My pretty new light fixture in the kitchen!

October 03, 2016

Hey there! I'm back today with some lighting updates around the house. I found a GREAT deal on a beautiful light a couple weeks ago while we were in Cincinnati. Our routine is usually to stop by IKEA, then head over to Kings Island for our son. This time I took a super quick trip into the Ballard Designs outlet store on the way to the amusement park. 

If you aren't familiar with this outlet, it's minutes away from IKEA in West Chester and it's a large store with Grandin Road and Frontgate as well. They usually have some fantastic deals but it had been years since I had been in. 

Luckily for our boy (who was totally over shopping at this point), I found a gorgeous light within two minutes of walking in. I get weird feelings about stores sometimes -- it's odd but it never fails me. I just knew I'd find a light I loved that day and so we went. I get that vibe about random stuff and it my intuition is almost always right. I wasn't even really looking for a new light, but something was drawing me to the store. I tell my husband it was meant to be when it happens. ;) 

The light was the Hadley pendant and it was big, but I knew had a number of places I could put it. I really want to change out our stairway light and our foyer light, and at first I thought I would put it in one of those spots. 

But we got home and I had a better idea…over the kitchen table. I knew it would look so good in there for a number of reasons, but was a little worried it would be too big. I measured the old light fixture (you can see it here) and turns out it was way wider than the new light and actually taller too. I was surprised because the new one seemed larger. I think because it's the same size uniformly, unlike a chandelier. 

Anyway, I got it up and was SO THRILLED:
Hadley light from Ballard Designs over table
Most of the lights in our home have stayed the same or maybe moved around here and there, but I don't change them out often. But the kitchen table light is one that I've probably changed out four times now over ten years. None of them have ever felt 100 percent right till now!

I absolutely LOVE IT: 
Rectangular light fixture over table

It works because it's so "light" feeling -- you can see through it completely so it doesn't feel like a heavy fixture. It's normally priced at $300, they had it on sale for about $230 and they had even more of a sale that day so I got it for $130. Score!! 

Our old chandelier had eight lights bulbs but it got so bright I changed most of the bulbs out to 40 or 25 watt -- so even with half the lights at 60 watts, this one lets off similar light at night. We still use our dimmer most times with it anyway: 
Hadley light fixture from Ballard Designs

So of course you change one and something else feels off, right? I hate when that happens. I had a couple lights from Joss and Main in my cart online for a week or so, and I knew they would work so much better with than our current lights in a couple nearby spots. 

This one in our family room was one I've wanted to change out for awhile. It just felt really heavy to me and that spot is supposed to be more of a flush mount light anyway: 
gray fireplace with built ins

I went ahead and got these flush mounts from Joss and Main and absolutely LOVED the lights, but they were such a pain in the butt to install. 

I have to preface my rant by saying I absolutely LOATHE installing light fixtures. Lighting is by far my least favorite DIY project -- there's always always always something annoying that happens when I install a light. All of the screws and junk have to be just right for everything to hang correctly and it drives me absolutely crazy. 

These had me cussing and sweating. I hated them with a burning passion. Flames…flames on the side of my face. (Name that movie!) If you purchase these know that they are beautiful and lovely but you need to purchase longer screws before you try to install them. Just a warning. But I loved them!: 
eat in kitchen and family room great room

I don't want that family room light to be such a focal point so I'm so happy with the look of this one, and it's higher too. 

Another annoyance with these is that the glass is permanently smudged. I have tried absolutely everything to get them clean…and they are clean. But the glass is damaged in a way that when the light is on they look dirty: 
Marceline flush mount

When the light is off you don't see it. I'm emailing Joss and Main to see if they'll send new glass because it's really not good. I'm still not over the anger from the installation yet so they are staying up. :) Too much drama to even consider taking them down right now, ha!

I replaced another light with one of these too -- five years ago I added a $5 light from the Habitat store to our small hallway by the stairs:
painting a thrifted light fixture

This was an area that could take a little more presence but I didn't want it to hang any lower than the old one. 

I just love it here!: 
Hadley Ballard Designs pendant light

I think the new kitchen light looks so great with these and I like that the two flush mounts match -- they add some consistency we were needing: 
Marceline flush mount joss and main

This one was also a pain in the butt to install and also has the weird glass problems, but I still like the lights a lot. These are a GREAT option for "boob" light replacements. They don't hang down too far and look great. Just be prepared to be annoyed when you install them. :) 

I got all three lights for the price of what the Ballard light is originally priced at -- not a bad deal at all! Have you been eyeing either of these light fixtures? The kitchen light is my new favorite and I throw heart eyes at it every time I walk in. I just love it. 

Tell me I'm not alone in the installing lights thing -- is it the worst job ever or what? I'd rather drywall and that's saying a lot. 





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Comments

  1. Love your house! Everything looks great!!

    https://memoriesandmacchiatos.wordpress.com

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  2. They look great! I LOVE the one over the table! Also, you may have mentioned it somewhere before, but what is your ceiling height in the living / dining / kitchen?

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    1. I found it! :) I started reading all about your kitchen reno, and you said they were 9' in the post about your vent hood. I get a prize, right? ;) Knowing that they are 9' just made my day! I'm working on house plans right now, and I've been worrying that the 9' ceilings on the plan I love would be too low since we have 10' ceilings in our current living room. Studying your pictures, I thought maybe yours were 10', but nope! 9' looks great, especially with the beefy trim and transoms above. Yay! :)

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  3. can you just take the glass off?

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    Replies
    1. I considered that but they really do look better with it.

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  4. It's so fun to watch your house evolve. I've been following for a few years now and it's always so cool to see what you change!

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  5. If the company doesn't replace the glass, can you use something (DYI) to frost the glass? It would soften the light as well as getting rid of the dirty glass look. Liz

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    Replies
    1. That's my thought too -- spray paint them with a frosted look. But I do like seeing the inside of the fixture so I don't know!

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  6. I'm loving the light over your table! I need a new light for in our dining room and in our eat-in kitchen area so I get the need to find affordable lighting options.

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  7. Clue. "Flames ... Flames, on the side of my face ..." Such a great movie. ;)

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  8. Love the new fixtures. This may sound weird, but have you tried denture cleaner for the glass? They recommend it for cleaning glass vases that have gotten coated with hard water stains and such, or for older glassware.

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  9. I purchased the same light through Wayfair. Some of the review comments mention using just vinegar with a lint free cloth and that worked. I looked it up because I have the same issue. Haven't tried it yet but on my list of to do's.

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  10. The last view from your den/stairway into your kitchen is a unique one your don't share a lot and really show a great deal about how cohesive your design flows from one room to the next. I love the light over the table. we installed something similar in our entryway a few weeks ago and it was HORRIBLE to install, so I feel your pain!

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  11. Maybe you can help me with a lighting dilemma I have. I have a split level house and there is a chandelier in the stairwell. I added a chandelier in the space but it is WAY too big. I really want to change out to a light exactly like what you just added style-wise but I really do not know how to tell what the correct dimensions should be. I don’t want to go from ginormous to insignificant. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you! Laura

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    1. Typically this is the trick -- measure the area and then add the width and length together. So if it's 10x10, then your light shouldn't be more than 20 inches wide. That is a general rule but I tend to like going bigger with chandeliers more than smaller. Hope that helps!

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  12. Clue!! Best movie ever!! Ack someone beat me to it. I can't quote that line enough (Plus its one of my ring/text tones. I like it that much :)

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  13. I love those lights! They are perfect in your house!
    I agree with you on putting lights up, I'd rather do anything other than installing new light fixtures. I think they make the fixtures so difficult to install just so you'll hire it out instead of doing it yourself. It's not actually the electrical part that is bad, it's getting it to stay up where you put it...why don't they ever give you the right screws?? I just finished fixing up a house for sale and put up 5 light fixtures and I think I'm still traumatized over the whole ordeal!!

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  14. Looks nice. If you haven't tried, or don't own NorWex cloths (Enviro Cloth & Polish Cloth) google them and find a Rep in your area. You'll throw away your Windex. They make windows, mirrors, glass top stoves shine...... the list goes on. :)

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  15. Sarah, I don't post most of the time (a few times), but that doesn't mean I don't love (lurve) your blog. I so admire not only your style sense (I find myself totally agreeing with whatever changes or additions you make in your home), but I so admire your DIY ability to make most of the changes and additions to your home on your own. I keep many of your posts on my "favorites." I especially love your living room fireplace and beefing up your trim. Actually, I love "everything you've done in your home."

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  16. Hi there!

    I just found your blog, and love it! Do you recall where you purchased your fireplace sconce lights? Love them!

    Thanks!
    Ashley

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  17. I love the light over you table! I think I said this on Instagram, but I have the same one in our hallway and it's gorgeous there, too. And as soon as we put it up, I almost wished I had got the same one or our table. I like what we have, but this fixture is just perfect. And no glass to clean!

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  18. What are the dimensions of the light fixture above your table (Hadley - from Ballard Designs) we are trying to decide between the small and large sizes.

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    1. I'm not sure (this is our old house). I'm sure they have the dimensions online! :)

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  19. Hi! I’m considering buying the Hadley lights for my island. It’s 10.5 feet long and 50” wide. Do you think 2 of them
    would be too much! We have 9’ ceilings. Thanks

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    Replies
    1. I think two would be perfect for such a large island!

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You can find our paint colors and links to items at the "Our Home" tab at the top of my site.

THANKS so much for reading!