June 10, 2013

Overthinking

Well hey, what happened there? We interrupt this unplanned blog break with a real live blog update! Thanks to the sweet friends that have been gently nagging me about it! Even though I haven't been blogging, there has been plenty going on around here. For instance, this past weekend we were in Missouri visiting my dad and doing a little antiquing when my jewel of a husband spotted a gorgeous milk glass plug-in pendant light which he convinced me to buy even though I was pretty sure it would be a $65 mistake. We pulled into the driveway after a 7 hour drive on Sunday and he immediately ran to Lowe's to get the parts he needed to convert it to the ceiling fixture... of...my...dreams!


Well it turns out that he was right and I was wrong! Hear that Sweetie? I admit it. In writing. For posterity!

For two years we've lived with hideous brass and wood ceiling fans in our family room because I could not make up my mind what I wanted. I've researched, walked the aisles at Lowes, pored over catalogs, decided, changed my mind and have been unwilling to commit. I was so busy overthinking the decision for this spot that I was frozen with indecision. My man is the impulsive one that makes decisions with very little thought. It often bites him in the backside. I am the one that takes forever to make a decision. It often bites me in the backside.

Here's the before. Hard to imagine how I could part with that beauty, isn't it?


And here is the one on the other side of the room. Almost as pretty, right? Sadly this one remains but if I go in the kitchen and stand in a certain spot I can only see the new fixture and the slipcovered chair in the corner and not the sofa and loveseat that are falling apart with the brass and cherry ceiling fan anchoring the area.


So I'm finally tired of thinking about it and I'm getting ready to order this one which is pricey but I'm trying to justify it because the new light was much less than I planned on spending. If you know of anyplace I can find one similar to the one below for less than $384, I'd love to hear about it as I got a stomach ache just typing that!

17 comments:

  1. I love your new light! I've been in the same indecisive state myself. I bought a vintage chandelier for a spare bedroom, but with no central air, a ceiling fan is a necessity. I searched high and low and finally found a ceiling fan with a chandelier light I could live with after some small alterations with paint and crystals. I hope you can find a discounted version of your ceiling fan!

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  2. I love the school house light and the one with the fan fixture is perfect!

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  3. That guy of yours, he's so great! (and so is your new light!)

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  4. I would be over the moon about it also. It looks fabulous! School house lights are my favorite.

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  5. Just a thought: maybe you could find the glass bowl and a down-rod for your current fan, and maybe even paint the blades and metal parts (a soft black?).

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  6. Oh what a nice change this is-yes, to read your blog post and of course,
    the wonderful lighting fixture. Great husband-maybe he is going to
    get a nice Father's day present, too!
    I think we all over think things-but if we are patient enough we will see what the best choice is, even if it comes to us in an unplanned way! Good choice I
    think-it fits your house! My friend got rid of her sofa and added a beautiful
    day bed and some comfy chairs-I like it much better than her older sofa. She
    now has plenty of time to figure out her next sofa-she is thinking of reupholstering the old one! So she may have to get a fantastic deal on the fabric! It is so much fun to experiment with things that are not always what
    we expect in the family room/living room.

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  7. Love it- Go to Lowes and Home Depot and ask to go through their special order catalogs. Often they are very reasonable but they just don't carry the items in stock. Glad your hubby was right because I LOVE it! xo Diana

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  8. my daughter changed the lights in her condo to the same school house lights & they look fabulous. converting it to a ceiling fan is brilliant!

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  9. Love the new light! Definitely looks much better. Yikes, don't pay $384 for a ceiling fan! Do some online searching...there's gotta be something similar that's cheaper!

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  10. Oh I ADORE your light. Well done Husband! I love love love milk glass, but it's a very hard thing to come by in the UK. I found a vintage nursery oil lamp with a milk glass shade a little while ago in a charity shop for a couple of pounds and I was so over the moon! I was jumping around all day. My husband thought I was a right muppet for being so pleased about it! I have two lights in my living room and dining room that I loathe. They were there when we bought the house, and I just cannot make up my mind what would be better. They have stayed for 10 years and I usually forget about them. Just when I actually notice them, I think about how much I dislike them. But there is always something more important to spend the pennies on, so I can imagine they may stay there for a few years more! You may have inspired me though.......xxx

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  11. love the new light and the new blog post!

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  12. That milk glass pendant light is perfect, Jen. Your husband was right! It looks so lovely in your home.

    xo
    Claudia

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  13. Just struggled with this exact same thing.. lighting/fans/price.
    Came out with industrial glavanized barn lights I ordered locally from a lighting shop that are not great light givers, but I have 2 fans that blend much better in other areas. neutralized some nasty brass and white fans.
    I really don't have an answer, but really, really relate. lighting was my achilles in an otherwise straightforward renovation. btw, love your renovations. If we weren't using a loan that needed 'contractors' I'd have done exactly what you did. I love ours, but it was for re-sale. Tho I don't see us ever moving.

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  14. i so get the ceiling fan dilemma! we have the most extraodinarily, hideous ceiling fan over our bed. it's so bad that it gives me nightmares about being on some hgtv show where you get a surpise, bad taste intervention. i also have a small, vintage chandy, currently living in a corner in my attic, that would be perfect there.

    but, i cannot sleep without a ceiling fan! i've had one over my bed, since i was born. i will probably overthink this little, suburban wife problem for the next ten years :)!

    wish i could give that chandy some fans and just plug it in :)

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  15. When we renovated a few years ago I agonized over my ceiling fan purchases. Finally, I found some Hunter brand fans in a book at Lowes and they ordered them for me. They have a pewter finish with a schoolhouse light. I can't remember the exact price but I know they were less than the one you have picked out, probably $100 less. I needed two. I also found a Hunter white with white blades (beaded board or plain) with a schoolhouse light at Home Depot for my kitchen. I wouldn't say I "love" the look of ceiling fans but we use ours ALL THE TIME so they are a necessity! I have only used my air conditioning two days this year so far because with open windows and ceiling fans my house stays cool enough. Good luck!! :)

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  16. Jen, I just received the comment about my kitchen. :) Traditions in Tile in Athens GA did the tile. It's English.
    Company name: Johnson Tiles MHCRB1 'London White Crackle'
    I love it.
    Sorry it took me so long!!

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  17. Oh wow, I can't blame you for choosing that beauty over your old ceiling fans. The simplicity of the design made it look even more stylish and beautiful. What's more, it's easier to clean and seems to match well with your ceiling. Hope you get this soon! Good luck!
    Brooklyn Fan & Blower Sales Company

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