Lighting Hopes and Dreams :)

i went to a dinner party last weekend (at a house built by our same builder!) and got so inspired to finish up the lighting changes in our home (or at least gather ideas)! lighting is tricky – there are a bazillion options but finding the right look and size with the right amount of wattage feels like a needle in a haystack sometimes! too little light is a no go! over the past two years we’ve changed out sooo many light fixtures – i think 15! - and i have three or four major changes left to make. luckily my husband learned basic electrical skills from my dad so no electrician needed! just bribery ;)

our kitchen and family room is one long, wide-open space. we swapped out the pendants over the island and the sink which made a huge difference. and also the sconces over the fireplace. but the lighting over the kitchen table and in the main space in the family room is still what the builder installed. it’s definitely not terrible – but the scale is all wrong and it could be so much better.

for the kitchen table area i’ve been leaning toward something light and airy which has led me to thinking about glass. like this lantern from shades of light. i love this one but it's pretty huge.

or something completely different – this natural woven pendant also has the same light and airy feel. but would it work with a farm table (one day)?

then in the family room – we need a focal point. something that won’t take over the space but that’s more attractive than the burlap flushmount that’s currently up (and i’ll likely move the current fixture to one of the boys rooms where we still have nipple lights). i think the scale here is glaring. and don't you love my workbench? :)

my gut has been telling me to go with something beaded like this.

or this (and i would probably wrap some hemp cord or something around the metal to add a little more texture).

but then i also saw this drum shade fixture which is completely different but really pretty and simple. the only thing is that it has more of a formal feel and we do not have a formal space. but maybe that's a good mix.

and also came across this beauty:

and wouldn’t this one be to die for? too bad it’s only 1 60w bulb.

trying to keep in mind that whatever happens over the kitchen table has to play well with the family room since the space is so open.

ok - the third change i’d like to make is in the office where we literally have the world’s ugliest semi-flush fixture. it makes my eyes bleed every time i’m in there. i’ve been complaining about this for two years and my problem is committing to one idea. first i saw this sunburst light that i loved (and still do). but i think i’d like something hanging as opposed to a flushmount.

then i saw this mid-century sputnik fixture on etsy that’s such a good price compared to other sputniks out there.

i’ve also hemmed and hawed about a hicks pendant in this room for a while.

or something completely different like these capiz chandeliers. not sure this is the look i'm after though.

ahhh!! i’d love opinions on all three spaces!