Hi Everyone! While our favorite Haus Maus Holly gets settled in Germany, she has asked some of her blogger friends to fill in for her. I’m Becky, and there is a little more info about me here. My biggest problem when I blog is that I tend to use really lame puns and rhymes that I would NEVER say out loud – you’ve been warned!

So, Onto Decor! For the past two years, I searched high and low for a light fixture to hang over my dining room table. First I lost countless Hollywood Regency faux bamboo chandelier auctions on eBay, then I was convinced I’d have a drum lamp made from the greatest non-existent lampshade ever, then I started scouring sales on ornate crystal chandeliers at Horchow and Ballard Designs. Finally, I looked beneath the dangling live wires at my dining room furniture and realized what I needed (I reveal my new lamp below so stay with me). I’m ridiculously fickle but I feel confident that I will be happy with this one for a long time. I finally learned to stop absorbing EVERY trend I see and just sticking to (a) what I like and (b) good design that will transcend trends.

Anyway, during my exhaustive search, I could not get over the selection that is out there. Just walking into Circa Lighting is overwhelming – so many great fixtures, so few ceilings in my house! What follows are some of my favorites that I came across during my search. The majority of these are available online and their prices range from very reasonable to more than my first car cost.

Paper or Plastic?:

(clockwise from top left) Nelson Ball Pendant, Design Within Reach; Filo Square Pendant Light, Target, $284.99 (made of Filo paper); Orb Pendant, Target, $54.99, KNAPPA Pendant, IKEA, $24.99

See the Trees for the Forest, Come and get your bois, real and faux:

(top to bottom) Nut Pendant, Design Within Reach, $310; Calvin Pendant, Pottery Barn, $179; Dane Pendant, Crate and Barrel, $64.95, and Pine Veneer Hanging Lamp, Victory Vintage, $165

Basket Weaving 101: These are great for a beach house, cottage, or a cabin as well as for upping the texture factor in any style of design:

(clockwise from top left) LERAN, IKEA, $39.99; Vine Basket Light, South of Market, $1250; Vine Ball Lamps, Pieces Atlanta, $1200; Large Seagrass Pendant, Ballard Designs, $59.

K.I.S.S. “Keep It Simple Stupid!” I often have to chant this to myself when my plans start to get too elaborate: These designs are just beautiful in their simplicity:

Extra Large Hicks Pendant, Circa Lighting, $630; KULLA, IKEA, $69.99; Modernist Pendant, Sundance Catalog, $125; Sol Pendant Lamp, CB2, $99.
Glamour Puss: If you are confident in going beyond simple, this glitzy group will dazzle you with crystals, mirrors and metal. One of my all-time favorites is a fabulous retro chandies that fits into this category is The Meurice Chandelier from Jonathan Adler ($695):

(top to bottom from top left) Sputnik Pendant, Jayson Home and Garden, $299; Extra Large Hicks Pendant, Circa Lighting, $630; Grayson Drum Chandelier, Oly, price unknown; Savoy Chandelier Round, Zia Priven, price unknown; can be customized.

Titans of Industry – Perfect for a loft space or to add into the mix with most decorating styles:

(clockwise from top left) Flanders Double Pole, Circa Lighting, $462; Nash Pendant, Pottery Barn, $199; Industrial Pendant, Pieces Atlanta, $1395, Chrome Shade Pendant, Pieces Atlanta, $760

Rusted and Crusted: A Vintage Industrial Style:

(clockwise from top left) Metal Basket Light, South of Market, $1950; Genesis Pendant, Sundance Catalog, $78; Trumpet Flower Pendant, Ballard Designs, $199.95.

I’m also digging these vintage schoolhouse fixtures available at one of my favorite stores, Victory Vintage ($125 each). They are so much better than the fluorescents I had over my head in school!:

Next up is Swanky Modern – These are all very clean, spare, and elegant. These are good choices for Hollywood Regency fans who shy away from getting too ornate:

(clockwise from top left) Coco Pendant, Zia Priven, custom order; Cherise Pendant Lamp, Crate and Barrel, $349; Bryant Large Chandelier, Circa Lighting, $420.

I think Vanessa De Vargas and her site, Turquoise is the inspiration that hooked me on lanterns in fun colors and shapes. I keep thinking there must be some outdoor Home Cheapo lantern I can paint a cool color to emulate this look, but I have yet to find it; none of the shapes have the high style of these:

(clockwise from top left) Cirque Lantern, Urbanelectricco., $1400; Lillebette V2, Urbanelectricco, $1245; Pagoda Pendant Lantern, Horchow, $1985 Hanson Ribbon Pendant, Urbanelectricco, $740.

Trip the Light Fantastic: For those who want the light fixture to be the showstopper of the room and plan around it accordingly:

(clockwise from top left) Effervescent Chandelier, Anthropologie, $1998; Spectrum Chandelier, Urban Outfitters, $36; Capri Bottle Pendant, Jonathan Adler, $195; Meri Drum Chandelier, Oly, price unknown.

MoMA-Worthy: These fixtures use unexpected materials and forms in very clever ways, and I revere them as modern works of art:

(clockwise from top left) Patrick Townsend White Orbit Chandelier (Holly’s all time favorite chandelier ever), Design Public, $459; Todd Boontje Garland Shade Light, Moma Store, $80, Patrick Townsend String Light 10, Moma Store, $99, Victor Juan’s Geometrica, ylighting, $411.

I hope this post helped any of you who are searching for light fixtures, and P.S., I finally chose the Medium Goodman Lamp in antique nickel, available at Circa Lighting. Here is how it looks. If you are ever down south, do not pass up a trip to Circa Lighting! It is truly and illuminating experience!

- Submitted by Becky Harris
(images linked to sources above)

23 Responses to “Light Up Your Life”

1 Justine commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 11:13 am

Great post, Becky! I appreciate the breadth of your selection. Lighting can be such a fun part of decorating — it’s like the jewelery of the home! :) But it can also be frustrating finding the right piece — price, scale, style, availability… so thanks for the resources.
2 alli coate commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 11:23 am

What a great guide, thanks! I adore the wood-themed ones.
3 helen dardik commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 11:36 am

Wow! What an absolute fantabulous timing on your part! I was just shopping for a lamp and this guide is perfect… So many beauties in here. Thanks. h:)
4 visualingual commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

Wow, what a great roundup! I have to give a shout-out to the IQ Light, which is like LEGO for grown-ups:
http://iqlight.com
Here it is above our dining room table:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualingual/2437958945/in/set-72157594505190197/
visualinguals last blog post: Ohio River Coasters in Polka Blobs
5 dawn commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

What a great collection! I’m so glad to see that the Nelson pendant made it on your list.
We have the Nelson ball pendant hanging from our entry way and we just love it! So much so that we’ve contemplated getting another one in a different shape for the living room. It’s a great piece for anyone that love the simple contemporary style!
dawns last blog post: Crochet Dishcloth Pattern
6 Ez commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Welcome Becky!
Love your lighting feature… I’m swooning over some of your picks big time!
xox
Ez
Ezs last blog post: Inspired Artist: Chris Nicholls
7 Tracey commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 1:43 pm

Wow- so many lights, so little time! I like them all, except not really into the Faux Bois trend- I live in a world of too much wood (oak is especially overused in our area) already!
8 Melissa de la Fuente commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 3:08 pm

Hi Becky! Thank you for your wonderful roundup! I am in love with so many from your selections! I think your final pick looks awesome and all the best!
xo
Melissa
9 Coco commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 4:46 pm

Hello Becky,
It looks great especially with those chairs!! I love it! Wonderfull post, I love watching lamps since I just recently made up for myself which lamps I want to hang in our home. We are redecorating the place and I think THE lamp is just very hard to find. I stick with the Knappa and Septim lamps from Ikea for the hallway and the dinner. And the Coral lamp for my living room – I just really love that lamp!!
10 Elizabeth commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

Thank you for this! I am in the market for a pendant for my dining room and this was so helpful. I love all your picks.
Elizabeths last blog post: Permanent Lifetime Ban – Updated
11 erin commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 6:33 pm

love the post becky! so many to choose from. i’m in the same situation… i’ve been debating between ikeas knappa, ikeas leran or cb2’s sol pendant for my dining room… they’re all so different so it makes it so hard.
will you be doing a top design dish? please say yes!
12 becky from hatch commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 6:35 pm

Thank you all so much for all of your nice comments, and thank you Holly for letting me post. It was so much fun to round up these picks, and I hope it helps some of you find that perfect pendant. I had a very tiring and sad day today and it was so wonderful to read all of these comments when I finally arrived at home! Alright, now I’m off to link to all of your links and latest blog posts :)
becky
becky from hatchs last blog post: Lighting Round Up
13 Turquoise commented:
August 11th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

Thank you Miss B – you have really combined some of the best lighting out there.
And yes I have to admit my hold house is full of bamboo/lantern/vintage flower chandeliers!
14 Liza commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 12:38 am

Wow..this is a very comprehensive post! I’m looking for a great pendant, so this post will be really helpful. Thank you Becky!
Lizas last blog post: Green Mountain Reservoir
15 Summer commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 4:01 am

Becky, can I add Portland, Oregon’s Schoolhouse Electric to your list?
http://www.schoolhouseelectric.com/
They make vintage schoolhouse lighting fixtures using Depression era molds, so you get all the great style with up-to-code wiring. And from what I recall, their prices are pretty reasonable!
xo
Summer
16 Conway commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 9:22 am

Awesome pics and post, Becky! I was happy to see you give a shout out to my favorite store in my neighborhood, Victory Vintage. I picked out one of their orange silk shades which they made into a ceiling fixture for me, all under $100. I love their pine veneer and schoolhouse ones too.
Will have to send your post off to my all my friends who are remodeling their homes!
Thanks
17 alis commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 9:45 am

Becky, awesome round-up. Thank you!
aliss last blog post: Hello, Goodbye
18 paperNstitch commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

Excellent round-up Becky! I do the same thing on my blog (with the silly rhymes I mean). Sometimes its just too hard to resist.
paperNstitchs last blog post: Cardboard for your Home
19 becky from hatch commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

Conway, I buy all of my shades from VV (you can custom order a lot of things they may not have in stock; I just love the quality of their shades). I also have all of my lamp rewirings and odd object turned into lamp type of work done there, like this mystery object I got at Scavanger Hunt for $9 (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/2198361437_16a0a25218_o.jpg). Lee is incredibly helpful and patient whenever I am trying to find the perfect shade for a lamp! Their lamps are awesome – great pottery, glass, and even driftwood lamps for a lot less than you’ll see on say, 1st Dibs. ESPECIALLY for the driftwood lamp.
Summer, I love that site, it’s fantastic, thanks for the tip!
Tracey, do you live in an Arts and Crafts house? If you are surrounded by too much wood I can see why you would not be digging having it on your pendant! I’m sitting in a knotty pine covered cottage right now and they would not work here either. However, my cousin has the nut pendant from DWR in her white-walled gallery-like house and it is perfect.
becky from hatchs last blog post: America at Home
20 Stephanie commented:
August 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

OOHhh these are all so beautiful!! I <3 the painted iron ones!
Stephanies last blog post: Make Me Monday – Custom Orders
21 TotallyUnmodern commented:
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 am

I like your choice suits the decor
TotallyUnmoderns last blog post: Healthy competition ?
22 Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy Melbourne commented:
August 30th, 2008 at 8:58 am

Thanks for the post, something to ponder on
23 Jamie commented:
September 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pm

Oooh…I love that Todd Boontje Garland Shade Light. Classy, classy!

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