Happy New Year!!! (that sentiment will make sense in a little while – hold tight)
The time had come to bid adieu to the fan in our bedroom so we could introduce a light fixture with a bit more interest.
Hold on fan lovers. Put the pitchforks (or fan blades?) down and let me explain. We also removed the ceiling fan in our first home’s bedroom and picked up a high-powered Hunter table fan that did the trick, which we plan to use regularly in the warmer months here as well. It’s not that we’re anti fan – my wife likes to make the beyond corny joke that we’re “fan fans” – but we just like them to be well placed so form and function collide into a big beautiful fan-tastic situation. Like the fan in our sunroom (and the one in our last house’s sunroom) which we’d never dream of removing. But when it came to the bedroom the our big old ceiling fan certainly wasn’t playing nice with Ed the Bed:
As for its replacement, on a recent trip to Ikea we picked up this guy: the Maskros pendant lamp (it comes in two sizes, but the bigger one would have practically been Sherry-sized, so we went for the smaller one that’s still 22 inches in diameter). It felt like a good “statement piece” for the bedroom (and only ran us 50 beans) so we were psyched that we finally pulled the trigger and made it ours after a few months of pining. We realize that this is one of those polarizing purchases, but it makes us smile like crazy so we said yes to something fun.
And although it was quite the statement piece when hanging in Ikea, when it arrived home with us, the only statement it was making was “put me together.”
But first the ol’ fan had to come down. So with the electricity to the entire house turned off (we’re safety freaks like that) I went to work disassembling it – a process that I’m pretty well versed at in at this point in my life. Though I have only recently discovered that it’s much easier to remove all of the blades first (so you don’t end up whacking yourself in the head while trying to disconnect the rest of it from the fixture box).
Unfortunately, removing the fan revealed some less than perfect ceiling behind it. Unfinished paint and what looked like a square patch panel that wasn’t sitting flush with the rest of the ceiling. Bummer.
So I decided to borrow a solution from Clara’s damaged ceiling dilemma and darted out to Home Depot to buy yet another ceiling medallion for $19. You can read more about the super-easy ceiling medallion installation process in this post.
Technically you’re not supposed to attach any of the “spokes” to the fixture until after it’s secured to the ceiling. But since we needed to strategically hang it low enough to sit under Ed’s top rail, but high enough to not look ridiculous, we used a couple of attached spokes to approximate its finished size and find the perfect hanging height.
Oh and Ikea suggests just coiling the extra wire inside of the cup at the top of the fixture, but I opted to cut the wire closer to our desired length by taking some scissors to the cord and then stripping the ends of the now-shortened wires.
So here it is completely hooked up with all of the spokes attached. We realized at this point that we were glad we used the ceiling medallion because it made the fixture look a bit more substantial and balanced, instead of hanging a giant ball from a little nub in the middle of the ceiling. Plus, if we ever paint the ceiling it’ll add even more detail and polish.
Of course we still had to attached the 82 (yep, 82) paper “flowers” that came in the set. They really are just paper asterisk-thingies that are pre-cut and pre-hole-punched to snap into place. So theoretically you could color them or replace them entirely with your own desired shape if you wanted to – and had the patience to make 82 of them. We briefly debated “going rogue” and spraying the back of them a color, but we liked the clean white look (crazy shape and size + classic color = love for us sometimes). Oh and you can also see how Ikea packaged them in small boxes to help curl the edges outward in this pic below:
Here’s the light with the first few rows of flowers attached, starting to look more like what we saw in the showroom…
After about 10 minutes we had all 82 attached and were left with this. Ta-dah! We were more than a little relieved that it didn’t take five hundred years to assemble (which was kind of the fear after we opened the box).
We’ll admit that at first it felt a bit bigger than we expected (it looked a lot smaller in the giant warehouse that is Ikea when we first laid eyes on it), but once we add things like a larger 8 x 10 rug under Ed (instead of three smaller they’re-there-because-we-have-them rugs) and some art on the walls, there will be more scale slash balance going on. And even without future items like a big cushy rug, it only took a few hours for it to totally grow on us. As in every time we walk into the room we grin. And about 50% of the time we actually high five. It’s just so much fun. And if you can’t have a little fun in the privacy of your own bedroom, where can you have it? Wait, that came out wrong.
It’s definitely the playful wow kind of “statement piece” that we were looking for. And although from the angle above it looks like it’s snuggled right up in Ed’s business, you can see from the pic above that they aren’t actually touching at all. And even though it hangs low in the room (the bulb sits just above my eye level), we love that we can get away with that because it’s an area that we’ll never walk through (because of Ed and the bench at his footboard). Take that 8 foot ceilings! We defy you.
As much as we love how crisp and soft it looks during the daylight, it looks like our own little Times Square New Year’s Eve ball at night. Sherry loves to walk into the room at night and say “3… 2… 1” and flick on the light while squealing “Happy New Year!”
It only accepts a 40 watt bulb, so it’s definitely not something that’ll flood your room with light, but for us it’s the perfect addition to the soft and moody lighting that we’ve already got going on thanks to our recently added side table lamps and the light over the vanity in our bedroom’s sink nook.
Plus, it is soooo cool to look at from bed. We didn’t even consider this POV when picking it, but when our heads hit the pillow it’s perfectly reflected in our bathroom mirror. How’s that for a nice added bonus? Oh, and I’m sorry ladies, but me and my sexy socked feet are taken (Sherry’s a lucky lady).
Oh and the light is centered in the room (and on that doorway and the bed) so the slight left-ish shift that you see above is just thanks to the angle of the shot that I snapped.
So there you have it. The little big slice of “hey now” that we added to our bedroom. It certainly doesn’t make us miss the old fan (which we’re donating to the ReStore) and it never fails to make us giddy. What can I say? Warning: pun coming. It lights my fire. Oh, and we should mention that Clara is crazy fascinated by the flowers themselves. We’d let her get near them if we could trust her not to put one of the paper flowers in a death grip and tear it off towards her mouth. So for now it’s just for looking.
Do any of you own Mr Maskros yourselves? Or are there any other dramatic and large-scaled light fixtures that you’re into lately?
Psst- There have been a few requests for more photos from other angles, so here they are:
Clara likey.
Update: Things definitely take some time to shake out around here. So if you wanna see how Ed the Bed and our new light evolved, click here and here. Ah tweaks. Gotta love ’em!
Katie H. says
It seems weird to me from looking at the pictures…BUT I can see that it probably is stunning in person. I love that it’s different and creative. I’m also loving the new style of posting! Gets me thinking of new ideas for my own home :)
Oh and I love the teal walls in the guest room! I think that’s my favorite part of your new house!
sara says
Much, much better! We own the KNAPPA and LERAN Ikea pendants and love ’em! The old lame “boob lights” (as we like to call them) that the previous owners had every where were so ugly! Ikea is def. great for style on a budget! I loveeeee going there.
Ana Silva says
I love it! It looks so good; so much better than the fan! You guys have a great eye for great things.
Lindsey says
Oh my gosh, I love this. I’ve been on the lookout for a inexpensive statement piece for above my bed. We have a disgusting florescent light and I don’t even turn on because it is so gross! :)
Jennifer says
ooh, looks like dandelion fluff. Love it!
Candice says
Love it! I have planned on putting that light in my son’s playroom (which is open to our foyer and the first room you see in your house), and I’m SO glad that I read this first, as I was planning on buying the bigger one. The small size is plenty big (and makes the project cost cheaper too, as I need an electrician to put the light box (?) in the room first). Why do people build rooms with no overhead light?!?
I can’t say that I am lusting after this light anymore, because we bought it and had it installed last week when we had some popcorn ceiling removed. It’s over our kitchen table, nestled in a bay window, and looks fantastic. Thanks guys for the 10% discount to Shades of Light!
http://www.shadesoflight.com/framed-linen-shade-lantern-3-finishes.html
http://www.shadesoflight.com/images/W/LA10009PN-01.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
Ooooh so pretty! Feel free to add pics of it in your space over on our Facebook page. We’d love to see it!
xo,
s
amanda says
OOh, I love how the room looks at night, so cozy and glowy. The wall color completely transforms in lamplight. It looks blue-gray in the sunlight pics, but light tealish green at night, how odd, but beautiful.
Emily says
We just bought the Maskros about a month ago to put in our master bedroom. Though we’ve lived in our home for about two years now, the only thing we’ve done in our bedroom was spray paint our mismatching dressers both black–no pictures on walls, no headboard, no closet doors, not even matching sheets/duvet. We were totally stalled on what to do, but the Maskros light is so CRAZYSEXYCOOL that we are now flooded with a million ideas and actual desire to do something about the rest of the room! It’s fun to see that we aren’t the only ones who put that big wacky light in their bedroom!
Caro says
I love it – but I’m worried about it becoming a toy for Clara when she’s a little bit taller. Maybe that’s just because I used to do handstands on my parents bed and normal kids don’t see the place as another playroom…
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s a legitimate concern. We’ll have to see how it goes…
xo,
s
Jo @ Jo In the Kitchen says
Wow! That looks so great! I live in an apartment with my husband and son, and we’re basically not allowed to alter anything, so I love living vicariously through you guys :)
Bobbie Brown says
I LOVE IT!
katie says
First off, I love your blog, you guys give me so many great ideas and I look forward to see what you have created each day when I sneak a peak at your blog from my cubicle :)
I love the new light in the bedroom. I created a similar one out of a paper lantern and coffee filters and it’s now hanging above my bed … I haven’t attached a light bulb to it yet, because I am going to move out to the porch come spring!
http://katiecarlsonblais.blogspot.com/2011/03/few-items-can-be-checked-off.html
YoungHouseLove says
Pretty! Thanks for sharing the link!
xo,
s
jaime says
Oh my goodness…I have been longing for MASKROS ever since I laid my eyes on him/her? :) in Ikea last summer!! I think a trip is in my very near future! I love it in your room!!
Emily says
I am in love with this light!! It looks HUGE for the space/location it’s in, but it’s probably just the camera angle or something. I think some fellow YHL fans need a stiff reminder that making a new home your own takes time. A long time! Some lovely peeps sound a pretty impatient wanting to see your entire house done and BHG-ready, like, NOW. You guys will get there!! Let’s just be thankful we’re along for the ride!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Em! You’re right that even just bringing in a nice big 8 x 10 rug and adding some art down the line will change everything in there and add a lot of balance and scale that’s sorely lacking right now. There’s definitely still so much to be done, but we’re happy to take it one day at a time and watch things evolve as we go! Thanks for enjoying the journey.
xo,
s
Joy says
Your ceiling light makes me happy just to see it in your photos. Your blog is so real and so interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Heather says
Love that new fixture! Ikea makes us happy too. Our unsightly bedroom fan looks exactly like yours, only our room is about half the size so that nifty new piece you guys have wouldn’t work for us. Doesn’t stop the love from this corner though. Congrats!
Pamela says
Nice!
How do you think it would play in a dining area over a round 60″ glass top table with a wrought iron base?
Just wondering…
YoungHouseLove says
Go for it! You will not be sorry!
xo,
s
Jordan@the2seasons says
I always make a comment when I am in Ikea about how that light is so fun. I am glad to see you two went for it. I think it is great and fun in your bedroom. Enjoy!
Monika says
I really like your lighting choice. It’s way better than the fan (in my opinion) and looks really good with the duvet cover. Definitely not an easy fixture to pull off, however I think you guys did a great job! :)
People are very opinionated about your lighting choice! I’m still really pleased to see you guys making decorating choices that are right for you, and not necessarily right for the blog. Do the well intentioned but critical comments get to you guys at all?
Monika
YoungHouseLove says
Nope. Honestly, they used to. But I think we’ve learned that sometimes when everyone likes something it’s boring, and it’s a sign that we’re playing it safe (which never results in the same grin-from-ear-to-ear-experience that choices like this provide us whenever we walk in the door). So it’s much more fun for us to take a risk – especially when we love the payoff. Even if we know everyone else won’t (design is so personal, how could we expect everyone to agree with every decision we make anyway). The “controversy” (haha) is worth bringing something that we love home with us and gazing lovingly at it every day.
xo,
s
braelin says
I LOVE it!
Wom-mom Ethne says
It’s nice to see a fixture like this in a home setting rather than the giant IKEA warehouse. I think their lighting looks weird, mostly because it’s in said setting. Thanks.
http://www.wom-mom.com
BrookeJ says
You made the perfect choice for your bedroom! I recently bought a similar light from Ikea (I don’t remember the name, but it’s the one that looks like a beautiful glowing snowball) and I absolutly love it! I <3 Ikea too! Thanks for the great posts.
MP says
I think the pictures might be distorting what it looks like in person. I did something somewhat similar with a non-electric candle chandalier, hanging it in-between two rooms. In some pictures, it just looks like I plopped a light fixture where one has no business being. In reality, it ties the two rooms together, and creates all sorts of different views depending on what angle you’re looking at it from. It basically adds a space to display art where one wasn’t before. John and Sherry have excellent design eyes, so I bet it really doesn’t look weird in person.
Anyway, lighter note, it totally looks like a full moon in the mirror picture! I wonder what it looks like at night from the outside?
Christine B says
Nice! I was thinking of adding something like that to our guestroom. . .
form2form.wordpress.com
Carolyn says
Love the pendant light! You’ve got me thinking of ways I can upgrade some of the fixtures in my house, maybe even introduce the same one up in our loft. We have a small house so it might be tough … only one way to find out! : )
Suzannah says
I KNEW it! I somehow just knew you’d pick that fixture. Love it! Ikea rocks!
I’ve been mulling over buying that same one for awhile now, but I just don’t really have a spot for it. $50 beans though makes it so hard to pass up!
Rhiannon says
Wow you guys I love this lamp! It truly looks fantastic! On a rug note, I’ve been looking and looking for an 8×10 rug that doesn’t cost more than $200! Do they even exist? I can’t wait for a post about finding a rug for Ed to hang out with! Our bed, sweetly named, Bed is in dire need of a large fabulous rug, but I’m at a total loss. They are so expensive!
YoungHouseLove says
Sadly, I don’t think they do exist! If they do they’ve been evading us too! We’d be happy to find something we love for under $500 since everything that we adore seems to be upwards of 1K!
xo,
s
LauraC says
As far as rugs go, we’ve gotten 3, for pretty decent prices: dining room rug – 8×8 all wool rug for $350 (Overstock), bedroom – 8×10 cotton/wool blend for $350 (West Elm, clearance), and our living room rug – 8×10 polypro for $280 (Lowes). We’ve gotten TONS of compliments on all of them. I really like the wool, but it’s hard to keep clean, and the polypropylene rug we got from Lowes is much softer and easier to keep looking nice. We spent a year and a half looking for the right living room rug (color, style, size and prize = tough) but it was so worth waiting! Everyone has loved it who has visited. My only point is that there are some great rugs at good prices out there if you’re willing to wait and keep looking. $400 was my self imposed limit for whatever it’s worth. Good luck!
Leigh says
My husband and I got our 8×10 living room jute rug from West Elm for $229. We love the texture and color options!
Amanda says
Cost Plus World Market is having a 50% off all rugs sale this week if that helps anyone. They have a couple 5 x 7 rugs that I like for ~$30 right now. I’m not in the market for an 8 x 10 right now so I have no idea how they are priced.
http://www.worldmarket.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3479363&ab=header:menu:homedecor:rugs
We’ve found some “cheaper” 8 x 10 rugs at Home Depot and Home Goods in the past.
kristina says
The bedroom is looking great, but I think the light fixture would be better placed somewhere else in the house. Actually, I think any hanging pendant fixture would be really hard to get looking right with your bed frame, and that a more flush ceiling mount fixture would work better.
And is the perspective of the last photo correct in that John can literally walk right into the light – is it really that low?
YoungHouseLove says
See how his knee is up against the bench? No one can walk into it because it’s hung over the bench (just like placing it over a table would work similarly in a dining room). You’d have to walk through the bench and the bed to hit your head. Haha. As for moving it to another room, we know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea in our bedroom, but we love the romance and the big shot of happy that it brings to the space. Even Clara and Burger seem to be on board. We have confidence that when we add in more things (one big rug under the bed instead of three little ones, art on those bare walls, etc) the proportion, balance, and scale will start to make a lot more sense to everyone. We’re just happy to take it one step at a time, so it’s definitely a work in progress!
xo,
s
Tanya says
Does no one watch Candice olson? It’s my favourite pass time to count the number of times they hit their head on the pendant lights until they put the furniture in. I love it guys and I’m glad you love it. Xx
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, well we watch Candice Olsen all the time, so maybe that explains it! Haha.
xo,
s
Brittany Fleming says
I have loved/wanted this fixture for a while now! So glad to see ya’ll used it so lovely! I am such a fan of yours…I have been sure to stay up-to-date with all ya’lls going ons! Love it all! Sorry for all the “y’alls”…I’m a Southern gal!
Jana says
Sorry to say I’m not a big fan (of the light) lol. But I’m glad you like it so much! The most important thing is that the things in your home bring you happiness. :) Anyway, just wondering if you’re planning to keep the side table lamps or replace them? I think part of why I don’t care for the new light is because they don’t seem to go with the lamps (just my opinion). Besides that I love everything else in your home! You two are very talented! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us :)
YoungHouseLove says
No worries! They’re just there because we’re working with what we have at this stage of the game. You can read more about those table lamps here: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/02/one-night-stand/
Of course white shades would tie them into the new light fixture more seamlessly, but we’ll have to see where we end up!
xo,
s
charlotte says
I am sooo glad you got this lamp! I actually posted to you about it months ago when you were drooling over that $400 capiz chandelier from Furbish Studio. It looks great! Wish I had the perfect spot for one myself.
tritia says
Ha..I knew it!
You answerd my post regarding table fans the other day (thank you, btw) and I mentioned we also have this fixture!
Only ours is still in the box!
We were going to use it in the dining area, but I’m afraid of hubby having to relocate junction boxes and such. Thought maybe we’d put it in the bedroom. But, didn’t want to give up the fan.
One of my other issues with the dining room..are the flies that hound us in the summer. I read someone had problem with lady bugs, since it’s paper and all. Flies leave a nasty stain behind, too :(
I may hide ours in the laundry room.
Heather says
I agree with Erin, the placement seems problematic. I also feel like the fixture is very oversized given the ceiling height in the space. Conceptually it’s right on, but the placement and size don’t work for me.
With that being said, you really crank through the home improvements! Bravo!
Kay says
As usual you guys “rocked” it out of the box! I love it and the way that your comforter and the fixture complement each other is totally cool. I too am on the side of being really excited about how creative you guys are being with the new house – cant wait for more!!! Keep it up……
Rachel says
Love it! You guys are making me wish I could change out some of the light fixtures in my rental. How easy is it going to be to change the light bulb? It looks like it could be tricky, but I have issues dealing with “normal” light fixtures like the dome in my kitchen, so maybe it would only be tricky for me!
Laura says
LOVE IT!!! The round shape of the fixture totally complements Ed’s linear lines. Totally fab! I love the risks you’re taking! Keep it up, kids!
TwentySomething says
Here is what I love more than the lamp: the amount of pictures you posted for us at all different angels and lighting situations! I love lots of pictures in a post and often think my readers could get annoyed seeing so many pictures, but I LOVE it and thank you for it! The light looks awesome. I saw it in the store a few weeks ago and wondered if it was something someone could DIY?!
Lisa in Seattle says
I love how this lamp nods to the botanical theme of your duvet cover, and the spherical form echoes the shape of the art in the third pic from the bottom.
On criticism: My old boss had a framed quote saying, “When you’re out in front, people will shoot at you.” Although I think some commenters mistakenly believe they’ve wandered into ratemyspace.com, I guess the wide range of opinions confirms that YHL is indeed very much out in front!
Kate S. says
How are you going to keep those 82 paper flowers clean? Love the look of the lamp, but I can’t even imagine dusting paper flowers . . . nor can I imagine cutting new flowers out to replace the originals. Are they coated at all, or just simple cardstock?
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve heard that feather dusters work well (someone else even suggested spraying it with canned air or a hair dryer on the lowest cool setting) so we’ll have to keep you guys posted on cleaning details!
xo,
s
Megan S. says
Love this lamp but was bummed to hear the fixture was made of paper. This has been on my wishlist for sometime, it looks great in your room.
Julia M says
I like it. I don’t like reading other people’s criticism mostly because I feel like it’s your house–you SHOULD be able to do whatever you want with it without getting the third degree. So, for sharing all your details and coping with the negativity I applaud you.
(number one reason I stopped reading the comments on apartment therapy is all the negativity. YEESH!)
http://www.chrislovesjulia.blogspot.com
Areader says
Wow, your response on here lately is very busy.
So on that note what you are doing is working, bringing lots of traffic. Which will bring you lots of sponsors, its a win, win! And you are having fun in the process!
CJ says
The light looks great! You guys are doing really well at going out of your comfort zone with these funky finds!
Lani says
This is totally what I’ve been eyeing for my dining room…..whenever we get around to it!! Love the medallion detail too…stealing it!
Erin says
I’m jumping on the “I love the light” bandwagon! But (and there always is one), something felt a little off to me as I gazed at the pictures. So I gazed some more…and some more…and I finally concluded (dare I say it?), it’sedthebedthat’snotworkingforme (oh the horror!!!) eeek! Ok I said it really fast to lessen the blow, so YHL blogosphere stop with the glares, please! I’m a lover not a hater! That top bar of Ed is just seems to be cramping everything up, but I love the light!
Stephanie says
I don’t know how you guys do it. Day after day, I love coming back to your blog because, as I always tell my husband, you guys are REAL people who find practical solutions to REAL problems we all encounter with our own homes. Some people seem to think you’re miracle workers with unlimited budgets and unlimited time. I have a 4 month old son, and I know how hard it is to get anything done, so I am completely in awe of what you’ve been able to accomplish in the short amount of time you’ve been in your new house. I guess I feel a little protective or maybe defensive of you guys when people start getting so “judgy.” I love that you are keeping it real. Making a house a home is an evolving process and the tweaks and changes and revisions are all part of that. To expect your new house to look as polished as your last house did after 4+ years is so silly. I really hope you guys can ignore some of the rude comments on here and enjoy your new house and the progress you’ve made. Sometimes I find myself getting incensed when I read something, and I wonder how you handle it. I hope the fact that some people haven’t learned the “if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all” addage aren’t getting to you. Kudos to you for sharing all aspects of this journey with a crowd that is not necessarily always as grateful as they should be for that opportunity.
Oh, and I LOVE that lamp. It’s WONDERFUL and fits your personalities perfectly! So happy it’s making you guys so happy!
samantha owens says
LOVE IT!!! you guys keep on taking those risks!
Kelly says
Wow, even the smaller version is still pretty darn big. I thought I could use it in my upcoming desk/nook re-do, but guess not.
Sara @ House Bella says
We looked at that lamp for-ev-er and finally decided on the Fillsta for the bedroom. Yours looks great, I love it!
Susan says
So fun! It makes me think of lots of cheerful, happy daisies. Always love seeing what you guys are up to. This house is really becoming your own quickly! Thanks for sharing the process with all of us!