Yes, that’s an electric slide reference. My mom is probably laughing, my brother is rolling his eyes, and here we go—time to talk electrical updates: installing a capiz chandelier in the master bedroom, adding outlets, and minimizing drywall damage while running new wiring. After last week’s post about our four new outdoor sconces, we had the electricians do several interior jobs at the same time. Below is a clear rundown of what we added, where it went, and what it cost.
First up: the prettiest result so far—the new ceiling light in our bedroom.
We had electricians add ceiling fixtures to all four upstairs bedrooms because we prefer overhead lighting and the bedrooms previously had none. Fortunately, the work didn’t require major drywall demolition—only a hole for each fixture box—since the existing switches could be repurposed. That means no extra switches and no more accidentally turning off things like a cable box or a sound machine when leaving a room.
We haven’t chosen fixtures for the kids’ rooms or the guest room yet, so for now we’ll use white metal covers to keep things tidy until we pick lights. The master fixture was ready: a Large Lotus Pendant we ordered from World Market when we bought our hallway lights. It was on sale, so it came in cheaper than regular price.
When it arrived we realized it didn’t include a light kit. World Market’s kits were only in black or silver, so we hunted down bronze options at Home Depot and Lowe’s. The Lowe’s Portfolio “aged” finish matched best and included the hanging hardware and canopy we needed.
The ring on the capiz fixture was slightly too small to thread on normally, so we nested the shade and cord so the ring rested on the flared part of the light kit. Once we confirmed that fit, installation was straightforward—under fifteen minutes. Small victory: John avoided getting poked by metal petals; I wasn’t so lucky.
The pendant takes one 60-watt bulb and provides a useful overhead layer of light in addition to the bedside lamps we’d been using. Walking into the bedroom and flipping the ceiling light on from the doorway feels unexpectedly luxurious—like finally getting that long-awaited dishwasher.
Here’s a quick summary of everything completed during the three mornings the crew was here (they worked mornings only because the attic and crawl spaces got too hot later in the day):
- Added ceiling fixtures to four upstairs bedrooms via the attic
- Converted bedroom switches to control the new ceiling lights instead of wall outlets
- Installed four sconces on the veranda, tied to an existing living room switch
- Safely terminated old radio/intercom wiring in the veranda
- Added a ceiling fixture in the downstairs office and converted the existing switch
- Installed a floor outlet beneath our floating desk in the office
- Added two additional wall outlets in the office
Update: Readers asked for more detail about the office floor outlet: it was a simple job because the electricians could run wiring up from the crawl space. They wired it from below, drilled a small hole from above, and installed the outlet plate—quick and clean.
The total bill was roughly $1,500: about $270 for materials and the remainder for labor. It was one of our larger electrician bills, but consider the scope—nine fixtures and three new outlets across six rooms. Breaking it down, that works out to roughly $100 per item on average, not counting switch conversions and the terminated intercom. Bundling multiple rooms into one visit saved money because the crew could work efficiently in the attic and crawl space rather than making repeated trips.
Being available while the work was happening also made a difference. By being on-site we avoided unnecessary ceiling holes in the office: instead of the first plan, which required drilling through multiple joists and making many ceiling penetrations, we proposed running the wires parallel to the joist and down the wall into the crawl space. That approach required only one small ceiling hole and far fewer patches.
A bonus outcome of planning on-site: we added a convenient outlet directly under John’s desk. When the electrician mentioned a required hole in that area, we asked if it could host an outlet instead of being patched. Done. Now cords stay out of sight instead of spilling from a power strip on the floor.
We used the same approach on the wall under the light switch to add another practical outlet for a printer and lamp, avoiding long cord runs across the room. Being present and collaborating with the electricians led to more functional outlet placement and less drywall repair work.
That painting you see is a monster artwork Clara made at art camp—currently taped up, but it might earn a permanent spot soon.
Next up: choosing fixtures for the office and the remaining bedrooms. If only we could raise our ceilings a foot or two to broaden the design options—8-foot ceiling challenges are real. Overall takeaway: combine electrical tasks when possible, be available to discuss routing and placement, and you’ll save time, money, and avoid unnecessary patchwork.
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