The evening after we posted our mini-update plans for the master bathroom, Sherry had me in the car hunting for the blue light fixture from her mood board.
It’s a Shades of Light pendant we hoped to find at a local outlet called The Decorating Outlet, which is where we’ve scored other fixtures before. To our surprise they had two in stock and both were half off the original $159 price, so we headed home with the blue pendant for about $80. It wasn’t the cheapest light we’ve ever bought, but the seeded blue glass has a really beautiful effect in person, so it felt worth it.
One reason we wanted a pendant instead of the old flush mount was to reduce how crowded the ceiling felt near the shower curtain. This bathroom is tiny, and the previous fixture had a wide footprint that sat almost on top of the shower bar. We hoped a smaller, translucent pendant would lighten the ceiling visually and give the space some breathing room.
Besides, the swirly glass looked like such a fun, subtle way to introduce color into a largely builder-basic room.
We assumed installing the new fixture would be a quick job — we’d installed similar lights elsewhere — but when we removed the old flush mount we uncovered a large hole in the ceiling where the previous box had been recessed.
The new pendant’s smaller base wouldn’t cover that opening, so the task became “patch the ceiling” before we could hang the light. Luckily we had leftover drywall in the basement from a previous project, so I cut a piece to size and used a drywall saw to create a hole for the fixture box.
To secure the patch I screwed scrap wood into the ceiling to provide backing to screw the drywall into. One piece sat against a beam, the other anchored into the existing drywall, and then I fastened the new drywall piece so it was flush with the surrounding ceiling.
There were cracks and sunk screw heads to deal with, so I sanded the edges and Sherry handled the spackling. We usually divide tasks based on what each of us does best: I do the measuring and structural bits, she does the detailed finishing like cutting in and spackling. Sherry did two rounds of spackling — spackle, dry, sand, and repeat — which helps build up and feather the repair so there are no hollows or bumps.
After priming the raw drywall, we rolled two coats of paint (Rockport Gray) and feathered beyond the patched area so it would blend. By morning the ceiling looked seamless and the fixture box was properly positioned away from the shower bar.
We then trimmed the pendant cord to the right length. I initially used scissors to score and tear the outer jacket of the cord, but later learned a wire stripper is a better tool to avoid stressing the inner wires. Once the inner conductors were exposed, I trimmed them to length and removed a small section of insulation from the ends to make the connections inside the fixture box.
Hanging the fixture is easiest with two people: Sherry supported the weight while I made the wiring connections and tightened the mounting hardware. With the ceiling patched, the install went quickly and the pendant finally went up.
We love how it looks. It sits farther from the shower bar than the previous wide fixture and still meets clearance requirements — our bottom-of-fixture height is about 6’10”, which keeps it out of the way. Note that local electrical and safety codes vary, so it’s smart to check rules about hanging fixtures near wet areas before you start.
In photos the blue reads brighter than it appears in person. In real life it’s a soft sea-glass blue that complements the gray paint, white curtain, and chrome hardware. The clear bulb keeps the light from casting an obvious blue tint, and the seeded glass throws a subtle textured reflection on the ceiling that looks really interesting.
Ideally the fixture would be centered over the toilet area in front of the window, but we’re keeping this as a quick, inexpensive refresh for now. We may adjust its position and tackle a tile or floor update in a future phase.
Before we wrapped up we had two concerns: whether a single 60-watt bulb would provide enough light, and whether the pendant would make the room feel overwhelmingly blue. It turned out the clear bulb provided ample light and no heavy blue cast — just a flattering, soft glow.
We’re really happy with this small update. It adds personality and a subtle pop of color to the neutral space, and it pairs nicely with the chrome fixtures. Next on the list are a few finishing touches to complete the look.
Current bathroom to-do list:
paint the walls for contrastreplace the old flush mount- paint the cream trim bright white
- hang bathroom-friendly art
- replace the toilet with a classic white one
- add privacy treatment to the window
- remove and trim the door so it clears the floor register
- update the border tile (maybe phase two)
- replace the floor tile down the road
What did you tackle this weekend? Did anyone introduce a new color into a room, or uncover an unexpected ceiling repair while replacing a light?
To follow our bathroom reno from the start, see our initial planning and painting posts for more background and progress updates.