Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Our Lighting Line With Shades Of Light

Let’s talk about some Shady Business. You know the $herdog in me wanted to make that title a Slim Shady reference, right? Anyway, we’ve actually been working on a secret project for over 14 months and we finally get to spill the beans. Jazz hands don’t even begin to cover it. See, back in October 2011 Shades of Light asked us to help them design a lighting collection. And we said “who, us?” quickly followed by a “yes please!”

When it came to our goals, we really wanted to keep things casual, playful, happy, and – the biggest challenge – within our budget. Which broke down to keeping the entire collection under $99. There are even $3 add-on items to spice up the lamps that you already have (you know we love using what you’ve got). But keeping prices under that $99 mark (especially on larger lights, like chandeliers that are 2 feet wide) was a tall order. Shades of Light sells a ton of fancy $400+ designs, but they were amazingly willing to get all hands on deck to inch prices as low as possible without compromising quality, and we LOVE them for that. It was hard to mash all of the lights our bundles of joy into this post, so you can click here to browse our full collection of shades, pendant lights, and decorative add-ons.

Shades Beauty Us

Not only do side gigs like this help us provide for our family, they’re some of the most exciting work that we get to do (you know when we’re not juggling house projects, blog posts, book stuff, and playing with The Bean and The Burgs). Switching gears keeps us creative and it’s always fun to try something new, so projects like this are the icing on the DIY cake. Well, playing with Clara & Burger land in that category too. Which is fitting because these lights are sort of like our babies.

Here are a few “studio shots” of some of our kiddos. The apples of our eye. Picture us grinning like proud parents watching their child play “Tree #2” in the elementary school play.

Shades Moodboard

That’s not all of them, so here’s the whole collection for ya. The coolest thing about this collaboration is that Shades of Light is based right here in Richmond, so it was a local affair. They came over to our house and we dropped by their headquarters a bunch of times over the course of the last year to draw sketches, look at prototypes, sample paint colors, see the products in action, and even shoot them in our own home for their online shop and their catalog.

Which means many of the lights are made/wired/painted right here in good ol’ Virginia! But of course they ship ’em nationally on their site in case you’re not a local (you can even call them for overseas shipping rates). So… woot! It’s pretty exciting to think that our babies are going to be making little pilgrimages to other cities across the country. Well, assuming people buy them. Haha.

Shades Making Of Shoot Clara

As for Clara’s job, she played the role of quality control. When we asked her to pick her favorite one of the guys in the photo above, she kept changing her mind. She’s like her momma. She wants to rub her face on all of them.

The most exciting part of the entire process was when we finally got to shoot some of the finished lights in our house back in November (right between two book tour stops) to see how they looked  “in situation” and to use some of those images for the Shades Of Light catalog. This is a farmhouse pendant that comes in a bunch of happy colors. Doesn’t the pink one look sweet when it’s fake-hanging over our the sink?

Shades Beauty Loft In Kitchen

How did we fake it? Well, see the green-shirted guy on the stool in our kitchen? He actually held the mercury glass pendant that hangs over our sink out of the shot while they snagged a picture of the pink one that you see in the photo above (clamped to a rod above the sink so it appeared to be hard-wired there). It was our kinda shoot. Grass roots and lots of laughing.

Shades Making Of Photo Crew

Here’s another shot to show the magic of in-house photoshoots. See that giant reflector in the foreground and those three lights all clamped up to a rod that was later cropped out of picture? It’s so funny how we look at catalogs like Pottery Barn and think “oh man those rooms are so amazing and clean” – but in reality they must look at least this crazy from afar, thanks to all of the magical behind-the-scenes gear.

Shades Making Of Window

Here’s how those drum pendants actually looked in the photographer’s final shot. Oh and spoiler alert, we bought the scallop pendant in the middle. We couldn’t resist. We’re actually planning to hang it right in the window that you see here.

Shades Beauty Pendants

And remember the chandelier that we gave you a sneak peek of in Monday’s holiday post? Yup, it’s part of our collection. He’s one of our favorites.

Dinner 4 5 Reindeer Centerpiece

We bought it as soon as the catalog shoot wrapped up in our house. At $89 for such a large chandelier (it’s two feet wide!) we thought it was a great deal, and it looks awesome with the oil-rubbed bronze glass pendants over our nearby peninsula. It also comes in a bunch of other colors beyond the rusty bronze finish that we went with (they’re painted locally in colors like plum, dark teal, white, black, gray, and red by an awesome lighting artisan).

Shades Beauty Dining Room

One of the coolest “special effects” from it are the shadows that it casts on the ceiling if you use a clear bulb (if you don’t love them you can use a frosted bulb for a softer look).

Dinner 1 Table With Tree

And you know Burger is our muse, so… this happened. Yup, dude has his own chihuahua-riddled shades in a bunch of colors. We wanted things to be flexible for someone who might just want a shade for a table lamp or floor lamp that they already have, so we asked Shades of Light to sell the shades alone as well as with a finished pendant kit for hanging them (the full pendant kit even comes with a ceiling canopy, so it’s all ready to hang). People gotta have options. And chihuahua shades.

Shades Beauty Burger

And see those sculptural white metal diffusers under each of these geometric-ish ikat shades? Those were another add-on that we thought could spice up someone’s life light. Say you already have a pendant light at home but want a little more flair – one of these (in either the hex pattern or the quatrefoil pattern) can definitely up the ol’ lighting ante.

Shades Beauty Diffusers

We loved adding small (and inexpensive) DIY options, like these $3 add-ons. They’re basically decals (fancy word: appliques) that we thought would be fun on a lamp base that you might already own (or one you could score at a thrift store and spray paint in a solid color). So whether you’re into a white, black, or yellow bee shape; a favorite number in black or white; or even scalloped patterns that you can use alone or layer like crazy, you’re covered. Can’t you see a big white #7 on a navy lamp base? Or a white bee on a cheery yellow gourd lamp?

Shades Appliques 2

And now for a Burger story. Remember way baaack when we posted this picture of Burger for Thanksgiving in 2011? Well, that half-loaf of Panera bread that he snuck off with was actually from one of our first meetings for this project. The Shades of Light team was over at our house and we were excitedly talking about colors, fabrics, and shapes when Burger snuck ONTO THE DINING TABLE and grabbed it without any of us seeing him until it was way too late. Sneaky little bugger. It was the first and last time he had such brazen food-stealing confidence. Thank goodness. Just look at the regret in those big brown eyes…

Happy Thanksgiving

So that ends our little 14-months-in-the-making collection o’ lights, shades, & add-ons. Oh and to anyone who isn’t currently shopping for lighting or doesn’t have any money to spend, we also hoped this collection would inspire the DIYers out there – perhaps just to paint a metal pendant or lamp base that you already have – or even to make little personalized decals to spice up a lamp base in some personal way.

And now for some gushy love for you all. We’d never be “here” without you, and for that we’re eternally grateful. To think that this all started with one little blog post back in 2007 is crazytown, and we’re so grateful to you guys for making it possible. Oh heck, you guys are like our babies too. Come to momma, I feel a hug coming on…

Comments

  1. Rachel says

    IT’S FATE! An old living room lamp finally broke, so I cruised around Pinterest for new lamps, but told myself to wait until I found something I loved instead of just buying something right away (that tip thanks to y’all, of course!). Two days later y’all announce this?! Can’t wait to make my purchase!

    Reply

  2. Sarah says

    THIS IS AWESOME! I feel like a proud parent too! The lights are so fun and the price point is impressive. Great job!

    Reply

  4. Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    Congratulations!

    This is too cool! It’s so amazing to have something you designed actually show up in stores and in people’s homes!

    I would know: at one of my college internships I designed those little plastic strawberry snappy containers you get at the grocery for a plastics company. Now they’re everywhere! It’s just strawberry containers and not gorgeous lampshades, but still. I kinda get it. ;)

    Reply

  5. Beverley says

    What a great project to work on! I absolutely adore the Young House Love graphic pendant! I wonder how many people will start ordering those and have them ready for you to sign at future book tour stops :)

    Reply

  6. annabelvita says

    Group hug! Congrats guys.

    These are great – my favourite are the farmhouse pendants. So cheery! I also love how the grellow looks in that shot – is that true ish to real life?

    Reply

  8. Jordan@the2seasons says

    LOVE THIS!!!! We live in an old house and just got electric to our dining room so we can have a chandler with light and not candles. I just called my mom to tell her how cute these are and she offered to buy me one for my birthday!!! Yay this is a great birthday gift and I can’t wait to hang it and have light!

    Reply

  9. Ainhoa says

    This is such a cool gig!! I love the one in your dining room and the pink one fake hanging in the kitchen. It’s great that you kept them all under $100.

    Reply

  10. bridget b. says

    Congratulations! I really love the globe chandelier. What’s the best light bulb to use when it’s going to be exposed like with this chandelier? Does it ever seem too bright in the room?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We have been very happy with the one we’ve used for the past month or so (we’ve had this light under wraps so we’ve gotten to live with it a little bit). We actually worried it would be too dim (it’s the only overhead light in the room and it’s just one bulb) but we’ve loved it. We’re using a clear 60 watt bulb (one of those energy saver ones in “warm white” – we tend to like that tone the best). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  11. Beth says

    You guys are exhausting! Lol. This is so awesome. The collection is beautiful, and I love that it’s affordable, too! I got your book for Christmas & can’t want to start a few projects. But do us all a favor and take a good long nap today, ok? You deserve it! :)

    Reply

  12. Ashleigh H. says

    These are beautiful, you two! Congrats on such amazing accomplishments that were well-deserved. You guys are wonderful! (:

    Reply

  13. Leigh Anne says

    This is absolutely amazing! I love the collection, and congrats on all your hard work and success – couldn’t have happened to two more gracious people!

    Reply

  14. Amanda K says

    You guys are amazing! And so sneaky! I’ve been giving the evil eye to the light above our kitchen sink for months now. I think the bubble glass pendant may be just what the doctor ordered…

    Reply

  15. Holly says

    WOW! These are amazing!! Forwarding to a friend as she was just saying yesterday that she needed new shades…and I’m gonna bet the chihuahua will be one of her faves :)

    Reply

  16. Jamie says

    Oh my gosh! This is exciting! I’ve got some lights in our house that I’m less than thrilled with, and here you guys come out with some pretty amazing options! I can’t wait to go shopping.

    Reply

  18. Danielle says

    Wow! Soo awesome! I can’t wait to check them out! We’re in the market for some affordable light solutions and these look right up our alley, style-wise. Congrats to both of you! :)

    Reply

  20. Meredith S. says

    When I saw picture of the globe hanging in your dining room, I was super jealous. The way the light reflects the shape on the ceiling is beautiful.

    Placing an order for one of my own…now to order it in ORB, Midnight or Eggplant…it’s a tough one!

    Reply

  21. Lauren says

    Congrats! I love your collection…especially that cute bubble glass pendant. It’s funny that you had to buy your own lamps, but they do look great in your house (of course!).

    You sure have had a busy year!!

    Reply

    • Nikki says

      Did you get the YHL discount? Nothing on your sidebar is showing up today for me for some reason! I love all of these – they are so fun. I see one in my future when I move in a couple months (if they aren’t all sold out by then)!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, we paid the same price any other YHL reader would :) So sorry the sidebar is missing! Hope it comes back soon. Anyone else missing our sidebar today? So odd!

      xo
      s

  23. Melissa says

    These are amazing!! How exciting for you guys! And how excited am I that I held off on buying a new pendant light for our hallway?! I need a smaller one & I am SO excited to see the wire globe lantern light comes in the exact size I need!! Now… if only I can make a choice on what color I want.

    Reply

  24. Laura says

    Bummer- says the shop is inaccessible right now! I used to LOVE going into Shades of Light when we lived in Richmond– hope the site for your collection is back up soon so we can shop it!

    Reply

  25. Suni says

    WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!! Congrats on this awesome new adventure!! I honestly love ever single piece and add on you designed, which isn’t surprising.

    Reply

  26. Christina Miller says

    You guys are rock stars! Can’t believe you managed to design your own line of lighting fixtureson top of everything else. The book alone was a huge time commitment! I think you deserve another tropical vacation this year :-)

    Reply

  27. Shannon says

    YAY!!! this is awesome guys! I am starting my plan my nursery in a few months and I cannot wait to pick up one of the hanging pendants for it!

    Reply

  30. Vivian says

    Congratulations! I’m loving the “Burger” shades and the bubble pendant will look great over my kitchen sink! And there’s a 4, 2, 3 combination in my future too! Very, very cool, guys.

    Reply

  31. andrea @ my kinda perfect says

    So fabulous!!! I love that this is so ‘you’!!! From the price to the colors and patterns…I’m excited to browse your collection! The fact that we’re in need of a couple additional lighting options is icing on the cake! =)

    Reply

  34. Courtney says

    Oh wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats to you guys!!!!!!!! How awesome- we’re changing some of the lighting in our house this year, so I know what I’ll be buying now! LOVE LOVE LOVE all the ones I’ve seen so far.

    Reply

  37. Kate says

    I love these! That big globe one – does it put out a lot of light? We have a dark dining room and the whole one lightbulb thing sorta scares me that it wouldn’t be bright enough.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We had the same worry! So far we have been really happy with a clear 60 watt bulb in there. We’ve lived with it a few months now (we had to keep him under wraps until the launch) but we eat in the dining room all the time (and Clara plays with play doh in there, etc) so it seems to work!

      xo
      s

  38. Michelle @ Lifewithacrazypup says

    OMGISH YOU GUYS ARE SUPERHEROS. Seriously. Congratulations. You put so much hard work into everything that you do, that it’s no wonder that so many great things come your way. So proud (and yes I say that like we’re best friends or something – whatever!) We’re in the planning process of re-doing a room yet, so we’ll soon be in the market for a new light or two. You’ll definitely be the first place I check out! CONGRATS again :)

    Reply

  40. Kari says

    This is the best news ever!!! I love Shades of Light, but I always get sticker shock when I go there. Now, I can finally go lamp-happy, thanks to ya’ll!! :)

    Reply

  42. Rebecca says

    Many many congratulations! So awesome. Wish I was in the market. (Well we do kind of hate are dining light…might be time for an upgrade!)

    Reply

  43. Liz says

    Does the big wire light in your dining room give off enough light at night? I was looking at getting one with three bulbs because wasn’t sure that one bulb would cut it. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We had that same worry! John and I were so glad when we fake-shot-it in our dining room in November so we could check if it gave off enough light and we just have a clear 60 watt bulb and it’s awesome! You can even go higher with wattage I think (especially if you use CFLs). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  44. CohoesMom5 says

    I love the lamps and have been looking for some new ones and your price point is perfect. Even better is that some of them are made here in the U.S. (we try to buy US made stuff as much as possible – even when it costs more). When I am ready to redo our foyer, I will be looking at these lamps.

    Reply

  45. Kristen says

    You. Guys. I am seriously blown away by this collection! We are re-doing our guest room and I was in the market for a new light fixture. Of course I was just going to hit up IKEA (my favorite place ever). But instead I can have a light fixture designed by you all? SOLD. :)

    Reply

  49. heather says

    Aww you guys, you’re so darn cute. These are adorable, fun, and lighthearted. We are right in the process of choosing some lighting and it makes my head spin. I’m turning a chicken feeder into a pendant light, though it might become glossy white before it goes up. As much as I love rustic farmhouse style (not primative) it’s a little too straight out of the chicken coop for me I think. It will be a test and see kind of thing. HOWEVER. There is a light of YOURS that may make it into the kitchen of the husband agrees (and we can put it over the island since we’ll have a stove). It’s the clear domne shaped ones (second photo top right). For $50 bucks, if the dimensions are right, it fits right into budget.

    Also, instead of reading “apple of our eyes” I read “appaling to our eyes” and I was like “wait what?!”

    Anyway. I’m comin in for the hug. Embrace it. So proud of you two!

    Reply

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