If I’m being honest, I’ve never noticed the lighting fixtures in any home, even those I’ve lived in.
They are one of those details that never meant anything to me, or caught my eye, or lead to any kind of deeper train of thought. I’m like that with a handful of other things, too, like construction sites or semi trucks—I rarely head into a “what are they building” quarry, I don’t know what a “culvert” is (according to Chad, it’s common knowledge), and I rarely notice the brand name or size of a truck passing by.
Lights are the same. Or, they were, before owning a house myself. Now, it seems that they’re all I can think about.
Black Friday Shopping
Though I’d like to say that Chad and I are beyond Black Friday shopping and the obscene displays of capitalism, the truth is that we buy into it a little bit. We’re homeowners, balling on a budget, and no we cannot forsake our materialistic desires and #OptOutside every year.
This year, I knew exactly what I wanted to get (does purposeful Black Friday shopping make it any better, REI?): lighting fixtures and Christmas lights. Christmas lights because, well, Christmas is coming. And lighting because, even though I mentioned that I never notice the lighting situation, I’ve been noticing our home’s. And it is not good.
Lighting Fixtures: Before and After
It has taken me quite some time to figure out how I wanted to change our lights. I’ve gone back and forth between simple, boho, and modern, and came up with a bit of everything.
In our guest bedroom and office, I sprung for matching black semi-flushed lights from Wayfair. I got these several months ago, and we honestly just got around to putting them up recently. (Thanks Chad!) This was a great two-for-one deal and has been a definite upgrade.
In our hallways, I went for a very simple, round, Amazon light. I’m just hoping that this offers some brighter lighting compared to the old, yellow-ish bowls. Note: these, like almost every single light in the house, are dimmable.
Our bedroom light was my first Black Friday purchase. I chose a Wayfair flush-mounted beauty (Kelly Clarkson brand), which is black and white and more on the modern-yet-traditional style. Before, we had a yellow plate and a gritty bowl that was just a headache to sit under. I’m a huge fan of this transformation, and I couldn’t be happier.
Next up on the lighting fixtures upgrade list is our entryway. Though I initially wanted a bohemian weave in this area, Chad preferred a more modern approach, so I found this Wayfair dome pendant light. Gorgeous, modern, and striking. The old fixture wasn’t atrocious, but it wasn’t quite our style.
Last on our upgrade list is our dining room pendant light. It’s more like a chandelier—a Sputnik design from Amazon that was both affordable and exciting. This will help us to keep the space looking modern and refreshed, and I can’t wait to see how new hardwood floors will look underneath (in the future).
Down the road, there are a few more lights that I’d like to add throughout our home: sconces in our bedroom, a few new lamps, and maybe a pendant plug-in lamp. Oh, and those Christmas lights I mentioned! 🙂
Here’s a round-up of all the lights we’ve added.
And a special thanks goes out to Chad, who hung them. 🙂
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