A while back we bought a light for $29 at the Pottery Barn outlet. At first we planned to hang it over the sink “someday when we redid the kitchen,” but after we installed oil-rubbed bronze pendant lights over the peninsula we felt the silver neck and black cord of the new fixture didn’t quite match. The mercury glass shade, though, was exactly right — it connected beautifully to the chrome faucet and the room’s stainless accents — so we started considering it for the sink instead of the peninsula or a bathroom.
We held the pendant over the sink to check the scale and were surprised at how perfect the shape was. The finish, however, was the problem: a bright silver neck, a black cord, and a shiny ceiling cap clashed with our oil-rubbed bronze pendants. The solution was simple and satisfying: oil-rubbed bronze spray paint with built-in primer, or ORB, to make thefixture visually match the rest of the lighting in the kitchen. This was a small pendant light makeover with big impact on the room’s flow.
After disassembling the bits that needed painting, we applied several thin, even coats of ORB spray paint to the metal parts. The goal was a smooth, consistent finish that would tie in with the other oil-rubbed bronze pendants over the peninsula while preserving the mercury glass shade’s sparkle. The paint gave the fixture a rich, glossy oil-rubbed bronze look without hiding the glass’s reflective charm.
We let the paint cure for a full day to ensure durability, then wire-hung the pendant over the sink. The darker finish immediately balanced the visual weight of the room and helped link the different lighting finishes. Even though the shades aren’t identical, the oil-rubbed bronze ties them together so the design feels cohesive rather than matchy-matchy.
The new pendant acts like a visual bridge between the oil-rubbed bronze pendants and the kitchen’s stainless and chrome accents. The mercury glass shade reflects light and surfaces around it, so the dark hardware gives the whole fixture a grounded, luxurious feel. It’s a small fixture with a big role in the kitchen’s finish palette.
We also installed a stainless steel dishwasher recently, and that helped the room feel even more balanced since there’s now a silver element on each side. That symmetry happened by chance after we rearranged the layout, but it’s a nice payoff — the mercury glass pendant over the sink complements the stainless appliance across the room.
People sometimes ask for photos of light installation, but that’s a tough two-person job to document: one of us holds the fixture while the other handles the wiring, so it’s rare to have an extra set of hands for photos or video. If you want how-to visuals, many DIY lighting installation videos are available online and do a great job of showing the steps.
The little hexagon pattern on the mercury glass shade is one of my favorite details. The sparkling silver glass reflects light beautifully, and pairing it with dark hardware gives the pendant a sophisticated contrast. The fixture feels both delicate and substantial, thanks to that balance between bright glass and deep finish.
We could have matched the sink light exactly to the pendants over the peninsula, but we like the idea of a light that complements without being identical. This smaller-scale pendant suits the sink area better than a larger, more similar fixture would have — it feels proportional and intentional.
Here are a couple of “it’s on” shots so you can see the pendant lit and how the mercury glass plays with the room’s finishes:
On another note, we’re excited and honored to be speaking at the Home & Garden show in Portland, Oregon this week. We’ll be traveling and presenting, which means the posting schedule may be a little irregular while we’re in transit and at the event. We’ll be there most of the day on Wednesday and will also take part in an invite-only blogging seminar in the afternoon. There’s a public Meet & Greet at 5:30pm in the Smart House Remodel in Hall D, and we’d love to meet anyone who can make it.
Burger is staying home with a house-sitter since traveling would likely be stressful for him, but Clara is coming along and will stay with John’s parents, who are joining us in Portland. That will be a big help while we’re juggling talks and the show schedule.
Please forgive any sporadic posting or delayed comment replies while we’re away — we’ll do our best to keep things on schedule, but there will be moments when we’re offline. We’re excited to explore Portland for the first time and plan to share the home-related highlights from our short trip when we can.
Also, I’m nervous about public speaking, so feel free to send encouragement or wish me luck. We’ve been preparing Clara for the flight and wrapping up projects at home so we have plenty to share during our travels. What did you work on this weekend? Any DIY lighting or oil-rubbed bronze projects in your house?