Lighting - The Jewelry of A Room

While lighting serves a very practical purpose in a space, it can also add tons of subtle interest.  In addition to determining the proper lighting for a space (i.e., table/floor lamps, sconces and/or chandeliers), you really need to think about the style of lighting.  This is what creates the WOW in a room.  Just as jewelry is to a great outfit, so is lighting to a great space.

Here are some fantastic examples of true room jewelry - lighting available here. I love the trick below for over a sofa.  If you have a smallish piece of artwork that is not quite to scale to go over your sofa, add a pair of wall sconces for interest and to make the artwork "read" larger.  Works every time.

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I love this clever idea - consider pendants in bedrooms rather than a table lamp.  The unexpected is what really makes a room feel special.  Love all the texture these pendants are adding to the space.  When you create a monochromatic color scheme, you have to ramp things up with texture.

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Again, wall sconces over a sofa, but I just love the use of the library style lamps in this spot.  Again, the unexpected style makes this grouping sing!

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I had to include this image - I love the play on styles here.  The very traditional room calls for a more traditionally styled chandelier.  But notice, the citrine velvet chairs add a pop of modern flare and to repeat this juxtaposition, the silver tones of the chandy are more modern.  Very clever, yet subtle.

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This is just completely yummy.  Period.  These table lamps are artwork in and of themselves. 

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Don't forget about using lighting for a punch of color.  I love this over sized floor lamp in paprika! 

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Another great example of using lighting as the jewelry of a space.  Rather than basic cans lights, this designer used low profile overhead lighting in a super current brass tone for some Wow.  When your ceiling does not have tons of architectural interest, this is a clever option.

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Lastly, repetition can create a Wow.  Consider pendants over a dining table, rather than the more expect chandelier.  This is just downright cool! 

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So, when considering lighting for a space, really think about adding something special to the room.  You will be stunned what a little jewelry can add!  Have a marvelous day.  M.

Disclaimer: I have received compensation in return for publishing this article. 

Friday Randomness

First week back and what a whirlwind!  I love getting back into the swing of things and starting on some new projects.  Very fun and totally distracting from all the drab weather we're having.  I have lots of random things to share today.  

First, I got this for Christmas, and I love it!!  I've been making all kinds of healthy things in it, including this "raw"corn chowder.  

I have been so inspired by all the healthy things you can make with this gadget.  I decided to have some friends over for an impromptu "Spa Lunch" yesterday.   I kicked off our lunch with a detox lemon/ginger tea . . . 

And I used those fabulous disposable linen napkins I mentioned in my Christmas Gift Guide.  They are wonderful for parties since they make everything feel so special.  Notice the contrasting hemstitch on these.   If you would like a roll of your very own, click here.

Using the Vitamix, I also made a roasted garlic and Jalapeño hummus.  I served it with rice crackers and carrot sticks.  Total yum.

Then, for the main course I made a chicken/broccoli/asparagus pasta with a spicy cream tomato sauce (again with the Vitamix).  Here is a picture I took before adding the pasta and sauce to mine. 

Here's the table setting I did for the occasion . . .  I removed the leaves from my dining table to make a more intimate setting for our lunch.  

I did keep the cloches, but made one change.  I found these faux succulents locally at the Lamb's Ear when I was shopping for accessories with a very cool client on Monday.   We picked up several fresh new items for her space and I just had to have a few of my own.  The price point on these is crazy good.  I used them under the third cloche, along with the primrose from New Year's Day under the other two.   They look totally real.

In addition to our yummy lunch, I finally got my island lighting hung.  I'm so pleased with how it turned out!  I think they are a nice compliment to the drum shade in my breakfast room, and finally I have more light in my kitchen.  

Here's another view.  Also, I used the silicone dipped bulbs.  They soften the light in such a great way and add a level of sophistication you just can't get from a bare bulb.  Locally, you can pick these up at Little Hardware in Mountain Brook Village, or click here for some of your very own.

More random news, last weekend, my daughter and I were together for a girl's weekend (the guys took a father/son hunting trip).  So, like most girls after several rounds of movies, popcorn and ice cream, we decided to re-arrange our family room.  

We left the wing back chairs and skirted ottoman in place, but opened up the game table and placed it in the center of the room and reconfigured the seating area.  We tend to have movie nights during the cold weather months and enjoy playing games or even snacking at that table during the movie, so I thought it would be fun to center it in the room.

We also pulled in the "x" bottom stools from the living room for even more lounging.  This seems to be Lottie's new perch.  It had been so long since I had do a redesign in my own space that the changes feel really fresh. 

I also got my January issue of Birmingham Home and Garden, and it is a show stopper!  The entire issue is devoted to modern spaces, and every last one of them is stunning.  I have to stay I think it is my favorite issue to date!  They also included my predictions for 2013 design trends in their "Tastemaker's Predictions" section.  Totally made my day!   You'll have to pick up an issue to get the inside scoop.

This week, I read a fantastic post by the oh so talented Carla Aston, on How to Decorate the Top of a Cabinet (and how not to).  Love the images she included in this post. 

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I also discovered a fabulous team of artisans who are making custom stamps, and just fell in love with this one.  It will be arriving in the next week! 

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OK, so how's that for some randomness on a Friday!  Happy Weekend everybody. M.

A Kitchen Freshen Up

I've been working with a client on a quick kitchen freshen up.  We have selected a lighter wall color to go with their fabulous glazed cabinets.  Then we decided to tweak it a bit more with new lighting in the breakfast area and over the island as well as new hardware for the cabinets.  Here are the options I sent them . . . 

I love to give my clients options for their space.  The best part is they really can't go wrong with any of the picks!  It takes the pressure off and allows the client to truly be part of the process. 

This couple already pulled the trigger on one of the options.  When they are completely finished implementing the plan, I'll show you the results!! 

Any guesses on which option they chose? M.

The Lamp Experiment

Back in November, I was making a quick pass through Goodwill and saw this brass lamp.  There is a Goodwill store right down the street from one of my favorite fabric stores.  When I have a minute, I like make a quick run through.  Notice I didn't clean up in the garage for this shot (gotta keep it real).  I think I paid $15.00 for it.

I had been looking for a brass lamp to try out this product - Rub N Buff on to give it that antiqued brass look for less. 

I saw a couple of great posts, one by Andea of Oak Ridge Revival and the other by Centsational Girl using this product with amazing results.  One post used Grecian Gold and the other used Antique Gold, so I grabbed both.  

My first step was to get rid of the less than attractive color of the base. 

I taped off the brass and used the primer and paint I had left over from my shutter project.  

I did this back in January and got busy with other projects and totally forgot about it.  My very neat husband (smile here) put the lamp in the attic - so out of sight out of mind.  Then last weekend I was up there rummaging through to find our beach bag and saw it.  I brought it back down and got busy on the "antiquing" phase of the project. 

I first tried the Antique Gold - did not work.  It made it look like copper.  Then I tried the Grecian gold - not the look I was going for.  It made it even more brassy than the original.  Lastly, I tried a combination of the two.  All three attempts were a total bust.  They looked like a bad faux finish.  The reason I'm telling you all this is so you will know that DIY projects don't always work out like you plan.  It's trial and error, and least you think I've got it all figured out!  After re-reading every post I could get my hands on about rub n buff, I finally came to the conclusion that it really works best on smaller areas that are more ornate and include details for a patina to form or in the hands of someone who is better at applying it than me!  My lamp is super smooth - so it was impossible for me to get the finish I wanted - thus the bad faux finish effect.  

So, I went back to the drawing board on how to "antique" the brass.  After a bit of blogland research, I discovered my lamp was solid brass.  You can figure this out using a magnet.  If the magnet sticks to the lamp, it is brass plated.  If not, it's solid brass.  

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Why is this important you ask?  Well, if your lamp is plated, you have to be very careful which technique you use to age or tarnish the brass, as you could totally strip away the brass finish.  Now, this may sound like a bummer, but you can still get some pretty cool results by completely striping the brass.  Like this mercury glass finish . . .  - click here for details on this DIY.

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My lamp is solid brass, so I did not have to worry about this.  So, I used paint thinner to remove all the rub n buff from the surface.  Then I used acetone (finger nail polish remover) to remove the lacquer finish.  Lacquer was widely use to preserve the shiny finish of brass - it prevents the brass from tarnishing which is exactly what I want on my lamp.  

Then I read about several quick ways to speed up the tarnishing process on brass.  You can wipe it down with a salt water solution or even vinegar (if it's solid brass) or you can use a spray bottle for a more even application.  After reading up on the options,  I decided I would be patient and wait for my lamp to tarnish naturally.  I really don't want a contrived pattern.  I just want that antiqued look. 

 I purchased a new shade (which I will be discussing in a different post - how to select the right shade), and found a home for the lamp in our breakfast room.  

Now, we wait.  I tried to research how long it would take and could not find any details - so we are going to do a little experiment. 

 I am going to periodically photograph the lamp to see if we are there yet (notice Lottie guarding her toy basket - little dogs have the strangest quirks).

 Should be interesting to see how long it takes.  Any predictions? M.

On my mind

Saw this image on Pinterest and simply can NOT get it out of my head.  I am totally loving the lighting used in this way.  So good.

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You could even do one of these over the mirror (using a smaller mirror instead) and get the same cool look for less.  Hmmm.  My wheels are turning.

PS: Re-entry after a tiny vacay is so much harder than I remembered.  I was only out of the loop for four days!  Is it just me? Would love your thoughts. M.

DIY Lamp Knock Off

I have long admired these gorgeous lamps . . . 

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I think a pair of them would be stunning on a buffet, console table or even as bedside lamps in a master bedroom.  But at $645.00 each, they are just not in the budget here at the Smith T house. 

So, here's my idea for a knock off of them.  I have not tried this, but the idea is so simple I am confident someone out there in Internet land has thought of this and actually completed the project.  If you are listening, please send me a picture and your thoughts!   

Take a pair of these at $20 each . . . 

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Turn them upside down and add this (to what was the bottom but is now the top) using a glue specifically for bonding metal to glass . . .

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Or, if you're just not up for a DIY project,  take the vase to a lamp shop, along with a picture of the original and ask them to do it for you. It really is a nominal fee compared to what you would pay for the original. 

Then add a tapered drum shade like this (along with a bulb clip) . . . 

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And you've got yourself a very high end lamp for less!  M.

An Inside Tip for You!!

Ok, as most of you know, I rarely post on Sundays, but this giveaway hosted by Splendid Sass was simply too good not to share.  Teresa has partnered with Barn Light Electric and is giving, yes I said GIVING away two separate gift certificates.  One for $1,000.00 and another for $500.00 to two lucky winners.

I know exactly what I would do, if won either gift!  I would order four of these yummy sconces.

Exeter Wall Sconce

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And I would use them as library lights over our bookshelves.  I've been thinking about doing this for quite some time.  But, they are expensive; and there are so many other things on the list.  But if someone is going to give them to me!! Well, what can I say -  this giveaway, has certainly encouraged me to post about it!  

Here is a picture of our bookshelves.  I would place each of the sconces at the top of the four arches.  I think this would give that area a much more purposeful look.  

Here are a few images that inspired me to consider library lights for our bookshelves. 

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So, that's what I would do with the gift certificate.  Now, here's how you can enter to win too!

1.      Look around Barn Light Electric and pick lights you’d love to own.

2.      Feature your lighting picks on your personal blog, and link to the lights if you can!

3.      Copy/Paste these rules at the bottom of your blog article.

4.      Once your personal article is up, you must email your blog link to:contest@barnlightelectric.com to be qualified to win. The contest ends October 12^th, 2011.

5.      Don’t have a blog? Find out how you can enter by visiting their website.

Good Luck! M.

Project in Progress - Stairwell Lighting

So, yesterday I gave you a run down on my thoughts on stairwell lighting.  I mentioned I was working on lighting for a client's renovation.  

I thought you might like to see what we selected for her stairwells.

Since we were dealing with stairwells that were dark and a bit narrow, we decided to go with wall sconces.  I first found this fixture and thought it would work perfectly in the space.  It's the right style and has a really low profile.  It's also simple with a current look.

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These are $265 each and we needed 6 of them (three for each stairwell).  So, we're talking around $1,600.00 for lighting.  These are beautiful with leather detailing, but our goal was to provide light with low profile simple sconces, not make a statement with the lighting (or the price). 

So, in comes one of my favorite lighting resources, Lamps Plus.  You have to dig a bit, but you can find some amazing deals.  Here's the look-a-like we ended up going with for her project.

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These are $60.99 each. So, a total of  $365.94 for all the stairwell lighting!  The key element - same exact profile measurements (juts out only 4" from the wall).  Man, I love a good deal!! 

Btw, it also comes in a double light if you are looking for a brighter fixture.

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I hope you have a great weekend.  We are having some wonderful weather here in Birmingham, and the count down has begun for the last day of school - only one week left!  We will be out enjoying our weekend.  I hope you do the same. M.