wallpaper download

there are a few small, (even teeny, tiny) spaces in my new house.
often, spaces like this are overlooked and larger spaces are decorated first. since i am trying to stretch my budget, and the larger rooms in my house will require a lot more "monetary attention", i am tackling those smaller spaces first.

the first tiny area i will be working on is a vestibule that separates the entry and great room from the master bedroom and powder room. it is about 4 feet wide and 5 feet long.

 as you can see, i have already put my super slim console table and oly knockoff mirror here. (i have owned both of these pieces for over 10 years!)
i adore having the table in this spot---it makes the space feel more like a ROOM!
we will one day add some pretty leaded glass to the transoms...one day.


one of the challenges of this space is the number of utilitarian items that need to be minimized.
-light switch
-thermostat (we bought the nest and we LOVE it. i will write a post on it soon!)
-doorbell. ugh. they had it placed on the entry wall originally, and i freaked out they moved it to here...better there than right when you walk in, but STILL, not fun to decorate around.
-smoke detector

 at first, i wanted the walls to be really dark---black, even.
i want this little space to feel very different from both the powder room and the main living area.
however, the more i looked at the space the more i realized that unless i painted all of the door casings the same color as the wall, i would not get the look i was hoping for---it would have felt very chopped up, since there are 3 doorways in this teeny, tiny space.

so then i started thinking that i should go a little lighter on the walls, but add some texture.
here are my thoughts:
*add texture and interest with a fabulous wallpaper. this is such a small space, that it wouldn't cost very much.
*add some drama with the lighting. right now, i have an $8 fixture up there that i grabbed from lowes when we were building the house. i didn't want a "look at me!" type light, just something that will give some directional lighting, and create more of a gallery feel.
*get the dark, intimate feel of the black i originally wanted on the walls by painting the ceiling dark.

here is the plan for the space:


i was contacted by lamps.com and asked to do a product review of a light fixture. i was super excited to select this little spot light for the ceiling:


wac lighting 826 low voltagesurface mount spotlight.
(it is also available in white and brushed nickel!)

it will add a pretty, soft pool of light on the wall, and will blend in perfectly with the black ceiling.
i am excited to see my vision come to life!

(at least i believe she will!)

so, what do you think? do you believe in fairy tales?
have you ever scored an incredible deal on ebay?
do you think i should write a post on how to shop on ebay for designer goods?
let me know!

buy what you love

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think of lighting as the jewelry in your room.
just as the right necklace or earrings can take and outfit from ordinary to stunning, the right lighting can elevate your room and make it feel special. an interesting and beautiful light fixture or lamp can make any space come alive with personality.

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hard-wired fixtures such as pendants, chandeliers and sconces can be pricey, so be sure and purchase ones that you know you will love for years to come--whether that is a modern, sputnik-type chandelier or a set of vintage brass sconces with intricate scroll-work. if you love it, it will work.


divide the light (types of interior lighting)

lighting is generally categorized as ambient, task or accent lighting. when each of these lighting categories is present, the result is welcoming and well-lit room.

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 ambient, or general lighting provides enough light to function in a space, and is accomplished with ceiling mounted fixtures, or can lighting.

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task lighting helps you perform a certain task such as reading, preparing or cooking food, writing or grooming. this light is usually provided by smaller, portable desk or floor lamps,  pendants and under cabinet lights.

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accent lighting is used to draw attention on a piece of art, a texture on a wall, or other architectural feature. these lights tend to quite bright, and are generally track or wall mounted spot lights or picture lights.

if your room feels flat or the you feel the lighting could use some improvement, look around and see if you have all three types of lighting. if not, add the missing component, and your room should feel more balanced and welcoming. all three types of lighting can be purchased at stores like habitat lighting.


hide the cords (make lighting cables invisible)

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we have all seen those beautiful, glossy spreads in magazines where lamps seem to magically float on glass tables in the middle of rooms, without a cord to seen. most of these miraculous feats are accomplished with photo shop, but you cant photo shop "real life". you can, however, minimize the appearance of unsightly cords. simply take a few minutes to manipulate your cords down the backs or legs of furniture so that they are not as obvious. there are also products on the market that attach to your furniture and keep cords tucked neatly away. cords can then be kept along baseboards and neatly brought up to the outlets.


check your bulbs

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often, if a space feel sterile or too dark, the simplest solution is often to change your light bulbs. if you have a space that feels dark, try upping the wattage of the bulbs in your light fixtures, or switching to a more energy efficient form of light such as fluorescent or LED, which tend to feel brighter than most incandescent bulbs. if your space suffers from "hospital syndrome"-where the lighting feels bright and flat and has a cool cast to it, consider switching to a bulb that promises a warmer output of light.

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going with a 3 way bulb can be a great option in a bedroom or media room, where at times you want a small output of light, and at other times you need the light to be brighter.

This post is written by me and sponsored by  habitat lighting. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely mine.

oh my! so sorry for that lame post title.
i just couldn't resist!
(i pretty much love all 80's music, as i suspect anyone growing up in the 70's and 80's can relate!)
if you remember from this post, i purchased the stockholm sconces from restoration hardware for the front of my house.


i ordered them in january, but they didn't arrive until a few weeks ago. in the meantime, i had these $5 beauties hanging as place holders: (what light wouldn't look huge next to these??)


when they (finally) arrived, they were in a HUGE box. of course, i had looked over the measurements when i originally ordered them, and so i knew they were "on the large side", but i still was NOT prepared for how large they really were!
we took them out of the box, and i had my husband hold them up against the front of the house while i walked across the street to get an idea of the scale.
we both started laughing.
...and joking that maybe we should have built a castle to house these behemoth light fixtures!

oh! but i really loved them anyway! i mean,  really, REALLY loved them---the unique shape, the weathered zinc finish, and the fact that they are a little large. i always like to say "go big or go home!" hanging these light fixtures would definitely be going BIG!
i went back and forth for the last several weeks, and i swear that i changed my mind every day about whether to keep them or sell them. i finally decided to keep them.

here is a picture of my two daughters, standing on the front porch with one of the lights.


here are some of the factors that helped me to ultimately decide to keep and install the lights:

1. yes. they are BIG. but because my house sits a good 6' above the elevation of the sidewalk, and since there is a large retaining wall in front, they don't look as large as they might on a house with a flat yard.

2. i had already purchased the semi flush mount RH light (also in weathered zinc), and i knew that if i bought another light fixture, the finishes would not match. not a huge deal, but i really like the soft black/uneven finish of the "weathered zinc".


3. we currently do not have any landscaping, so right now, the ONLY thing to look at is these lights. i figured that once some trees, bushes, and other architectural elements (like shutters and window boxes) were added, there would be a lot to "soften" the house.

4. i figured that if i sold these lights, i would be able to get about what i paid for them ($159 plus shipping), but i also knew that every other exterior light that i really liked was double or triple the price of these. that would mean more money than i wanted to spend. a lot more. plus, there are about 457 other projects in the house that need some attention!

here they are, getting installed:


 and here they are, in all their large glory!
 quite honestly, when they first went up, i was thinking they were too big, and that i was going to take them down. but after a minute, i got used to them,  and now i love them!

**my husband and i are still "debating" about whether they are too big. he thinks they are, and i say they are FINE.
what do you think? i promise i wont get upset if a majority of you think they are too big, and i need to get some smaller lights...i am just curious to know your opinions!
please leave a comment!
too big?
or just fine?
(thanks in advance!)