Illumination

One of my Christmas gifts for my husband was a new light fixture for our kitchen dining nook. I always liked the old glass fixture. I felt slightly guilty about this gift, since DH could not care less about the kitchen light fixture, and would also have to do the installation.

But when I re-painted the kitchen last fall, the glass chandelier seemed very washed out among the lighter colors. Something more substantial was needed.

I looked and looked, and finally chose this very heavy chandelier. The leaf motifs echo the woods behind the house, which are very visible from all these tall windows. The lamps have a golden glow, and the crackle finish on a sort of bronze base show up well in the lighter color scheme.

We had recently helped our son and DIL change out their dining room light fixture with a wrought iron one, so we knew it would not be a piece of cake. But we were both home this afternoon and decided to tackle it.

I got our tall step-ladder with the bucket tray, placed my new Babylock Embellisher box on end on the tray, and decided that was the perfect height to hang the chandelier. (No way I could have held up my end while DH did all the wiring.) We got'er done without too many cuss words and no lamp breakage or electrical shocks. :)

Now we have a lovely fixture with a soft glow to warm the kitchen dining area.

I definitely need to re-hang some artwork and quilts, and maybe finally decide on some window treatments after living here for fourteen years. I would love some sumptuous silk, but the southern exposure tends to fry everything in the window. All my cellular shades in the house have deteriorated due to the hot sun. Don't even start me on the finish on my front door, which is hot to the touch after an afternoon in the southern sun. It completely burned off once, has been professionally refinished with a finish meant for marine topcoats (boat surfaces), and has burned off again after three years.

I love the views out the tall windows. Great for bird-and-nature watching. But I think it would soften the look to put some nice lovely valances as window toppers. My house plants continue to shoot toward the ceilings even though I top them off periodically. They love the sun!