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You know how sometimes you do something in your home and love it, and know-right-then-and-there-it's-perfect, and other times you just don't?
Yup, I'm there right now.
After almost finishing our foyer last week, I was itching to have it done.Â
I had some free credit at Amazon courtesy of Ibotta (y'all, IÂ love Ibotta), so when I came across these star pendant lights I decided they would fix up those lighting fixtures perfectly.
So I ordered.
Over the last twenty years we've slowly updated four homes (this house really was beautiful when we moved in, just kind of plain and builder grade.)
And in all those years of home updates, only once (maybe twice), have I splurged and gotten exactly what I wanted.Â
I'm not so sure today was that day.
IÂ love what my husband did on the walls in the foyer by adding trim work.
I am in love with my $3 updated blue front door.
And I even love the small blue table I found at Home Goods.
But.
I'm a little on the fence about these lights.
I found the ones I wanted over here and decided these at Amazon would work even though the color and weight of the fixture wasn't quite right. (Although in all honesty I expect them to be more chrome/pewter color which would match the other fixtures in our home better from the pic ~ however I should have seen “rubbed bronze” and know that wasn't chrome. I'm really no decorator though and hardly ever take time to read fine print ~ oops.)
After looking at light fixtures I know they cost a ton (seriously, a LOT), and I easily could have spent several hundred dollars per fixture, which just isn't in our budget right now.Â
So now I'm left with three options:
- Get rid of them (eek.)
- Love them for now.
- Love them for now and get courageous one day to spray paint them chrome to more fit the rest of our home.
Getting rid of them is not going to happen. (My husband might get rid of me. ahem.)
So I'm going with option 2 for now, and may opt for option 3 later.
(My super smart decorator friend also recommended adding a little more black throughout the space. I'm going to start looking!)
My sweet friend Mara reminded me though this morning of Young House Love's amazing foyer update, and made me feel like the black (rubbed bronze?) may not be all bad? (But, why-oh-why though did our builder place three light fixtures in such a small area ~ goodness that's half the problem because three of any fixture is a bundle! Similar ones cost $455 A PIECE. YIKES.)
And y'all.
For real.
I didn't get exactly the lights I've always dreamed of.
But I have a crazy beautiful space to call home each day, a husband who loves me, and three pretty fun kids most of the time.
I am crazy-amazingly-blessed-overwhelmingly-so-much-that-it-really-does-hurt-some-days.
These lights are just fine, and so much better than what we started out with ~ don't you think?
Now, if you're doing a major re-modeling and have money to spend, IÂ really encourage you to have a little more patience than I showed today and wait for what you really want.
But sometimes (I think?), settling for something that's second best really can be okay, and it might just grow on you.
And if not, there's always a can of spray paint, right? 🙂Â
***However. Do NOT be like me and always in so much of a hurry that you pick the only think you can find. I searched and searched Amazon for “star pendant lights” and found very few, which is why I ended up with these. Had I done a little more research I would have learned the correct name for these is “Moravian pendant lights” and I would have had dozens of other options which were a little more pricey, but I could have held out for. (Who knew?) Patience and taking time to really research things has never been my strong suit (clearly), but maybe I can at least encourage you!***
If you’d like to see more pictures of our home as we’ve been updating it, here you go . . .
- Office Update (I love this one!)
- Outdoor Living Space (and How We Saved $10K by Doing it Ourselves)
- Guest Bedroom Makeover
- Update for a Plain Alcove
- Kitchen: Metal Pendant Shade UpdateÂ
- Powder Room Update: Wallpaper, Trim Work & Woodwork
- Free Command Center
- Dining Room: Goodwill Lamp Makeover
- Dining Room: Monogrammed Burlap Table Runner
- Dining Room: Painted Piano
- Master Bathroom: Goodwill Frame Upcycle
- Family Room: Goodwill Chair Makeover
- Basement: $70 Storage Bin Shelving
- Girls Bathroom Update: Mod Podge Monograms
- Tiny Christmas Home Tour
I’d love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
See previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!
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Why not try a little Rub n Buff and get the color you want? If you don’t like it, then just go over it with black again? Nothing ventured, nothing gained…
That’s exactly what I ended up doing! It looks great!
I recently put these exact lights in my foyer. I love them and have had many compliments. They are unique and beautiful. Enjoy them.
Love the redo, but honestly these look like Christmas lights. I’d save one near the door if you like them and then put in recessed lighting on the other two.
You may not love the lights but I sure do!!! I think they actually bring out the green – makes a great contrast. I don’t think I would like chrome in that space – too cold. Or too close to the white you already had. I love the wainscoting…..makes a huge difference! Do u have trouble with dust on your dark floor? We installed dark in our house and find that they need to be dusted almost everyday…ugh. Does your Roomba dust them?
I love those lights. I think they look great.
I think we’ve all been there where we think something will look spectacular in our home only to hang it and somethings just not right. Wayfair gets me every time..lol. I think the lights are super cute and I agree that somethings not quite right. I think painting them a chrome or more of a color to match your hardwood would be great. Also I’d try to shorten the chain a couple links so they’re not dangling. Or you could do what I do if I don’t like something and don’t want to fight with hubby I’ll repurpose the item elsewhere in our house and say “it just looks better here.” Lol.
I meant to say bronze..not chrome. Whoops!
Hmmmm – I hadn’t thought about bronze but that’s an interesting idea! I might just tackle it … 🙂
I love them with your dark floors!
All you need to do is keep one fixture that you love above the front door, and change the other two to recessed lights. That way they disappear and your accent can truly be an accent without being too much of a good thing. Easy and inexpensive solution.
Anyone have any experience painting old paneling? So tired of it but wondering if it will look scary if I painted it white? Thanks!
We’ve painted paneling in two homes and LOVED it Sara! Definitely prime your walls with some type of serious primer (ask your paint store), and expect to do 2 top coats, but you’ll love it. One of the best things we did in the first two homes we owned!
I think they echo the dark floor and I totally agree with your friend that you should add more black in your decorating. Every room should have at least one item that is black, as black grounds a room. I think if you added some black, you’ll like the lights more and more.
Thanks so much Julie – I’m definitely leaning towards leaving them and tweaking other things in the foyer right now and think you’re right!
Can I ask what the name is of the paint you used to paint your front door?
Sorry, the lights don’t do it for me. 1. They are too small for the space. The builders seem a bit bigger. 2. And this is the big one for me–They look like Moravian Stars that are used as Christmas decorations in central North Carolina. This looks like you need to take down your Christmas decorations. Take them down & save them for Christmas. We hang them OUTSIDE. Generally, over the front door. Each window then has a single candle. Very understated Christmas decorations. Read up on the Moravians, very peaceful religious sect & make fabulous ginger Christmas cookies. Old Salem is a lovely place to learn about the Moravians.
I actually love the fixtures. I think it goes well with the space and makes the teal pop out more!! 😀 I actually believe you need to keep it!!!!! 😀 It really meshes with your floor. Please keep the lights!! Keep them black too!!
I think they are so unique! I love them with your floors!
I like them! They go good with the floors. And I like things not so matchy matchy, if that makes sense.
To me, the black just isn’t working… spray painting them silver might help? I don’t know, but I’m with you in saying that I don’t love them (sorry!). They might even seem a bit small? I dunno :-\
I’ve just worked it out… they kinda remind me of a ball & chain, because of all the black???
I love your home!!!!!! I like them but understand where you might think a little dark for your space. And 3 does seem like a bit much 🙂
I think it’s the three thing that really throws me – it threw me the minute we realized the builder had done that when moving in! I do love our home and they’re definitely a little dark, but I’m going to give it a few weeks before making any changes. Thank you so much for sharing!
I really love everything you’ve done! Especially the painting of the front door! That is something I have been wanting to do in my house for quite a while after seeing so many great pictures like yours online! About the lights, the three sort of threw me off also. I really love the design of them and actually think that the color works great with your house. If I were to change anything, I think I would remove the second and third lights and convert those two to recessed lights. For the main light right inside the foyer, I would either leave as is, or replace it with something quite a bit bigger to serve as a great focal point in the entryway. Either way, it looks fantastic, and you’ve done such a great job in making a really great update in your home!
Love PPP! Try clear light bulbs (fan light bulbs) . I live in Huntsville & it is snowing like crazy! Everything is closed!
Thanks for the tip Jeannie! Sooooo excited you all are getting snow ~ how fun for you all (we’re getting NONE here – crazy!) Miss our sweet home in Alabama!
I like them!
Thanks so much Belinda! 🙂
Laurie, I feel your pain and have gone through similar struggles myself! My only issue with these lights is that the glass is clear and so the bulb shows through. If that’s not what you intended, you *might* be able to fix it yourself by frosting the glass — I don’t know and am not nearly as handy as you. And if you like the clear, then please just ignore what I said. But! I think the dark finish works fine, because it repeats the dark color of your flooring and helps the fixture to stand out against the white ceiling.
Thanks so much for sharing Melanie! Hmmmm… now you’ve got me thinking that if I do decide to paint I could almost get away with lightly frosting the whole thing? I have no idea what that would do to them! My husband accidentally broke the glass in one in the process of hanging (ugh) but it’s very hard to tell from the ground so we debated if we will even replace it. If we do, we could practice on the broken one first and see! Thanks so much for sharing – I’m so glad I’m not the only one who struggles with this stuff!