Earlier this week I wrote a blog post with all the progress we had made so far in our dining room renovation. Even though I was so pleased with the progress, there was still one thing that to me, stuck out like a sore thumb: the overheard light!
One of the items on my 21 for 2021 goal list is to replace the “boob lights” in our house (any rounded flush mount lights with a center knob to keep the fixture attached). To me these flush mounts feel pretty basic and dated and I was more than ready to see this one go. I think good lighting can make such a great statement in a room, and in this stage of life with two toddlers, it’s also a way to have some design impact in a room without putting something breakable within my kids’ reach. Win win!
Aesthetics aside, the previous flush mount was also problematic because even with new lightbulbs and the dimmer switch turned on full power, the room always felt too dim. Our dining room is large and our table seats up to 10-12 people, so we wanted a light fixture that could pull some weight and provide a lot of light.
Our new fixture arrived yesterday and Justin and I spent last night installing this brass beauty!
We’ve tripled the amount of brightness and it is definitely noticeable! Justin even commented that we’ll probably rarely have the dimmer switch on full power now because with all these bulbs it is almost too much light. I will say, this light did not come with well-written instructions and the included screws were not the right size to attach to the box in the ceiling, so it is probably not a good choice to DIY if you’ve never installed a light by yourself before. I was very thankful that Justin had experience installing several different lights previously because we had to mostly figure this one out ourselves (and even so it took him a while to figure this one out). Just wanted to be upfront in case you want this light in your own home; it might be a good one to hire out installation to a licensed electrician!
I spent so many evenings searching for the perfect light fixture for the space. I had to consider several factors: I wanted something substantial so the light wouldn’t feel dwarfed by a long table, but the light couldn’t be too wide or taller guests might hit their head on it when standing up (this eliminated a lot of larger chandeliers). We needed multiple bulbs, which eliminated most pendant options. The dining room is open to the kitchen so I needed to consider the fact that I’m most likely going to use globe lights above the kitchen island – I wanted the lights in the two spaces to coordinate without matching. I also wanted something that felt traditional, but not too formal, and also updated, but not too modern. Haha! Overall, it was a tough list of criteria to meet. After countless hours of searching, I finally came across this light and it felt like the Goldilocks choice – finally just right!
One of my favorite things about this light is how its looks change depending on the angle you’re looking at it. From the view from the kitchen (see above), it looks like three even rows of lights but from the view in the room (see below), it looks like a staggered chandelier. I also love the rounded edges that soften all the rectangular features. The candle-style chandelier feels somewhat traditional, but the offset lights and clean lines keep it modern at the same time. To me it feels like the perfect blend!
Last night after we finished installing, Justin made the comment that he couldn’t wait for game nights now. That comment made me so happy because my goal with these renovations is always to make our house feel like a home – one that is cozy, warm, and inviting. I want to have people over for dinner and linger around the table. I want to gather with friends, plenty of snacks and a stack of fun board games. I want this space to be somewhere we want to be, and I love that he is excited to spend time here now!
The light was the last thing we needed to finish this phase of the dining room renovation. I’m on the hunt for a credenza to place along the windowless wall, but I know that the search for the right one might take a while and I’m in no rush. For now, I’m really happy with the transformation this room has had!
Sources
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Trim Color: Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Window Color: Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
Curtains (color: wild rose)
simplify the chaos 
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