It’s All About The Lighting- Part Three
We’ve covered table and floor lamps, wall lamps, and sconces. To wrap things up, let’s take a look at how to choose the best chandeliers and pendant lights!
Are you planning to purchase a chandelier or pendant light fixture for your new home or remodel? Follow along with me for some important tips to keep in mind for stylish and functional fixtures!
FAVORITE TRANSITIONAL STYLE FIXTURES
If you are looking for something that is more modern than traditional but also more timeless than trendy, let me show you some of my favorite transitional styles.
This bronze metal mesh chandelier from Hammerton Lighting pops against the bright white kitchen while also enhancing the dark bronze hardware on their new cabinetry. The linear shape breaks up the open concept kitchen, dining, and great room to keep the focus on the kitchen. Plus, it coordinates perfectly with the rectangle table and contemporary chairs. The semi-exposed light bulbs and tweed pattern are fun, trendier elements. But, the clean lines and neutral bronze keep it from being too modern.
Speaking of the light bulbs being only semi-exposed, here is a tip. Edison bulbs are popular, but they produce glare if the fixture is without a shade. The metal mesh softens the bulbs.
The Caged Medium Lantern from Visual Comfort is another favorite with its bronze finish and clean lines. It is a great foyer fixture or stairway fixture and the drum-shaped shade filters and softens the light bulb.
Important tip: The bottom of light fixtures should be 36-42” over a dining table, and I take careful considerations when ordering lights because the rods are fixed to the ceiling.
If you are looking for a flush mount ceiling fixture, or perhaps even more than one, this is perfect! The Bryce fixture by Kate Spade for Visual Comfort is a new, but still classic, choice. Plus, it is available in four finishes! The possibilities are endless!
How to choose the right Pendant for your Kitchen Island
I find that the most aesthetically pleasing and functional amount of pendants for any size of kitchen island is two. More than two will result in too many fixtures, rods or chains hanging from the ceiling. And often you will have a chandelier within eye-view in a nearby dining area anyway!
To show off the painted tin ceiling tiles above this 10’ island, I selected two lights on one large decorative rod which provided plenty of good downlight.
For my farmhouse kitchen I started with one recessed light in each corner of the ceiling. Then, I chose vintage-inspired milk glass shades with antique brass to stand out against my predominantly white kitchen. The light in our kitchen is wonderful with the pendant lights illuminating the island top as well as the kitchen. I placed a smaller wall light of over the sink and finished off our kitchen with undercabinet lighting- a must for any kitchen! Speaking of the smaller wall lamp, make sure any other light fixtures coordinate with your pendants so the space is cohesive!
Pendant lights are a perfect choice for so many spaces. Kitchens, dining rooms, hallways, and more! But always make sure to think about practicality and cleanability with pendants. I choose pendants that have the lightbulb easily accessible and are open to reach inside to dust or wipe clean.
And pendant lights can be so fun, too! Like this double-drum shade pendant and wicker pendant, both from Currey and Co.
Traditional Dining Room and Foyer Chandeliers
Sometimes pendant lighting just doesn’t feel like enough and you crave a statement maker. Chandeliers are like a beautiful hybrid between functional light fixture and an art piece on display. But, there are things to consider before choosing one for your home! It is often all about proportions.
This two-tiered Visual Comfort chandelier was perfect for the rotunda breakfast room. The round tiers complement the shape of the room while the smaller tier draws the eye upward like an A-line dress. This keeps the room feeling balanced. The individual shaded lights are perfect to direct light to the table and filter it around the room.
When the foyer ceiling is two stories high, you need something tall enough to complement the space. I customized this 72” high, 58” wide chandelier with the Fine Arts Lighting company in Florida, by adding 6’ of additional chain. This allowed the body of the chandelier to hang within view of the foyer below. The gold leaf finish over iron, 15 etched crystal shades, and faceted crystal prisms create a breathtaking chandelier that rises to the occasion.
Something to keep in mind: large chandeliers are often heavy. For example, the fixture above weighs 153 lbs. During construction, I planned the exact location for the J-box and the framers reinforced the framing to accommodate the weight of this chandelier. You want your statement piece to be well secured!
Now that your home is perfectly lit, I hope you see what a difference it can make! Next up, I am going to take you through some of my remodel projects we have completed on our American Foursquare Farmhouse!
See you next time,
