But what to replace it with?! It's important that the new fixture provides sufficient light. It's the only overhead light in the dining room/living room area, plus the table below it is where I sew and craft.
I would love a chandelier, but it wouldn't work with the 8' ceilings. :( Ceiling fan styles are limited; I didn't find a single one that I really liked. They're all so blah and... fan-like. :P Despite all my searching, I couldn't find exactly the light that I was looking for (typical for me). Here are the options I did find...
Semi-flush mount fixture in oil-rubbed bronze with silver accents.
Pros: Very attractive
Cons: I am not sure bronze would work with all the brushed nickel doorknobs, curtain rods, etc. in the house (though it does have silver accents). Only holds two light bulbs.
Semi-flush mount fixture in white.
Pros: Attractive. White would be unobtrusive on the ceiling.
Cons: Only holds two light bulbs.
Track fixture in oil-rubbed bronze.
Pros: Five bulbs spread over a larger area would light up the room really well. Swirly style is kind of cool.
Cons: Again, I'm not sure bronze would work. I'm not totally in love with the style of the center light.
White ceiling fan.
Pros: Four bulbs. Is a ceiling fan.
Cons: Not very pretty. Is a ceiling fan.
So, my stylish readers whose opinions I value, which would you choose?
I think you'd be unhappy with #1 or #2 - I find those types never give enough light, especially for sewing. Maybe you could check places that do refurbished antique lighting? They might have a bit more character. Regardless, I would hold off buying something until you find exactly what you like. 25 years later, we're still searching for exactly the right fixtures for our kitchen! LOL.
ReplyDeleteI've looked in the local architectural salvage yards with no luck. I have been looking for weeks, but now it's decision time - the electrician will be here tomorrow.
DeleteDo what I do...paint everything black...or grey. You could do a nice job with a ceiling fan and some spray paint. Then possibly stencil or freehand some nice designs on the blades. This way you wouldn't have to forgo the fan but still could keep some type of dark style. :)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have to paint it black, I could buy a black fan (and considered doing so). But I'm not sure I want the contrast against the white ceiling. I think I'd prefer to play down the fan.
DeleteI like #2 aesthetically I think it's the prettiest out of the four. My sewing space is also lacking in lighting so I have to use a little desk lamp that I bought at Wally-world but I don't find it to be too much of a hassle.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I typically pull out a lamp as well.
DeleteWhile I understand the ceiling fan hate, I consider them a necessary evil. I second MzGoth's suggestion of paint and stencils.
ReplyDeletePlease don't do track lighting. :(
I found the track light uses halogen bulbs, which get very hot. The last thing I want is a heat source. So track lighting is definitely out.
DeleteCeiling fans are pretty useful and they provide a lot of light. Any chance you could find a better-looking one or paint the white one? I got small gunmetal ceiling fans with blades that are black on one side and some other colour that I don't remember on the other side. You could also find nicer glass shades for the lights, too!
ReplyDeleteThere are some very attractive ceiling fans out there... in bronze and brown tones and amber glass, the current fashion. They're pretty, but they won't work with my color scheme. The nickel/silver tone fans tend to be more of a contemporary style.
Deletehttp://www.etsy.com/listing/6942740/bat-dragon-wing-fan-blades-5-blades
ReplyDeleteHow handy are you with a jigsaw?
Yes, and I have that photo saved in my ideas folder. But I'm not sure I want to draw attention to the ugly ceiling.
DeletePerhaps it would be like the old "Monkey Business" illusion- you'd be so busy looking at the batwing blades, you wouldn't even notice the ceiling was ugly.
Delete:D That is an excellent point!
DeleteWe found a masterpiece of a ceiling fan at Lowe's about 3 years ago when we first bought our house. It is similar to this one, only a bit more ornate even: http://www.lowes.com/pd_357400-22716-L1191_4294935502__?productId=3579012
ReplyDeleteBut it's bronze, which sounds like it's out for you... What about this?
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=140455-79-28680
I like oil-rubbed bronze; in fact, I agonized over oil-rubbed bronze vs. brushed nickel for doorknobs, curtain rods and faucets. Finally I decided brushed nickel would be safer in the long run. I don't mind the dark wood blades either. It's the amber-tinted glass that kills it for me. Amber glass makes the light warm, and I'm really quirky about that.
DeleteThe nickel and black fan caught my eye when I was in Lowe's. Its drawback is that it only holds two bulbs.
I like Victorian styles and cool colors -- two things which are rarely found together. :( Cool colors are always associated with modern or industrial style. Everything Victorian is made in warm colors. Why must I always want what doesn't exist?! Ugh.
I know the first two lights don't have many lightbulbs, but surely you can buy super-bright lightbulbs to make up the difference? Personally I think those are the most stylish, especially the white one, but if inconvenient it wouldn't be worth it.
ReplyDeleteThe lights use candelabra-base bulbs, which aren't available in more than 60 watts (that I've seen). Using regular-base bulbs would require an adapter; the adapter+bulb combo probably would not fit inside the housing.
DeleteBuying lighting fixtures has taught me that light bulbs are MUCH more complicated than I ever imagined. Different base sizes, different bulb shapes, different light colors (cool vs. warm), incandescent vs. CFL vs. halogen vs. LED... it's crazy!