Ugly Kitchen Quick Fix: Pendant Light

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Last month we ended up deciding to do a few easy quick-fixes for our ugly kitchen even though we're in the middle of a million other reno projects. I started with some fresh paint on the walls and then we added some open shelving for extra storage and display.

Our latest update happened kind of by accident. We were at our local lighting store looking for a schoolhouse light for the master bedroom (no luck, btw). We had been talking about replacing the nasty fluorescent light above our kitchen sink with a pendant light but we weren't sure what style to choose.

See the fluorescent light above the window in the picture below? Eeek, yes I know.


A few months ago we installed a new pendant light above the table in the breakfast room which you can sort of, kind of see way in the back of the above picture. Here is a better photo of that pendant light:


So while we were at the lighting store last weekend, we saw the mini-version of the pendant light we already have. ON SALE! Instead of $199 it was on sale for $119. Still expensive but soooooo cute. Plus, who can resist a sale like that? Not me, not me, not me.

We got home last Sunday and took one last look at the fluorescent light:


We got all excited and decided to install it right away! Except when Alex took it down, we were left with this:


Not what we were anticipating. Why does every single project in an old house take 10x as long as it should? Alex had to patch the holes with tape and drywall putty, sand, prime, and paint the little piece of ceiling before we could install the light. He's such a hard worker. He even did some of this stuff before going to work this past week. I should really pour him an extra coffee right now. 

So, we were finally able to install the light last night and take some pictures this morning. It's purty.




Because this style of light allows you to see the light bulb, we got an adorable little round one to give it that extra somethin' somethin'.

We're loving it.

Oh yeah, here is a more current picture of the larger version of the light in the breakfast room:


Next up for the kitchen? Probl'y some sort of window treatment........ and cabinet hardware for sure. Did you see those handles?!? (Shudder.)

;)

P.S. Thank you all so much for your constructive comments about the master bedroom light from Lowe's. You've helped us make the decision on whether or not we're going to keep it. Details to follow! Yay!

P.S.S. Ooops, I forgot a link to the mini-pendant light. You can find it here.

20 comments:

  1. Looks great! Are you dong a window treatment? I`ve been looking for something for my kitchen window and don`t know what to go with.

    Sue
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the light! Looks wonderful! Also great it was on sale!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's so, so cute!! Our kitchen sink window had the crazy fluorescent light thing too (with a pull cord, even!), and we replaced it with a pendant...and we love the change. A new light makes a big impact change... Your kitchen is darling, by the way! I look forward to seeing all your new touches in it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. darling pendent light i love it!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That looks so cute! You've really done a great job making you kitchen look lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Do you have a guest bedroom, because I am coming to visit! Your house is just far too inviting!!!!

    Come re-do my bedroom for me! I can't stand it anymore!!!

    Claire

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the lights! Your kitchen photographs really cute--vintage and simple. Trust me, your cabinet handles are so much cuter than mine!

    ReplyDelete
  8. It sure is a cutie and a keeper. Great score. Def give that Hubs of yours an extra coffee.

    ReplyDelete
  9. So cute!! And I think fluorescent lights should be banned!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your new light looks beautiful there! It alone updates your kitchen so much!
    Have a lovely day.
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your cute little light! Your mini kitchen improvements are great!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Saaawwweeet! What a huge improvement, Sarah! Well worth the money, I'd say! :) I just got new knobs/cup pulls for our kitchen to replace the glass knobs I had installed 6 years ago. They look so much more "vintage kitchen" and much easier to pull open those heavy drawers with the cup pulls. Loving them! I got them on eBay at The Knob Shop for cheap! What kind of light bulb is that? I need to get some that are the new-fangled type but w/out the ugly spiral-looking thing. :)

    xoxo laurie

    ReplyDelete
  13. Such a cute light - amazing the difference just a simple (well, maybe not exactly simple) change can make. It looks adorable and tell hubby he's awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love it! it looks so cute in the space, and I'm sure the light is better than fluorescent!

    ReplyDelete
  15. The light looks great. You are so lucky to have a husband who is so handy.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful. I know what you mean about old homes. We had one many years ago built in the 1940's Every little changes required a huge renovation! You hard work is well rewarded, it looks great! Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  17. It looks fantastic! And even though your kitchen may be old, I think it's kinda charming :) That or you just take really good pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love the pendant lights you used in your kitchen and dining area. They look great and I like that they match, but are slightly different sizes. Lighting is so hard to get right. And why does every project morph into something that takes 10 times as long and involves a few trips to the hardware store and a few bad words (well sometimes anyway).

    ReplyDelete
  19. That sure looks cool, I would surely like to have those in my kitchen. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Cozy.Cottage.Cute. All rights reserved © Blog Milk Design - Powered by Blogger