And Mr. B said "Let there be light fixtures."

Forums: Home Improvement, Lighting, Home Decor, Lighting Fixtures
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Our 1924 house currently has awful 1970s light fixtures. I am responsible for choosing new fixtures.

Phase 1: The dining room.

The room is small (about 12x15) with two walls of windows -- it gets lots of natural light.

The ceilings are not the most beautiful part of the room so I would like to have something that shines down, or bounces around. The problem is -- most dining room style lights that sit close to the ceiling are "bowl" type lights that shine the light up.

Mo uses the dining room table to do his homework so the room needs to have good lighting for reading, writing, etc., as well as eating meals (we have a tiny kitchen and no breakfast room so all meals are eaten in the dining room).

I like kind of organic shapes but arts and crafts style lights will also work.

So far I've come up with two "styles", while maybe not these particular lights...

http://images.lampsplus.com/images/25907.fpx?cell=509,476&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg

http://images.lampsplus.com/images/24144.fpx?cell=509,476&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg

Whatever I choose will be there for a long, long time. I want to be sure that I'm considering all the things necessary for good light in the dining room.

What kind of light do you have in your dining room? Why did you choose that light? What advice can you give me?

Thanks

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@boomerang,

Restoration Hardware lighting is pricey but I really, really like it. And it was their original raison d'etre -- hardware to use in restoring old houses. They've gotten away from that somewhat but I think you'd be able to find period stuff that would fit. And it's really good quality.

We have a really icky chandelier sort of thing that I want gone but is relatively low on our list of Things That Require Money To Fix. Plus it's in the old part of the house and we're worried about the wiring, so really the wiring needs to be dealt with (also $$$) before we move on to the replacement fixture itself. It's 80's stained glass and shiny brass, just bleh. It could be worse I guess but I don't like it.

Of the two you posted, I like the second one better.

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@sozobe,

I've looked at both Restoration and Rejuvination Hardware. Their stuff is pricey. The problem I've found is that their lights are either too "mission" (I like more organic shapes) or too fancy (I like simple). Maybe I need to look again.

Mr. B does our wiring so that it's a cost consideration for us, thank goodness.

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@sozobe,

Oh.... and, yeah, I'm not crazy about either one of those lights but they aren't "bowl" or "nipple" lights so they could be in the running.

Also came across this -- light the lighter color base better than the dark base but still not quite there...

http://images.lampsplus.com/images/22217.fpx?cell=509,476&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg

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@boomerang,

Yeah, I just looked and they didn't really have the kinds of things I had in mind, that they've had in the past. This one could work:

http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=750&navAction=jump&link=ct_san_sebastian_pendant&cm_re=CT-_-CategoryText-_-SanSebastianPendant

(Images aren't jpegs so I can't post them.)

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@sozobe,

Oh, I guess that's a "bowl" -- it uses three 100-W bulbs, though, so that would seem to offer plenty of light...?

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@sozobe,

There are a lot of pretty bowl type lights, I just don't want something that bounces the light around the room or shines it down towards the table -- that seems to limit my options a lot.

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So, are you looking for something Art Nouveau-ish?

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http://images.lampsplus.com/images/81820.fpx?cell=330,330&qlt=75&cvt=jpeg

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http://www.vintagelightingandfanshoppe.com/picture_18479_op_575x420.jpg

http://www.vintagelightingandfanshoppe.com/picture_15764__2_.jpg

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Those are cool but a bit more decorative than what I have in mind. Plus, the "task" lighting aspect of it is one of the most important considerations.

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And Mr. B said
"Let there be light fixtures."

True story:
In the early or mid-1980s, while I had my law firm on Long Island,
we lost electricity for near 2 hours. We did not yet have computers,
but our legal secretaries' IBM electric typewriters woud not work,
and it was dark all that time. Then my partner, Elliot, called out:
"Let there be LIght !" and there was Light within one second thereafter -- the time it takes to sneeze. It was fully restored.

David

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@boomerang,

Given the age of your house, and the general style, I'd go with #2. Right era, not too fussy.

I've got a vintage variant of #2 in my dining area. It provides good light. Why'd I get it? it was the right age/style and had been rewired.

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@boomerang,

hi how are you

1 Reply

Check out some of these. Here are a few that caught my eye. By the way, the term you are looking for to describe the style is "down lighting."

http://www.rejuvenation.com/graphics/products/huge/Z007224.png

http://www.rejuvenation.com/graphics/products/huge/Z001679.png

http://www.rejuvenation.com/graphics/products/huge/Z001423.png

http://www.rejuvenation.com/graphics/products/huge/Z000568.png

Here's another website. The prices here are half that of the first website.

http://www.upscalelighting.com/Chandelier-Down-lighting-s/92.htm

And examples that caught my eye:

http://www.upscalelighting.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TR_32335-2.jpg

http://www.upscalelighting.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TL_M2064-63-2.jpg

http://www.upscalelighting.com/v/vspfiles/photos/JL_23824-GR-2.jpg

http://www.upscalelighting.com/v/vspfiles/photos/DF_95087-SP-2.jpg

Something like this one might satisfy both your down-lighting and artsy needs:

http://www.upscalelighting.com/v/vspfiles/photos/ELK_86052-2.jpg

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@Butrflynet,

Didn't get back to edit the post in time to add the website for the first section of images. Here it is:

http://www.rejuvenation.com/rooms/Dining_Lighting.html?filter_collection=&filter_type=chandelier&filter_decade=&submit=Go

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Pottery Barn has great lighting and so does IKEA.

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I like those lights Buterflynet but I have to have something that sits very close to the ceiling. It absolutely has to flush mount.

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@boomerang,

Boomerang - just get a couple of desk lamps like this one >

> and depending how big the space is get one or 2 floor lamps of same design. Ceiling fixtures aren't suited to the space you're describing.

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I'm clueless about lighting, but interested, so I'll be following along.

Lightwizard is an expert. If he doesn't show up, you might want to PM him, boomer.

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And Mr. B said "Let there be light fixtures."

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