new lighting

If any of you have been reading my blog, you know that I love lighting.  It may be my favorite aspect of a design.  I never tire of scouring websites, auctions and antique stores for interesting lighting.

Yesterday, the bulk of remaining light fixtures were installed.  Here are the results!

The family room had a single bulb for a while.  Here is the new brass fixture:

Check out how it glows.

An upside down gilded wedding cake.

Until I find and am ready to splurge on a dining room chandelier, I put up this inexpensive paper globe.

It compliments and does not compete too much with the sculptural Workstead fixture in the living room.

Bryant sconces in the powder room (which you've seen here.)

In the kitchen over the sink we installed these handmade brass pendants from OneFortyThree

You've seen my best antique chandelier before and it looks great over the kitchen table.

We moved two of the Urban Electric Co. sconces to the DR and one into the entry.

I am still seeking out sconces for the library, which is my favorite room that is not nearly complete yet. More lighting to come!!

fireplace flip

One great feature, in theory, is the dual sided fireplace that is in the center of our kitchen/family room.  When we saw the house, though, we immediately decided that it would be painted out white.  After renovations were underway, we decided that more drastic measures would suit the room much better.

Here is what it looked like in the sell sheet.  Scale was way big for the space and ceiling height.  Remember sell sheets are always done with a wide angle lens.  Also, what's the deal with the super high mantle.  It was at perfect height for my husband to knock out an eye or temple.

I took many before pictures because I knew that it would be a great transformation.  These bricks make me sad.

We decided that we could scale it down.  Please observe the nonsensical way these concrete blocks were put together.  Whhaaaa?

The beauty is that you can now see the kitchen from the door we use to enter the house and I can see people come in when I am cooking.  It's so much better (already)!

Framing it out.

First layer put on.

 Plaster casts for firebox surround installed.

TV finally installed so I can lay on the couch and enjoy the comforts of a TV room.

Painting the mantle.

 This grey seems a little dark and blueish.  It may require a new color.

Overall, transformation is extremely satisfying!
You like?

xx

moved in and motivated

Moving is always madness.  No matter how prepared you are, it's overwhelming.

Boxing up all your belongings does a few things.  It makes you realize how much STUFF you have and it makes you realize the insignificance of so much STUFF.  A good time to purge and cleanse.

Then you come into an empty space, and what happens?  You have the desire to fill it up!

The blank canvases.

The kitchen bare no longer.

Family Room is overly cluttered!  I've since weeded out the cushions and have started cleaning out/organizing the bookshelves.  It was all sort of thrown there to start.  Editing is the skill I've been honing.