1/14/10

It List: Chandeliers





Chandeliers have been on my It List for awhile now.

My first acquisition was a likely 1960's cast brass Italian chandelier, with 8 arms and all it's crystals intact.  And it was a bargain.

That, along with the installation of a dimmer, took my bedroom from zero to hero.  Okay, slight exaggeration, but it completely changed the feel of the room.  It gave it drama, dimension, glamour, personality. Even my husband, who was a doubter, now sings its praises.



My second acquisition was more like an accident and a make-do.  I'd bought one for $2 and repainted it to sell when a friend and I were doing trunk sales.  It didn't sell and came back home with me.  I decided to hang it in my dining room.  I had little lampshades on it for awhile, but then decided to that no lampshades would give it a more modern feel, inspired by this image above from Gwyneth Paltrow's house in Elle Decor.

I think about re-painting it from time to time - maybe a glossy white or glossy black or then I go wild and think glossy red or turquoise.  Hmmm... 

My third acquisition was also a similar thrift and paint job in a desperate bid to replace a light fixture that didn't exactly light my fire.

More chandeliers to come?  I'm not sure...  We have a very open living space - office, living room, kitchen and dining room all open to each other. I see light fixtures I'm attracted to, but they have different personalities. Ugh. I worry about lacking continuity.  I need new light fixtures in my entryway, hall, living room, and kitchen - but I want it all to go together.

I see very funky ones I like, like this Belgian Snowflake chandelier on 1st dibs:


Or this spicy Pagoda-style number from Pieces


So I worry that mixed with my trad style chandeliers, the effect would be disjointed.  I guess I just have to "decide" what look I'm going for and stick with it.  Hard to do with the constant eye candy distraction of the blog world.  I guess I don't refer to myself as "bohemian" for nothing.

4 comments:

  1. I think I need to make a formal "It List" and add chandelier to it. Really.

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  2. The right chandelier can totally change the look and feel of a room.

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  3. That pagoda one is right up my alley! Don't worry, continuity might be a bit overrated...

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  4. Continuity is overrated... that might be a good decorating mantra. And the red does call to me...

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