Lighting it up

It's been an enlightening week, as Jeff said! We got the new dining room chandelier hung and the new (old) foyer fixture up, also. I'm very excited about both, especially since I feel I got a great deal on each of them.

The dining room was in desperate need of an update. It had an old ceiling fan that whirled dust bunnies and cold air down on our food, and glaring lights that threw unattractive shadows into the corners.

You can just make out the bottom of the ceiling fan here

I was really drawn to the lines of the Restoration Hardware "Lander" chandelier, but at over $450, it wasn't a price I wanted to pay.

My inspiration picture

So I was thrilled to find a version at Overstock.com at a third of the cost. It has the strong lines of Arts and Crafts or Mission pieces, with a touch of the more modern Transitional about it. It even mirrors the rectangle shape of the old upright piano in the room and the square fabric shades look just my dining room floor lamps. I love it on the dimmer so I can adjust the lighting and mood throughout the day.

After

Though the farmhouse is very original, all the light fixtures had been replaced (sadly), probably in the 70's if style and dust are any indication! So, where possible, I'm looking for vintage fixtures. I really wanted a focal piece for the foyer, to replace this interesting Mid-Century Modern light (unique, but not right for the era of this house).

Before
(DaVinci wanted to know what what was so photo-worthy out in the hall)

It was such a blessing to find the perfect fixture on my local Craigslist. All I needed were glass shades, which I found for $.99 a piece at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

After