(lights, please?)

Anyone else catch that Charlie Brown Christmas reference?  No?  Anyways…

My recent task for the new digs has been to select the lighting fixtures for the house.  To some, this could be a really easy task: “Sure, I went to Home Depot and got 5 of these and 3 of those,” but unfortunately for me, I really, really, really like lights.  I’m the girl taking pictures of chandeliers instead of listening to the tour (see above – Notre Dame Paris).  I have been pouring over these lights for weeks; even woke up in the middle of the night last week and my first conscious thought was pendants.  Sad, I know.

To me, light fixtures are like jewelery for your home.  An easy (and sometimes affordable) way to add a touch of glam or surprise where it could have been dull.  So we walked through the entire floor plan with our contractor and, sure enough, I signed us up for megaload of these “moments,” which can really add up.

So, here’s the plan:

1. Prioritize your light fixtures.  You probably do not need to spend as much on your basement bathroom fixtures as you would in, let’s say, the powder room that will be used everyday by you and by your guests.  Put quality fixtures where they will be used most.  I put our kitchen counter pendants, powder room, and dining chandelier at the top of my list.  Don’t worry, you can still get some great looking fixtures for less dollas for the rest of the house (Shades of Light is a great place to start).

2. Create a pinterest board (or what have you) so you know what you want to purchase when the time comes.  Feel free to take a peek at my Lighting board on Pinterest for some ideas.

3.  Be ready to strike when the iron’s hot.  Know when those fixtures are going on sale.  Join email lists, do some serious browsing, and ask around.  Knowledge is power when it comes to getting yourself the best price:  Crest Lighting, who I pass to and from the L everyday, offers a 20% discount for new constructions.  I knew Restoration Hardware had an upcoming lighting sale (30% off – and still going!) and I asked one of their designers if this was the best price I would be getting or if I should wait for another sale – they will be honest with you.

So although our house will not be ready for quite some time (grrr), we are now ready with some quality kitchen pendants that are just right and powder room sconces that scream Parisian Bistro – oooh lala!  Excited to show you how these look in the finished product.  Christmas came early in the Wagner house 🙂