Let There Be Light!

You'd think designing and decorating a house would be so much fun!  And for some people--people who are really decisive--it probably is.  But you know what?  A lot of the choices I've had to make for the house have been more stressful than fun!  For one thing, I'm not super in tune with my style.  That is to say, I know what I don't like.  But I don't always know what I DO like until I see it.   And I often have to see it in context to know if I like it.  And sometimes I like a couple of different things that are nothing alike--like I really like modern, but I also like antiques.  So then I'm confused!   I also worry about making a really important choice and not knowing if it's the right choice.  Trying to choose paint colors, for example, nearly gave me a nervous breakdown.  I was so sure I'd end up hating what I chose!  And carpet...what if it didn't end up matching the walls?  Or the furniture we need to put in there that we haven't even bought yet??  Even the tile...there were so many beautiful choices, but tile is so expensive that it took so much of the fun out of it.  And then there was the whole grout issue.... But now it's time to choose lighting, and I'm actually really enjoying it! For some reason these choices don't seem nearly so life and death.  And somehow I seem to be honed in on what I like more when it comes to lights. So here are some of the lights I've picked...

The first thing I chose, I actually picked last summer before I ever even found this house!  I was on the Parade of Homes tour in SLC and saw a house with the most lovely white kitchen.

 In it were these amazing aqua seeded-glass pendants.  I FELL. IN. LOVE!   I took several pictures just in case I ever needed them.  So flash forward a few months later when we discovered and bought Little Pink House III, and I found out I was going to be able to create my perfect white kitchen (just like the one in the picture); I knew I HAD to try to find those blue pendants!   So I searched and searched through pages of pendants on google and....I found them!  They were at Ballard Designs.  So as soon as they had a sale, I swooped in and bought 5: one for above the kitchen sink, one for above the window seat, and 3 for above the island.  And I've held onto them since December!  Finally they're installed.  And they're so lovely, don't you think??

The second light I chose, I also chose way back in December, though I just finally ordered it last week.  In fact, I think it was the first thing I actually decided to buy for the house.   When I saw this chandelier, I knew it would look stunning in my master closet.  So when it was due to arrive last week at the new house, I waited with baited breath.  Only I didn't see it the day it was supposed to arrive.  Or the next day.  The third day I was about to do a tracking search on it, but then I found it...installed in my office!  Whoops, I have no idea why the electrician thought it went there.  But it looked so nice, I let it stay and ordered another one for my closet.  

This is the light I got for most of the rest of the rooms in the house--this white linen drum light.  It looks more golden when turned on.  But you can see it below turned off, along with the vanity lights that will go in most of the bathrooms.




Here it is turned on.

This is a more flush mounted version of the drum light that goes in some of the more utilitarian areas, like the pantry and laundry room.

The guest bath has this ceiling light and this vanity sconce:

 And the outdoor lights are going to be these pewter lanterns.  (Did you know that at least 98% of all outdoor lights look like lanterns of some kind?  It's true!  Unless you want some really ultra-modern tube or something, lanterns are IT.)




Pippa's black and white bathroom got this girly crystal vanity light...


(From Lowe's mix-and-match collection.  You choose any bar you want with any light covers you want.  I love it!  Though I think it needs smaller light bulbs).


This will be the chandelier for the dining room.




And the giant brass chandelier in the entry that we took down will either be spray painted turquoise and put back up (if I have my way)  ...

or replaced with something else (If Big Daddy has his way).  Maybe something like this.  


But who wants to spend an extra $700-1000 on a chandelier??  Not me!

The rest of the lighting is all recessed lighting.  When we bought the house they were this awful yellowed plastic.  Now they're pure white.  I really wanted stainless steel cans but the lighting guy looked at me like I was asking him to build me a space ship to Neptune when I suggested that.  And even though I assured him that they do exist, when I came to the house one day, they were all put in....white.  So I guess I'm getting white!

We also had dusk-activated lights installed along the stairways and hallways for the kids at night.  I'm very exited about that since our current hallway lights are plug-in nightlights that always seem to go missing!  These lights are built in.  They are that blue-ish LED color, though, which I'm not in love with.  I'll have to see if they can change them out for normal warm light.  

Anyway, that is the lighting for the new house.  What do you think?