see the light

Is there such a thing as a lighting fetish? If so, I think I’ll elect myself president of the club. Floor lamps, table lamps, chandeliers…I love it all. My favorite score was years ago at a funky auction house in New York (www.teppergallies.com), where scoping out furnishings became a somewhat obsessive weekend hobby with hubby. It was there that we scored the mother of all fixtures…a HUGE wood-and-metal floral chandelier from the estate of cosmetics giant, Elizabeth Arden. (Even more thrilling was the fact that we got it for $300. I swear, we had to ask several times if we heard right.) This gorgeous piece has followed us from New York to Seattle, and hung in the entry halls of three different houses over 20 years. When we bought it, it was a dingy shade of cream; but spray-painted pure white, it’s our pride and joy. (Sorry, kids.)

I also adore sparkly, crystal pendants, which are perfect for girling up an otherwise industrial-looking space. I have one such fixture hanging in my powder room–an idea I stole from the great Pottery Barn “Bathrooms” book—but paid too much for it. (Especially when I found out that I had to hand-string the faux crystals into hundreds of pin holes covering the pendant base.) I think the trend’s caught on, though, and now these light-catching jewels are popping up everywhere for a fraction of what I paid six years ago.

 

 

The $9.99 mini-me from zgallerie.com

I feel certain you’ll love these lights as much as I do. I also feel certain you’ll hate the crystal-stringing task as much I do. Here’s hoping yours will arrive pre-assembled….