Shed Some Light
Lights! Lights are so hard to pick out. There are literally millions of options out there, yet it’s so hard to find the perfect one. Should you go with a lantern style? Or how about a bell shaped pendant? Glass or metal or both? How do you even start?
We have had several styles of lights in this house and I feel like my style has evolved. We’ve done Pottery Barn chandelier over a table and the Restoration Hardware pendant over another. Personally, I tend to stay away from pieces that have glass in them. Let’s be real, they’re hard to keep clean and even when they are, I swear I can still see dust or streaks. I’m pretty practical and realistic when it comes to what is going to work in our home. Durable, distressed and functional are words that come to mind when I think about decorating.
In our old kitchen, we had a lovely pendant light hanging over our nook kitchen table. Single bulb, simple design. It sort of served the purpose. Not a whole lot of light came from the fixture, but it looked great. Clean and simple.
When we started talking about lighting for our new kitchen, I knew we wanted to switch it up. We decided to double up and add a second light to the space. There is no such thing as too much light, as far as I’m concerned. It’s just a matter of determining what style you’re after.
This space is our casual dining area with the table that fits our family of five, plus one bonus seat for a friend. We use this space often and it is a comfortable spot for us to sit down at the end of our days and catch up. We didn’t change the layout of this space in the remodel, as it already served the purpose and functionality we need from it.
I had seen black metal industrial style pendant lights in a local cafe and I fell in love. Simple, clean lines, and functional. Exactly the style I was going for. Now, then only problem was, where would I find something in that style in an oil rubbed bronze finish?
Hours upon hours of internet searching did not provide the results I was hoping for. Maybe it was the incorrect search terms or just the sheer volume of light fixtures out there. Either way, I was frustrated and sure we’d never track down my vision.
I don’t normally look to IKEA for shopping. Mainly because we don’t live near one and honestly, I forget about them. When the light bulb went off, I did a quick search of IKEA pendant lights and found the exact light I wanted. One problem, it was black and I was hoping for oil rubbed bronze fixtures. Dang!
Look at this fab light, though. Basic, clean , industrial and fantastic. Had these been in an oil rubbed bronze finish, I would have hopped in the car and driven hours to Snag them. Or better yet, placed a swift online order and had them in a matter of days. Problem solved. Not!!
https://m2.ikea.com/us/en/p/hektar-pendant-lamp-dark-gray-20296109/
I had almost found my leprechaun. Not quite the end of the rainbow, but close. My pot of gold was elsewhere.
Unfortunately, this style of light doesn’t appear to have an actual name. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I wasn’t even sure how to actually search this style of light out.
I knew that if I could find it in black, somewhere on God’s green earth, there had to be something similar in oil rubbed bronze.
Another few days of searching in my spare time and I finally hit the jackpot! Thank you Bellacor Lighting for having the real-life version of what was bouncing around in my dreams. I found these beauties at a very reasonable price. They were $112.47 for each. Purchasing two of these didn’t hurt so bad at a total of under $250. These are considered dome pendant lights and they totally give me the look I was after.
Upon completion of this space, we moved the table back in and hung those lights immediately. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Clean, simple, industrial, rustic, perfect for us. Since the installation, we have shared so many family meals under these lights.
This is such a fun space to decorate for all of the holidays. Still, a year plus after installation, I love these lights and the charm they bring to our family table. Happy light hunting!
CanDoCantrells 