Free Lighting...made by me!

 This year, I resolved to make many of my gifts - at least the ones I could - and this gift is my favourite yet!

My sister recently did a make-over on her kitchen and eating area but decided to wait until she found the perfect light. I know what kind of lighting she likes, so I decided I would plan a way to make or buy her what she wanted. 

 While on a walk with a friend recently, we were discussing lighting and she told me she had seen an HGTV (I think) feature on how to make your own sphere-style light. She told me it involved a beach ball, some glue and heavy string. Well, she lighted a fire under me and I vowed to make one for my sister. It took me several weeks to finally gather all of my supplies and take the time to make it but it is now complete! Remembering her brief instructions, I used an exercise ball (one I had used when in labour with Sophie), some sisal twine and fabric stiffener.

 I purchased the twine at the Dollar Store and had some fabric stiffener kicking around. So, for less than five dollars I made a replica of this beauty from here (retailing for ~ $160!):

 I also used a light kit I had from one of those paper lanterns, so the cost to me was literally next to nothing! I do wish I had bothered to Google the instructions, though, as I found out later on you should run the sisal through a dish of glue or stiffener as you wrap it around the ball. I didn't do that so I slathered the stiffener all over the ball and hung it up to dry for ~ 36 hrs. Mine isn't perfect, but I think it is pretty good for the price!

I will also assure her she doesn''t have to hang it in her kitchen if it isn't what she had in mind, but I think it will still make a fun light for another area in her home. 

Because I love my sister and LOVE making/buying her things!

La Lighting...

So often when I go to a client's house, they are looking for help with choosing paint colour, furniture placement, and accessories. As I always do when I enter a client's home, my eyes always travel upwards towards the ceiling, to see what style of lighting they have. I believe you can often tell what a client's style is by their choice in lighting. This is not a fool-proof guide however; because some home-owners give very little thought whatsoever to their lighting choices.

As someone who believes the right lighting can make or break a look, I make it my personal mission to "enlighten" my clients on the value and merits of having great lighting in their home. I always bring it up, especially if I feel they could benefit from a change, but also realize that if I recommend something they weren't planning, it is only kind to have some affordable sources at my ready to pass on.

While browsing the lighting section of the Sears (Canada) website for a client the other day, I was amazed at the selection and great prices they were offering up. I could not believe the variety of styles and prices they offered and thought I would share some of the fixtures with you:

Five-Light chandelier with drum shade:

price: $127.50

Five-light Crystal Pendant ($172.50):

Same, with shade ($449):

Love how modern this one is ($285): Great for a foyer ($187.50):

Simple Drum shade ($140):

Ivory waffle weave drums( $50):

Love this one! ($195):

School House charm ($160):

Wood Veneer pendant ($35):

More modern fun...with balls ($525):

Aren't these great?!!

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As you can see, I'm obviously hooked on lighting! If you want to see what others are hooked on this week, check out Julia's "Hooked On" party, where she so kindly wrote about our new Flea Market Style magazine blog. Be sure to check it out and Ki, Matthew and I and the rest of the team wish to thank everyone who has taken our blog button, befriended us on Facebook and Twitter, became a "follower"/friend and/or wrote a post about the new blog. We are so grateful and inspired to create the best magazine and blog for those who share our love for vintage style!

Trip the light Fan-tastic!

What is that saying about turning lemons into lemonade?

Well, I think I did just that on Sunday afternoon. We outfitted Sophie's room with a fan when we built our house nearly four years ago. We decided on a fan as the summers here get quite muggy, and I am not comfortable with leaving her window open at night (a healthy dose of paranoia is a mother's prerogative...). Thus, I chose as unassuming a fan as I could find; but let's face it, fans are not known for their unique beauty!

So, after having fairly cool summers for two years in a row, I decided to continue to live on the wild side after dabbling in red during Sophie's room make-over. Perhaps I could do away with the fan and select something more fashionable? After a quick search, I did find a beauty of a fixture, replete with an etched glass drum shade (sooo pretty). But sadly, it was $250 - a figure I could not feel comfortable with spending for a variety of reasons, the main one being that it is a complete budget breaker!!!

Never one to be deterred by a lack of money, and in keeping with my theory that you can redecorate by shopping from your own home, I took a hand-me-down drum shade (given to me by my sister), combined it with a light bulb moment (which occurred one insomniac night) and fashioned a new light fixture for zero dollars!!!

One aching back (from reaching up to unscrew the fan blades), a blistered finger, and a few mild curse words later and I was the proud owner of this new light:

Realizing, as I gazed up at it, that I did not like the finial that came with the shade,

I remembered the pretty glass finials that came with the $3.99 curtain rod I purchased at the Christmas Tree Shop last spring. A quick change of a screw and it fit perfectly. So much better!!

This is the view of the light from directly beneath:

Not perfect, but good enough for me...and free!! Now don't worry - I will change out the ribbon for fishing line, but of course, I was too impatient to wait!! I like immediate results!!
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And I guess I'll have to shop for a floor model fan for those muggy nights this summer!!

Also, check out the windowless window seat we made for her room!

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**If you want to see other ten minute make-over ideas, head on over to Nesting Place:

And if you want great frugal tips and inspiration, check out this great round-up here:

Trends in lighting...

I have spoken before of my love of lighting. It thrills me, inspires me, and it is one of the first elements in a home that I notice. Great lighting lifts your gaze upward and crowns a room in glory. Bad lighting, on the other hand, drags a house down with its paltry illumination and lacklustre appeal. Lighting is also one of the least expensive ways to refresh a room if you root out the best deals. You can even refurbish a vintage or previously loved light fixture with minimal skill and some good advice from a how-to book or electrician (do restore with future safety in mind...).

Although it is a fairly easy change to incorporate into your space, anyone who has ever installed a light fixture themselves (or lived through a grumbling husband's efforts) also knows it is not something to do on a whim, without forethought to the selection of the fixture, especially if you have to pay an electrician to do so. Thus, should we follow the trends, or stick with classic lighting choices??

I recently installed a rather trendy light fixture in my own dining room, which some of you liked, and some of you didn't. I must confess, despite my desire to have a more unique fixture in my home, I did pause once it was installed and felt that heated flush go up my neck as I wondered, "Did I do the right thing??" It wasn't that I didn't like the fixture, it was just that I questioned whether it was better then my previous chandelier. Well, I'm still not sure it is better, but it certainly is different, and trendier... and therein lies the dilemma.

I am not one to quickly fling myself on board with trends in decorating. Although I certainly follow them to a degree (think...my blue bedroom with touches of brown), I do have a qualifying factor for following along with the crowd. The trend in question has to be beautiful (to me) and sustainable...in other words, it has to appeal to me... for as long as my attention span typically allows. Because I prefer a cooler palette in my own home, I don't tire easily of my paint choices. Because I change my accessories seasonally, I feel that I refresh my look enough to quell my restlessness. However, I could change lighting like some people change their throw pillows!! I but what I love, without worrying too much about what is in or out. I tend to have a visceral reaction to lighting. I either love it or hate it and for everything in between, I dismiss it as too boring. Already, I look around my living room and think about purchasing some new lamps to add a little edge, and less restraint.

So, without further adieu, here are some trendier models to walk the lighting catwalk as of late...the question is, are they so in they're out?? I"m not going to give my opinion on this one...some are modern classics to me...I want to hear what you think!! Oh, and do be kind...many of us likely have some of the featured lights!!

(all photos below: www.dwr.com )

This light is for a good friend, who definitely doesn't care what others think of it!!!

disclaimer: As I do not strive to be a design blog, and do not lay claim to be the lighting authority of the decorating world, this is only a random sampling of various lights that have emerged lately, or have been around a long time... or long enough to be getting a bit stale for some folks. Enjoy it for what it is, and give me your feedback!!

The Frugal Decorator...

Hah! There are those who would dispute the descriptive frugal being applied to me (I am not a penny-pincher), but I definitely feel I qualify as a budget smart shopper and decorator. Let's face it: we all cannot buy what we please, and have to be creative when decorating our homes with style. The other day, I watched a show on HGTV that made me chuckle. Its premise was "Can you shop cheap and look rich?" Well, I don't know about looking rich, but I can certainly shop cheap and achieve a similar look...better than any of the designers on that show! To prove my point, the host wrinkled her nose at a very attractive mirror sniffing, "I'm guessing that mirror is only $100."

Gag...I wanted to reach through the television and give her a good scolding about being so elitist!! I would tell her to check out Winners/Homesense (the Canadian version of TJ MAXX) where she could buy many of the accessories she has in her own home...for a fraction of the cost!

Of course for people of her status, that's not really the point, now, is it?? Some folks just think that more expensive is just more acceptable...and find nothing wrong with having $200 throw pillows for their sofa. Oyy...not me!!

A great example of "shopping with less" is my most recent lighting purchase. As I had mentioned before, I have been on the hunt for a chandelier within a translucent drum shade since the summer. I figured I would do it the cheapest way possible and either purchase a ready made drum shade which I would then slip over my chandelier, or even cheaper, pick up a vintage shade that I could dismantle and put new, sheer fabric on and make my own! After a fruitless search of my area, I had some great leads on a shade from Jerusalem. She had sent me photos of some shade forms she had in her shop, and I was in the process of investigating that option further when I received a call from another great shopper...my sister, Wendy. She informed me that my beloved Winners had the exact light fixture I was looking for ...for only $130!! Now $130 is not chump change, and is decidedly more than I had intended to pay for a simple drum shade, but the temptation for instant gratification was too strong. I hopped in my car the next day and after some earnest pleas to my hubby, it is now hanging like a glorious jewel in my dining area. Aaahh...satisfaction, and on a budget...considering higher end versions of that light extend into the high hundreds to the low thousands of dollars!!

Is that not perfection in a light fixture??

Another cheapie decorating feat I achieved recently was this little chalkboard. I bought the (gold) plastic, embossed picture frame from the Dollar Store, spray-painted the frame cream, painted the glass with chalkboard paint, and voila! Now, I know I haven't invented the wheel here, but one dollar is a pretty good price to pay for a chalkboard...I also made some for my friend's baby's 1st birthday and she used them like this:

She is a very creative gal herself and probably the person who most shares my intense passion for holidays and party planning. I love creative, and budget-conscious people!!

A touch of pink in a master bedroom...

I don't know what it is with master bedrooms. So many people, including myself, tend to put off decorating this space with the similar attention to detail that we give to the other rooms in our home. Maybe it is our altruistic nature; we put the rooms of our children and the common areas in our homes first. I know in my home, I tend to put the most focus on the rooms that are most seen by guests and therefore my decorating budget for the master bedroom is pretty thin by the time I'm ready to address it. I often relegate the "cast-offs" from other rooms to my master bedroom and do my best to make it work.

I firmly believe it is much easier to decorate when you are starting from scratch and/or have a generous budget. When people tend to run into difficulty is when budget is strict and we have to incorporate the belongings that we have collected over the years. I am not one to be too fixated with everything matching. I like things to be co-ordinated, but I like the element of surprise that an unmatched set can bring. Unfortunately, it is more difficult to coax a cohesive look from a hodgepodge of belongings. Thus, more skill is required and sometimes even "rose-coloured glasses" are needed to help us live with what we have until we can make that great purchase that will bring together the look we are going for.

Bedding is probably the most important purchase you will make when decorating your room. We all know that in most bedrooms the bed is the focal point; but you can have the most beautiful bed frame, and if the bedding is not right the whole look suffers! I love the look of layering on a bed. Gone are the days when bedskirts had to match the coverlet which matched the shams which matched the curtains, etc. It is much more pleasing to "mix things up" and instead have a unifying colour. Accessories in the bedroom are also key. Choose what you really love and display them in different ways. Showcase them by elevating them on small books , illuminate them by placing a beautiful lamp nearby, or frame them in a shadowbox on the wall. I once saw a shadowbox picture that contained the candle from a child's first birthday cake. The simplicity and sentimentality of it was lovely.

When choosing lamps, select ones that are the right scale for the bedside tables they rest on. They are there to provide adequate lighting for late night reading but should also be attractive to look at it and co-ordinate with the "look" of your room. If you have a mismatched bedroom furniture set, unify it by painting it the same colour and add matching drawer pulls and knobs. Make do with what you have, but give your room (and yourself) the attention it deserves! After all, we are just as important as our guests!!

( the top right photo is my before shot...my room is a work in progress with dressers that need painting and I am always on the hunt for "the right accessories". Sigh...I don't know if I'll ever be satisfied with it!!) The top left photo is, in my opinion, pink done well (although I think it is a little girl's room!!).

Making an Entrance!!

I love doors and I think the color of a front door is one of the most important exterior decorating decisions, aside from siding and shingle color. I love a door that draws my eyes to it as I drive by. Now that doesn't mean the colour has to be vibrant! In fact, the colour of your front door should make sense....whether it be a contrasting colour or blend in tone with the rest of the outside of the home.

Iam a bit quirky. Every house but my first has been a shade of yellow. Don't ask me why, it is just something I have to do to feel at home. I love a yellow house! To me, yellow siding evokes a farmhouse feel, is fresh and pretty, and makes me smile when I see one. That said, door color can be challenging when you have a yellow house. Navy, burgundy, and dark green do not reflect my personal style as I am drawn towards the softer shades for my own home. Thus, I have had cream, taupe, black, and back again to taupe, doors. These colours complimented the particular shades of yellow siding I have used on my homes. They were colours I selected to work with the trims and accents I decorated the exterior of my homes with. That brings me to garage doors. There is a general rule that you should not match the colour of your garage door to the colour of your front door if it is a strong colour. I am not normally too fixated on rules but this is a rule I whole-heartedly agree with! I believe a garage should blend into the background, especially if you have one of those great, carriage-style garage doors that have enough style without drowning in colour.

I have addressed the importance of lighting before. Again, step away from the common and select lighting that speaks to your style and complements the style of your home. If you live near the water, try exterior lights that have a "Nantucket" feel. If your home is traditional, select similar lighting- traditional, but not boring! Craftsman-style lighting looks great with bungalows and houses that have reflect the Arts and Crafts style. Hanging lanterns look beautiful on homes with front porches or porticos. Go for the wow factor out front and to stay on budget, use lighting that is more subdued (and cheaper) out back,

Mailboxes are another "new" exterior feature that you can have fun selecting. Vintage styles can now be found in stores or you can make your own out of wood (or purchase it ready-made) and embellish it the way you like. Select house numbers to match the finish on your door handle and your home will ooze style! Have fun with selecting these exterior finishes. you may not think they are important, but trust me, when you see the end result, you will be proud!