for the first rough pass, then moved on to sanding blocks working my way down from 100 grit to a one that was just marked “fine” for drywall.

No tutorial on the corner repair because I was winging my way through, but I’ll tell you how it went. The process: Put mesh tape on the nonexistent corners in a rough approximation of what a wall should be like. Glob on a bunch of joint compound with the corner trowel and 1.5″ putty knife. Let dry. Slightly panic about how awful it looks, take a picture and post it anyway. Sand smooth, feel relief that it’s really not so bad. Apply another coat of joint compound, this time doing one side of each corner at a time with the 6″ putty knife. Let dry, sand smooth. Touch up any problem areas with a final coat, let dry, sand smooth, pat self on back. Well done, me!

The nook had a sheet mirror up before and I’m glad I took it out (it was streaked and had black splotches, making it not so useful for getting ready in the morning), but it did disguise the fact that the sink is not centered. I’m guessing the house’s previous owners found the antique marble sink top and had it cut down to fit, but they only cut along the right side. Not a big deal, but it’s definitely more noticeable with a mirror centered above instead of spanning wall to wall.

We’ll go ahead and call that an old house quirk. Here’s another!

I wanted the closet ceiling fixture centered in the space. The junction box only had to be moved over 8″ but of course there was a ceiling beam blocking the way, plus wires that had no extra slack. Apparently the only way to move it and patch the old hole would be to gain access from above? This is according to the electricians, so I’m taking their word for it. Without doing that, we would have to have a cover where the old box was, which: ugly. Ceiling medallion to the rescue! This was the electricians’ suggestion and I’m going with it.

The medallion is supposed to arrive on Friday, so my plan is to put it up this weekend, paint the walls and ceiling, and bask in empty space before bringing everything back in. I need to figure out what light is going to go up in the closet now, too. The old one was an antique flush mount that won’t work with a medallion (and it isn’t large enough to cover the ceiling damage). I figure I should aim for something that won’t cast weird shadows, but beyond that I’m not sure because I hadn’t planned on replacing the light. Pendant? Lantern? Maybe one of these? (Just kidding. Crystal pirate ship all the way.)

January 12, 2016
New Lighting in the Library

This post is sponsored by Philips.

The tassel sconces are here! I feel like they’re a love ’em or hate ’em kind of choice, and I don’t care because I happen to love ’em.

New pendants, too!

I had always intended to replace the pair of Victorian cranberry glass fixtures in the double parlor. They weren’t awful, but I prefer modern lighting to period in old homes. I let the lights fall on my priority list, but two years in, it was time for them to go.

I showed you some of the replacements I had been considering a few weeks ago. The library and living room are open to each other and I wanted their lighting to still match, but I think I was getting a little carried away with some of my options! I was looking at definite statement lights, but once I decided to order the tassel sconces it would have all been too much. The Modern Globe Pendant from Circa Lighting was still a contender, but pricey at $2100 — especially considering that I needed two. A reader recommended Restoration Hardware’s Circa 1900 Gaslight Pendant as an alternative, and I’d also been thinking about Rejuvenation’s Hood Classic Globe Pendant.

The Gaslight and Hood Pendants both come in several sizes and finishes, and depending on configuration, are only about 1/4 the cost of the Modern Globe. I was leaning toward a pair of Hood Pendants because I had seen and admired them in person at Yearbook. I knew Kim had one in her dining room too, so I asked her opinion about size since my space was similar in scale to hers. She said that her 14″ globe felt substantial, and also that she “read somewhere online once – a tip on a blog – that hanging a balloon in the right size can help you visualize. I always thought that was such a great idea!” And it is! After talking to her, adjusting my mockups, and yes, hanging something in the right size, I went with the 14″ opal globe shade and ordered a 42″ fixture in unlacquered polished brass.

I hung the new lights right away when they arrived.

Why did I wait so long? The size is great, the style complements everything without distracting, and they fit the home while still updating it. The brass will age naturally, though I like the shiny newness too.

Philips sent over a package with their new LED bulbs with a dimmable warm glow effect, so I was excited to try them out with the library’s new lights. The color temperature is similar to daylight when the lights are all the way on (which is my preference when I need bright lighting), but these are amazing because they get warmer as you dim them, looking more like traditional incandescent bulbs as the lights go down. So when we’re Eleanor’s doing her homework at the table or I’m doing an art project with the kids, we have brighter, cooler light to work by. Then when we have friends over and we’re relaxing, we can lower the lights to a warmer glow and the library feels more cozy.

The Hood Pendants are open at the top and I tried two different styles of Philips’ bulbs — same lumens and color temperature range, but one was clear and the other frosted. The clear one gave off a more crisp, defined light, but I preferred the softness of the frosted bulbs for general lighting. Clear bulbs are better suited to task lighting, and I put them in the floor lamp by the striped sofa.

I love, love, love the new lighting. Such an improvement!

December 15, 2015