Let Their Be Light

There is nothing wrong with a single bulb dangling from the ceiling. The light is adequate and the affect is timely, given the state of our nation's economy. But the bare bulb gets tiresome, which is why I purchased light fixtures recently: three exterior sconces and two kitchen pendants. I still have a half-dozen fixtures to go, but this was a good start.

As you might expect if you've ever read this blog before, I shopped around a lot. And I have a suggestion for anyone looking for a niche in the retail industry: open up a mid-price lighting store. Most of what's available at the big-box stores looks, costs and IS horrendously cheap, while the

fixtures at specialty lighting stores are mind-numbingly expensive. The fixtures at Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware look lovely on paper, but up close---in my opinion--they're indistinguishable from what you'd find at Target or IKEA.

I did have good luck at two catalog retailers: Schoolhouse Electric and Rejuvenation, both of which offer period-reproduction light fixtures at a reasonable cost and with many different options for sizes, shapes and colors. It is too bad these retailers don't have real stores (at least they don't in my market), because it's always better to see and touch the real thing. But since I could not find a light fixture that I liked in any of the dozen stores that visited, I took the plunge and ordered online. Here's what I got from Schoolhouse Electric for the kitchen island:

After I placed the order and before these fixtures arrived, I lost a lot of sleep, because these had to be custom-made and are not returnable (you can return stock items, however). Here's another view:

 

Plus, Husband--who is 8 inches taller than me---did not want the pendants to hang right in front of his face or my face (which is why we had them custom-made to 30 inches). I fretted over everything--that the fixtures would be too short or too long, that the shades would be too big or too small, or too white or not white enough. The good news is that I love them!

The exterior fixtures were also challenging to find, because they had to be UL listed. A lot of exterior lighting is actually "porch" lighting--ie the fixtures cannot be exposed to wind, rain and snow, all of which we get a lot of around here! So my pickings were slim, given that I wanted:

• 1920s-era reproduction fixtures
• a reasonable price of under $200 per fixture
• UL listing
• opaque shades because I don't like to look at bare bulbs through glass shades
• opaque shades with some sort of detail to distinguish them from the white stucco wall on which they are attached.

That is a tall order....and rejuvenation.com delivered in spades:

 

When I first saw these in the Rejuvenation catalog, I worried that the black etching on the opaque shades looked a little too webby/Tim Burtonesque/cartoonish. But I went ahead and ordered them because I felt plain white shades would get lost against the white stucco, and I knew I could exchange them if they didn't work out. The end result, in my opinion, is magnificent!

Comments

[wanderluster]

The lights are just perfect! The pendants look awesome against your beadboard ceiling.

[Kathy from NJ]

Absolutely beautiful! I especially love the outdoor lights.

[eliza_bee]

The lights are perfect!

I, too, am very wary about purchasing something online without being able to touch it or see it up close so I can understand your sleepless nights. I am so happy for you that they are exactly what you wanted.

[Laura]

New here - great blog. Love your story, photos, and especially your writing!

[lilly adams]

I enjoyed reading your story because it is quite similiar to mine. I searched online for months for the perfect lighting pendants. I was unsure about ordering online because like the comment above states it is hard to decide if you do not see it in person. I used http://www.jovin.com and could not be happier with my product.

[condominium makati]

Terrific house, One of my dream house ever.

Jomie