image - vicki archer
I mentioned to you before Christmas that I am helping my daughter renovate her first apartment. I have to tell you that I love a renovation... especially when it is a total make-over... The sound of the saws, the drills and the hammers is music to my ears; the smell of wet plaster and paint is like a sweet fragrance to me. I understand that for some, building is a chore and a drama that they would sooner live without - for me, it is pure pleasure.
Last time we spoke about this I was helping Emily find a chandelier for the living room. The layout of her new apartment is a contemporary one... a living area that has kitchen, dining and sitting room together. The light fitting will hang above an oval dining table near the kitchen. Do you think we can find the right chandelier? I would have thought this was the easy job? In the time that we have been searching for lighting we have managed to plan and choose a kitchen, select marble slabs and tiles for the bathroom and find fabulous wallpapers for her bedroom and entrance hall. We have decided on floor coverings and designed closets and book cases. These decisions came easily... but the lighting... I have struggled with the lighting every step of the way.
As I write this I realise that lighting has always been my least favourite element of renovation and remodelling... it was the same story with our farmhouse in St Rémy... sourcing the most simple of wall and hanging lights was the slowest part of the project. It is about finding that delicate balance between contemporary and 'antique' that proves such a dilemma. We want to personalise the space, give it some warmth and substance... make it hers... and for this reason our hearts were set on an old chandelier. The French make this transition between the old and the new so seamlessly... I have such respect for their design skills... it is not as easy as it looks... And of course budget... she makes for a mean partner... A first flat does not warrant illumination the likes of Versailles... but it is her first home and it must be right... In my dreams I see her moving in with nothing but a high wattage bulb for company... Do you find 'lighting' a chore like me? Or are there other design aversions that have you running for cover?
The hunt goes on... xv
I am relieved to know that I am not alone in this. I spent the entire two years in France searching for the right light fittings for my house and when I returned to England I still had bare bulbs in all the rooms.
ReplyDeleteI know what I like, I just cannot find it!
I agree. It is so very difficult to find the perfect light especially when it needs to fit in with the kitchen,dining and sitting room. When I have struggled with finding a special light, I cut out lots of pictures of all different styles (and prices) of lighting from magazines etc. then lay them on the floor in the particular room. I discard them one by one until I come up with a particular type that I like. I repeat the process by finding pictures of my chosen type (the one's I can afford!) and eventually coming up with my favourite. Ann
ReplyDeleteThank you ... this is a brilliant suggestion... I will be doing this asap... xv
DeleteOh, yes I have all kinds of problems finding the right lamps and lighting fixtures. Often I don't. In the houses we have owned in the US I hated what was there, but I couldn't find what I liked. I'd go to Holland (my native country) and find all kinds of great pieces but couldn't take them or send them.
ReplyDeleteIt's also difficult to figure out where to position the fixtures for best effect.
Now I live in a rented house in Moldova and just close my eyes ;)
Wow! I am surprised because I actually LOVE the lighting part of decoration. I feel like it is such an important aspect in creating the atmosphere of a room that it should be done with patience and some love. On the other hand, the sound of the drill makes me run the other way! We would make a great team!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the search and sourcing...and searching for a chandelier? Sounds like heaven to me.
ReplyDeleteAs I write this message, I can view a bare lightbulb in my breakfast room. I have searched antique stores, ebay, many local lighting shops, and still cannot find just the right fixture for this area...I completely understand.
ReplyDeleteJan
Lighting is one of the main elements in a room - it can make or break a design... and remember, the hunt is part of the fun! Thanks for sharing - Jalon
ReplyDeleteI love the hunt... more than anything. But agonize - often for months - as room proportions, mirror reflections and furniture placement all come into the consideration mix. Phil xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely image! We're struggling a bit now with lighting too, making some changes and adding fixtures. Wish we had a few French brocantes nearby...
ReplyDelete10 rooms of my English house remain to this day with basic bulbs or even more basic "until I find the ideal shade" lampshades. It's now up for sale! I know what I want, often cannot afford it or find it for that matter. I found the perfect small chandelier for my bedroom - unfortunately it was in a rental holiday apartment in Italy. Nothing else has ever come up to scratch!
ReplyDeleteVicki,
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. Chandeliers seem to abound on so many of the blog sites I visit...all price ranges are magically hung and look amazing. I think for me its a visual thing. I can easily visualize the fabric, paint and even design elements regarding furnishings but when it comes to lamps and lighting I'm in the dark, no pun intended (well, maybe just a little). Is the chandelier in the first image the one you choose?
Karen
Lighting is one of the most rewarding things...because it is so hard! Takes a real vision.
ReplyDeleteAfter nearly five years in our house, I have finally put up the final light fitting, only because we are renting our house out this year! I think it is because you want to find just the right one.....however finding one in a brocante seems to involve tricky wire changing etc. and is left for another day....I finally did it though, as needs must, but am still thinking I will change them when the perfect fitting presents itself (10 years later....)
ReplyDeleteVicki, I am typing this under a kitchen light fixture that I regret. It's much better than what was there when we bought the house, but just isn't working for me - nor are the pendants hanging over the island to my right. In my master bath is a new chandelier that looks too...new. I should have held out for the right vintage one. I'm ready to start over. Lighting is tough, so I think it's wise to hold our for Mr. Right Light. Good luck, and happy hunting. m
ReplyDeleteSelecting light fixtures is one of the hardest products to find. You don't want to constantly use the same product, the scale and size needs to be correct, the style has to fit, etc. Lighting can be hard for many people to visually see (scale wise) as well in their space. What tends to help my clients is drawing an elevation of the wall and sketching the light fixture on that elevation. And there are just so many products to choose from. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteLighting fixtures are the "eye-candy" that just pop-out for me. I find it easy to apply the process of elimination when perusing high-end designer books, magazines, catalogs, and online manufacturers. I recently purchased a Colonial style, all glass, antique with a modern edge chandelier that I saw in a room styled by designer Barry Dixon for House Beautiful magazine. I do all my leg-work at home, seek out the one or two that catch my eye, and then search out the best price. Where there's a will there's a way?!
ReplyDeleteVicki there are so, so many choices, yet the "just right" one can be elusive. I love Ann's idea!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
First of all, ain't that the truth!! I have been searching for my chandelier and another light fixture since July, no dice (and if memory serves, I already left a whiny response on your previous post). There was one fabulous option that we found at the Montpellier deballage but we just couldn't afford it--isn't that always the way? I have seen some beautiful pieces on ebay Italy but how could you know it would arrive intact?
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I am mighty proud of myself because I do believe that I know where the above photo was taken--Deyrolle! Yes? Now, if I could just have THAT chandelier, all would be well in the world...
Be proud! And if I could have that chandelier... I would share it with you...xv
DeleteThink of lighting as "accessories" for the room..(much like for your dress)+the hunt is a big part of the fun. I assure clients, we will find the perfect one for you,your budget & the room! It never fails to materialize like magic. Pictures are a great help! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI think lighting is key. It is one of the most abused items even in restaurants where they should know better. I love the image you posted and if this is her 1st apartment she is so very lucky. xx's
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki, I'm not great with overhead fixtures/chandeliers. What I like and am drawn to is not the usual. I love adding semi-precious gems to antique fixtures, actually personalizing the fixture. The usual and the picture perfect is not what attracts me. Of course, rooms evolve over time and perhaps the chandelier is just not appearing right now because it is not supposed to. Besos, Mary
ReplyDeleteThe design element I find most difficult is selecting window treatments, or (gasp) making them. My husband and I live by the old adage, 'necessity is the mother of invention' and so we make/refabricate/redo most all the appointments in our house. But, as the young girl in home economics class that always managed to sew her sewing project to her skirt, I draw the line at curtains......
ReplyDeleteI don't have any helpful hints, but I love that photo!
ReplyDeleteWe have been in our home for 22 years. I have yet to find the perfect chandelier for the entry. And now that I finally am narrowing it down, the one I want does not co-exist with the dining room fixture we bought 22 years ago! Jeez! I did find a perfect chandelier for my newly renovated bath and most days find myself sitting and staring at it in pure delight. On another new venture, I am trying to pick fixtures for a new and very large townhouse. The decisions must be made now. This really puts me on over-whelm! I have spent hours on line and looking in shops and catalogues, trying to mix and match with an eye toward resale....Yuck!!
ReplyDeleteLighting is terribly difficult as the cost, the practicality of the light, the design, age, and scale all have to be just right...I have been looking for a pair of sconces for two years. I only know that when I find them, they will be the perfect ones...the specifics elude me on my hunt...I will just know them when I see them.
ReplyDeleteI empathize...
xoxo, Chris
The 'renovation' word strikes terror in my heart.
ReplyDeleteWhen my French friend came to New York I found her a rental owned by a lighting designer.
There were at least 50+ fixtures in the place of all kinds.
Since she loves to renovate she was in 7th heaven.
If only one could live with a fixture before commiting...
I find all renovation difficult. My apartment kitchen and bathroom was totally renovated with new appliances, floors and lighting. It has been four months and I am still living out of boxes in places. Good luck with yours. I have found the best fixtures when we owned houses at estate sales. Of course, I also had a good electrician as they weren't always in the best shape to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this so much. Our house is full of dull old lampshades because I can't find lovely, unusual, whimsical - and more importantly - affordable ones. There's definitely a gap in the market there for someone to set up a great little lighting business offering gorgeous products for less than the pros.
ReplyDeleteOn a little aside, I once worked on a Vogue Living shoot where the interior designer couldn't find the right chandelier. He finally saw one in France so the client flew him - First Class - over to Paris to buy it! That's dedication to lighting!
Janelle
I chuckled when I read your post because like you a renovation for me is like "falling in love." And similarly, shopping for lighting frustrates me. I attribute it to the fact that so many of the choices are things I would not put anywhere under any circumstances, So the task is made more difficult due to abundance of unacceptable fixtures. (Old lighting is another story. Almost all of those I find intriguing and delightful pieces.
ReplyDeleteI am a chandie junkie! I have one in almost every room - it's totally overkill but I do love them! How fun to decorate a new flat!
ReplyDeleteOh, how lovely! I've been wrestling with the idea of selling my 1919 Craftsman style bungalow and simplifying/downsizing to a new apartment in a renovated building in town. Heartbreaking, but necessary at this time of life, when my energies and finances aren't house-focused. Writing, playing the harp and traveling are my passions now.
ReplyDeleteThough I must say I did outfit my house with the most magnificent light fixtures. I found a huge Craftsman-style chandelier and many lamps with gorgeous shades at a strange little discount store - all for $300!!! (I'm taking them with me if I sell...definitely!)
We had bare bulbs, as we knew we would (we paid attention at the signing!) as we bought our house in Normandy. But, as Americans, we thought ... we could find lighting ... anywhere. But then we remembered that France is the Queen of the really-specific-to-your-needs store. Paris, we knew, has streets dedicated to handbags... or shoes... or immobilier... or lace! Towns in France, all over, are no different. One place for a stove or a vacuum, another for scissors and knives, another for build-it-yourself -- which meant Castorama or Mr. Bricolage, another for exercise bikes -- Decathlon. (Perhaps I exaggerate, but you get the idea). We finally found, in one of those industrial-mall-rings-around-the-major-town, a lighting store that was unbelievably COMPLETE. We got everything we needed in one spot. The only other place I ever found a chandelier I wish we had bought was in a vide-grenier ("empty (your) attic") in a town-wide sale in Chambéry.
ReplyDeleteThe renovation of my first apartment consisted of my brother coming over to Hawthorn with his hammer and giving a very awkwardly placed bench table a big whack. Problem gone!
ReplyDeleteMum came over with her paint brush and we painted out all the lovely mission brown woodwork....the agent turned up for a last minute inspection and pretended not to smell the turps.
I'm sure your daughters first apartment is going to be a joy and the chandelier is glorious! Such an exciting time for you both!
love lisa
Would love to see some piccies once the renos are done :-)
ReplyDelete~ Clare x
The chandelier in this photo is exquisite - where did you get it, please....?
ReplyDeleteIt's not mine... I took this photograph in Paris at Deyrolle... xv
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