I like big globes and I cannot lie. You other brothers can’t deny. When a light walks in with an itty bitty waist…
…and a round thing in your face, you get sprung. At least I do. John just gets all blown out and looks angelic.
The point of that photo was to show why we chose the pendant height we did. The usual recommendation is to hang a pendant about 30″ above the counter (measured from the counter top to the base of the fixture), but we went with 31″ because my tall husband didn’t want the globes obstructing his view. It’s such an improvement to have proper lighting over the peninsula—this area used to be so dark. We found the pendants at a local outlet for $60 each, which made buying two cheaper than the retail price of one (they’re listed at $129 apiece).
We still have a few holes to spackle (five, to be exact), but things are definitely looking up.
I can’t stop staring at them. John’s been ogling them too.
The lights, not the holes.
Yes, I have holes. In different area codes—remember that song? Apparently I’m in a singing mood today. I blame it on the eh-eh-eh-eh-electrical.
Okay, I’m done now. Promise.
This shot shows there’s still a light over the fireplace that we want to replace. It’s actually centered over the fireplace, though the angle of the photo makes it look off. The current pendant broke shortly after we moved in, so it hasn’t been used in months. We’re thinking a large drum pendant would suit the cozy seating area—hung just a few inches down from the ceiling so anyone up to about 6’4″ won’t bump their head. Along with spackling and adding a pendant above the sink, swapping this light is on the to-do list.
Back to the globes: we installed a dimmer switch yesterday, which is great. We can crank them for full brightness or dial them down for a low-key dinner vibe. The pendants accept CFLs, halogens, incandescents, and LEDs, but because we have a dimmer we need dimmable LED bulbs that are compatible with our dimmer. We’ll keep testing options and report back.
Update: We’re getting lots of questions about whether we’ll oil-rub the stools. We’re holding off until the dark cork floors go in since that could change the whole look—stay tuned.
Here’s the view in the other direction. See how a big drum shade might be perfect for that cozy corner by the fire?
Mmm, let’s get a little closer, shall we?
Update: We tried Edison bulbs and they cast a very warm, yellow light that made our countertops look dingy. Clear bulbs created harsh ceiling shadows, so for now we prefer the frosted bulbs shown here. We’re still searching for dimmable LEDs that give us the right color and dimming performance.
In the words of Joey Tribbiani: how you doin’?
See that sunny grellow wall between the fridge and the half wall into the dining room? We want a large piece of art there. We’re scouting the perfect piece and will share updates when we find something right for the space.
When we reconfigured the kitchen we considered an upper cabinet on that wall but decided against it so the peninsula would feel more open for anyone sitting there, especially the person at the end. The open side makes prepping more pleasant and makes the area feel less like a closed-off kitchen and more like a casual, airy room—not too wood-heavy.
Next up: patch the holes (we’ll share spackling details) and install our Craigslist range hood. After that we’ll add the open shelves we’ve been excited about since we decided to go for them. Right now our dishes live in a lazy Susan corner cabinet, which works but isn’t ideal. Open shelving will be far more convenient and will also let us style the space with everyday dishes, vases, and a few decorative pieces—maybe even a ceramic animal if I’m feeling particularly whimsical.
Speaking of follow-through, remember my self-imposed “Dude, Get On That Already” challenge?
How is it already Wednesday and I haven’t tackled something yet? Come on, self—once a week, remember? I’ll try to have an update tomorrow. Anyone want to join me and share what they accomplish?
In summary: progress continues and we’re all over the place, as usual. What are you up to today?