Project #6: Let There be (better) Light(ing)!

Well, the early nineties was nice.  There was Bill Clinton.  I studied architecture in France in the early nineties.  The music was pretty great.  Russia wasn't a problem.  But the interior design style, not so great.  I say this, but it will come back.  Trust me.  I'll eat my words.  Having admitted that I am not a fan of the decor from that era, I do respect it...all design (no matter how dated) deserves respect.  That having been said....I was determined to replace this 90s era sconce, which was located along the stairways.

This is quick post because there's not much to be said about replacing lighting, except that it's super satisfying and can really transform a space.  And here I am only replacing a few fixtures.  

I am always a little fearful of electrical work, but I do it.  And replacing a fixture is one of the easiest electrical things you can do.  As long as the power is off nothing bad can happen.  And even after installing many a fixture, even the bravest of home remodelers are ready to flinch when they flip that switch.

We did not go expensive on the fixtures that are replacing these 90s bad boys.  But you can spend ALOT on lighting.  Its amazing honestly, and I'm not sure why it is SO costly.  But I literally drool over lighting from more expensive retailers.  I've seen the difference too, between the more expensive fixtures and those from cheaper retailers.  Packaging, instructions, weight, material quality (both inside and out), and design.  It's not this simple, but its very obvious when one compares something like the lightweight and cheap foam insert to the more quality materials that fill the space between the wires of a more expensive fixture.  While the weight of the metal and the quality of fixture can be undeniable when you get a more expensive fixture, an inexpensive fixture you like the look of may last for years...and no one will know it was cheap.  Such is lighting.  If it lasts, its likely that no one will know whether its worth $100 or $1000.  

I went with two mid-priced sconces that were somewhere between a church light and something else.  I will admit though, the more expensive product (upon close inspection) is better looking and just...sturdier.  But is anyone looking that closely?  I wonder myself.  

I doubt you will guess, but one of these fixtures is much more expensive than the other.

We also wanted to replace the lighting fixture in the kitchen area.  It was opaque white glass with purple glass accents.  However, since we anticipate moving the kitchen table out of this area eventually, we did not want to spend a lot to replace it.  This is where IKEA comes in.  They have a selection of really cool shades, so we went and picked one out that we liked.  We went mid-century modern.  We have a lot of mid-century modern furniture and there are mid-century modern touches throughout the church as well.  We simply removed the offending glass and wired the shade to the existing fixture.  Et Voila!  A $39 solution.