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!
Kathryn says
You mention it’s only a 40watt bulb, therefore doesn’t flood the room with light…. in that case, how did you get such nice pics inside? What ISO do you shoot with on your camera??
Your pics (of house and Clara!) always turn out so good… my baby girl is just a few weeks older than Clara, and yet out of the 3,000 photos we’ve shot, very few are good like that. Have you done any photo tips posts that I’ve missed in the archives?
YoungHouseLove says
We shoot with our camera in “A” mode and then just white balance and adjust the aperture and the exposure depending on the angle (the ISO is left on automatic on that setting, but it’s usually around 1600). Mainly our trick is to take five million pics in the hopes that five or six aren’t too over or under exposed slash blurry. Haha. We’re definitely still learning. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy says
I think it’s pretty funny that some people are getting riled that others have posted criticism of this choice. I know these comments are moderated, so maybe we’re not seeing all the virtiole, but I think even the naysayers have been pretty calm, and perhaps are just bringing a different perspective. How fun would it be if every comment was just “Ooh, I love it!”- not very. I think that if you open your home up like this, it is to be expected that you will receive some contrary opinions. It’s the proverbial thorn on the rose. You have handled them pretty graciously! Enjoy your home!
Danielle says
Love it! I haven’t seen it in the store, but have always admired IKEA’s more funky and fun light selections. I’ve al been leary of the quality and hope that yours proves me wrong! :)
Carolyn says
I totally see the disco ball/New Years ball, but it also looks like a full moon when lit up at night! So pretty and romantic! I think the only space in my house big enough for such a pendant would be the stairwell … could look great but might be kinda tricky to assemble!
Rose B says
I love your new light! It reminds me of the light my BF and I put in our new bedroom (which incidentally I saw on one of your moodboards and *loved*).
Here is is, along with some other pictures of our new place (scroll down for the light!)
http://verenarose.blogspot.com/
Diana says
Love your blog, but I can’t stand the light fixture. Love the duvet and the curtains but I think you missed it with the light fixture.
YoungHouseLove says
Ain’t no thang! To each his own.
xo,
s
sunsail says
A polarizing choice, for sure. I think my issue with it is the scale… or maybe Ed’s posts? Dunno. As long as Clara likey, it’s all good! :)
Corrie says
LOVE it! I have admired it in the IKEA catalog and totally thought it was medal. So fab that it’s made out of paper. Such a happy addition to your room:)
Laura says
Love the light! 2 “have you heard of” questions for you guys: 1. have you heard of CARITAS? they’re a non-profit org. in RVA that accepts household donations for their furniture bank warehouse and then gives them free of charge to individuals transitioning out of homelessness. they wouldn’t be able to accept something like a fan, but i just thought i’d mention them for furniture and other “goods” donations in case word hadn’t made it to you. 2. heard of ebidlocal.com? another RVA resource i thought you guys would appreciate…
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve actually heard of both in passing, but they sound like something we should learn more about! Thanks so much for the tip! Off to google…
xo,
s
Luisa says
I realize that the question at the end of this post asks whether or not we have the Dandeloin in our houses and not whether we like it! But … I feel like you have two stars competing against each other. Both are celebs but I am not sure they should be at the same cocktail party. They each seem to take away from one another and obviously, Ed has full rights to that room. That said, I think the fixture would looks just “Dandy” above your round, wood dining table – especially when the wall is knocked down which would allow you to enjoy it from the kitchen and the living room as well … just sayin’ … keep it coming though … always a pleasure to read your blog.
Roshni says
I think I completely agree. The latest photos just confirms to me that the light fixture is too close to the bedpost!
kelly says
I’ve wanted that light for-ever! I have no where to hang such a massive fixture though!
Danielle says
What a lovely light fixture! The whole room is wonderful.
Robin says
what colors are you considering for painting the ceiling? white/cream? grey? green? yellow? brown? tan?
YoungHouseLove says
Not sure yet. Nothing too crazy, but that’s all we know. We’ll share details when we land on something for sure though!
xo,
s
Katy says
Love the lamp! but what is this rug-speak I hear? are you guys gonna layer rugs? I’m trying to research to do a post on layering rugs or using more than one of the same design for a room to create a larger rug. Curious to see what you’re plans are with the rug.
As always, thanks for making my cubicle life interesting!
YoungHouseLove says
We just have those three rugs tossed down because we’re working with what we have, but a giant bedroom like ours (at least it’s giant to us since it’s substantially larger than our old 12 x 13′ one) with such a nice stately bed and a generously sized light fixture needs a nice big 8 x 10 rug to ground things and provide some nice much-needed balance. Who knows when we’ll get to that though- but we’ll definitely keep you posted when we settle on something!
xo,
s
Heather says
Oh my gosh!! You did buy the Maskros!! I am not sure if you remember but I had suggested you buy two for your living room!! So happy you decided to get it – it looks great!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We do remember that!! And we grinned when you suggested it since it was already on our short list! Love it so much!
xo,
s
Sarah Addison says
I puffy heart that light fixture! Some of our friends have the large one over their dining room table and it’s amazing- so gorgeous!
Amber says
Hey youngsters,
what about placing this in the guest bedroom? That room with the darker wall colors would look awesome with this bright pop of white in the middle. It would be a nice way to break up that teal space. With a bed like yours, you almost can’t do a hanging light…we have the same prob. So, we did two large lamps which accommodate two bright bulbs and it’s more than enough, esp with both lamps on. Plus, along with our substantial side tables, they ground the large bed without detracting from it. This light is cute, but I think Ed is jealous and wants the limelight for himself. He’s a diva like that :)
PS, Sorry John, but this light is feminine. It proves how much of a man you are that you chose it :) Real men wear pink! (And pick out flowery dandelion-esque pendant light fixtures for their room :))
YoungHouseLove says
We like it right where it is, but thanks for the suggestion to move it into the guest room! We definitely knew going into this post that it might not be everyone’s cup of tea in our bedroom, but we love the romance and the shot of happy that it brings. Which is good since we’re the ones who have to sleep there. Haha.
xo,
s
Rena says
Beautiful! It looks a lot like the dandelion in the picture that is leaning against your wall.
YoungHouseLove says
How crazy is that? Total coincidence.
xo,
s
tmolly says
Wow! It’s so PERFECT! I want to do something similar in my bedroom, but I’m looking for something a bit more geometric and less flowery. I’ve been scouring the internet for months and have found great DIY tutorials where a paper lantern is covered with fabric flowers, coffee filters, or wax paper for a floaty, feathery look. I can’t quite find what I’m looking for — something more along the lines of a kusudama ball or geodesic sphere.
Do you guys or any of your lovely readers have any suggestions? Any other origami fans out there who have attempted something like this? Thanks for sharing!
YoungHouseLove says
Does anyone have any ideas for tmolly? We’ve seen a few great DIY lights on Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy so maybe those are a few good places to look?
xo,
s
Sara says
For those digging the light: it looks fabulous with a dash of colour, too. I’d love to see one done in a riot of colours, hanging in a play room.
http://www.ikeahackers.net/2010/11/maskros-flower.html
YoungHouseLove says
LOVE IT! So much fun. Thanks for sharing the link!
xo,
s
Kelley says
I absoultely adore this fixture. I love Ed the Bed. I also adore 99.9% of everything that you two do in your house. That being said, I don’t think that the bed and the fixture work together. I’m so glad that you guys love it though, that’s the #1 thing.
April says
Very cool light! Even cooler Dr. Pepper T-shirt :) I have one too…but mine should read Dr. Pepper Addict. But seriously, the light looks good and gives off a romantic glow.
Jessie says
I LOVE the light, but I don’t love the placement. I’m curious to see how it would look over your dining room table!
Totally not a criticism, though.
Design really is such a personal thing. I really don’t share very many of the same tastes as you, but it’s a moot point because your posts are INSPIRING. Just because I don’t like the style of something you choose, doesn’t mean I can’t take the idea and make it fit to my style. And for that, I love you guys. You have given me ENDLESS ideas and inspiration for our house (when we buy one). Keep doing what you’re doing. I’m loving it, even when I’m not loving it. :)
Lindsay says
Hey! Is the art in the floor that’s leaning against the wall by the window new, or something you’ve had? I see the one pic looks kind of dandelionish…
Lindsay says
And it seems someone else just noticed that, too! haha
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that too funny?! That’s an old Ikea print that we had hanging next to the door in our last house, but the frame broke about a week ago (bummer) so it’s just been leaning around the house (and recently moved into the bedroom). How crazy is that, I didn’t even notice the connection to the lamp!
xo,
s
Sarah S says
I hate to say it, but it really doesn’t add much design to the space. The new fixture is fun, but it’s overwhelming and distracting instead of subtle and designed well. I hope you reconsider and look for something that compliments instead of upstages.
Heather says
I read Julia M’s comment that voiced concerns about criticism comments. I commented earlier, a non-rave review, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy your blog or work. Putting yourself out in the bloggosphere and making it your jobs now, leave you open to opinions. I feel like you two really get that people are voicing their opinions. I think that replys mean that people are reading your blog. That’s a good thing!
YoungHouseLove says
Totally! You can scroll back to a few other posts where we’ve shared our philosophy about suggestions or concerns when it comes to the things that we bring into our house. In short, our philosophy is and always will be a resounding: to each his own! Sometimes there’s a fist pump as I shout it for good measure.
xo,
s
Maggie says
Love the bold choices. One question – I know S&J won’t know the answer yet b/c the fixture is new, but do the flowers lose their shapely curves over time? I would be afraid that they would begin to droop or flatten out as gravity did its thing. Anyone already in possession of the light have any experience?
YoungHouseLove says
Anyone care to weigh in for Maggie? We’d love to hear! And we definitely plan to share our experiences with cleaning and just enjoying this light over the years. Stay tuned for those riveting details. Haha.
xo,
s
Christie DeSilva says
The fixture has only been out just over a year, however, mine is suspended from a 20′ ceiling. It’s the larger version. We’ve had it just over a year. So far, so good. The top ones aren’t flat (which was my big concern) and the bottom ones are a tiny bit more rounded but I wouldn’t have realized that unless I took a super close look to answer your question.
The good news is (at least for mine) that this item came with a LOT of extra paper flowers, so you can replace ones that get ripped or broken or intercept a nerf football. In my case, the kids grabbed the vacuum attachment and sucked. Sigh…
Also, I kept the box, so I can pop them off and put them back in the box to reshape them.
Best wishes! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my light, and as J & S know…it was very polarizing. Some people walk into my house and say, you know I love you and I love the things you do in your house, but that…needs a match. ;) Hahaha. To each their own. We love our statement piece. It’s definitely a conversation starter and it’s centered over our living room!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! So good to hear that yours has been doing well for over a year! Ours came with lots of extra paper flowers too (which we’ve saved along with one of those boxes that helps them get the perfect curve) so we hope ours holds up for the long haul like yours!
xo,
s
Wintry Mix says
I’m glad to read that the placement vis-a-vis Ed’s bar isn’t at weird in person as it seems looking at the pictures, because that was definitely rubbing me the wrong way. But hey, to each their own!
Now, for more important matters: hurray for the “I’m a Pepper” shirt. Awesome!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, he also has one that says Talk Nerdy To Me, which is a personal favorite of mine.
xo,
s
Tiffany says
Love it! I wish you could redo my house!
XOOX,
http://outfitidentifier.com/
Debbie says
I just wanted to say thank you, I have been wanting MALM dressers for quite some time but haven’t wanted to make the trip to IKEA (6 hours) but thanks to the comments, I found a company that makes trips up there and back for cheaper shipping!! I am SO excited to finally have dressers in my bedroom! Seriously, thank you!
And I LOVE the light! Nice addition!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! Enjoy your dressers!
xo,
s
Kelly says
I have this light in my sewing studio and I adore it. :) I have a vaulted ceiling and it fills my space so perfectly. Mine is the BIG version. My room is on the front of the house and has a big arched window. Occasionally, I leave it on in the evening when we’re going out just so I can look at how cool it looks when we come home. :) It’s very much a statement piece. Gotta love it when you can make such a big “statement” for such a great price. :)
Heather says
Love it… and so happy to see that ceiling fan GONE!!!
Karla says
How fun! It looks so great and I love the ambience at night!
laura says
Hey John and Sherry! I was wondering if you could do a post on how your cleaning schedule/technique has changed since you moved into your new home? Have you changed anything from your previous methods due to the size of this house? Also, has moving into the new house and/or having Clara shaken up your home-keeping roles at all? I know that John did the laundry and cooking and Sherry did the cleaning, but has that changed since having Clara or the need to now clean a bigger home?
Thanks so much! Love you guys!
Laura
YoungHouseLove says
Good suggestion! We’ll add it to our post list for sure. It’s admittedly very long, but we’ll try to tackle it soon!
xo,
s
Ange says
I saw that fitting in a cafe in September last year, & loved it! They had 2 of them & they were huge. I took pictures of them on my phone to send to my friend, I liked them so much. Not long after that, I found out they were from Ikea. It would make me smile too, if I could find a place for it in my home.Some of the angles of the pictures do make it look like an odd choice, but my favourite is the reflection in the mirror. So pretty!
Laura says
The light is a huge improvement over the ceiling fan!:) I gotta say though, I’m not a big fan of ceiling medallions. They look like paper plates to me, and in my (very limited) experience are always hiding something. Do you guys consider medallions to be short term solutions until more permanent repairs to the ceiling can be made? Or do you really like the look of the medallions in your and your daughter’s room? Would you ever put one up even if it weren’t needed?
YoungHouseLove says
We actually love the ceiling medallion with this light since it added some nice balance since the little nub at the top of the Ikea fixture looked a little weird to us (the wider medallion seemed to balance out the big fat dandelion shape if that makes sense). But of course it’s a personal preference thing like anything else! We probably wouldn’t add one to every fixture, but we don’t mind them in the nursery or in here – so we’re not planning to take them down and repair the drywall or anything soon. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ryan says
How hard is it to change the bulb? Do you have to take it apart?
YoungHouseLove says
We totally wondered the same thing while staring at it in the showroom! The good news is that you just reach in and change it. Simple. The rods and the flowers are kinda flexible, so they can just be pushed aside.
xo,
s
Chloe says
I love watching the progress of your house and can’t wait to see the eventual finished product. Even when I’m not 100% on a choice I know that you’ll pull it all together and I’ll be completely blown away!
I am in love with that light. I just have to touch it every time I walk past it in Ikea!
Amy says
We just posted something similar today! http://www.trianglehoneymoon.com/2011/03/02/hesaidshesaidceilingfans/
Samantha Deitch says
Pssst… my YHL favorite posts are the ones where you get new (or new-to-you) things.
Don’t tell anyone I said that.
Looks SO good. 100%.
Elizabeth says
Are you guys even old enough to remember the original “I’m a Pepper” television commercials?
A classic.
….now singing at my desk…”be a Pepper…drink Dr. Pepper…oh yeah…”
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I didn’t but John did. We’re the same age so it probably just means I have a bad memory. Haha.
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Not to be missed…lol…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQPN3UKQM-U
And it says it’s from c.1979…sooo I feel old now.
YoungHouseLove says
Don’t look now, but John was born in 81 and I was born in 82. Too funny that he knows the song anyway!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I think they may have recycled it years later…sort of like the “two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun” Big Mac ads!
Here is one more version…I think you guys should re-create these for Clara’s amusement. ;-) (Am I the only one who physically winks when typing that?)
YoungHouseLove says
Ten points for winking while typing the winking emoticon. Hilarious.
xo,
s
Kyle says
ACK! I saw this at a restaurant near our house in the DR and totally went paparazzi on it a couple of months ago; I LOVE it and took the pics in the hopes of A) sending them to you guys–it made me think of you– and B) DIYing it because I was SURE that it was something designer and pricey. IT’S IKEA!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it. That’s some me-level enthusiasm there. I totally know how you feel. Happy dance in progress over here in your honor.
xo,
s
Angela says
I really love your bedroom, and the new light fixture. I appreciate how you are trying to incorporate bolder colors in your new home as opposed to the light neutrals in the first house. I think you have done a great job incorporating punches of color in your master bedroom without it being jarring and shocking.I imagine that it still remains such a peaceful space to unwind, relax and sleep in.
Well done!!
Laura C in Indy says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
Alysce says
I would love to put this light fixture in a baby girl nursery!
Rebecca says
Just got an e-mail…leather rolled back parsons chairs are on sale for $79.00 dollars over on Home Decorators Collection.
They have them in Kiwi too. Sherry, I’m not sure if it’s close enough to the apple green you were going for, but thought it was worth a mention.
Love the new addition above ED the bed!
YoungHouseLove says
Love them! They’re already on our short list. And thanks so much for the heads up to make sure we knew about them!
xo,
s
Liz says
I have to say at first I wasn’t completely lovin’ it, but the added pictures completely won we over. And I SO LOVE the idea of using it with a medallion.. I would have never thought of that! I’d love to see a picture of it at night without the lamps on. I’m sure the shadows would be awesome!
Kate says
Wow, as always you guys are brilliant at finding the right accessories to make a room pop. One of the last pictures with all the lights on is amazing!
P.S.-I love how you guys are branching out with the color schemes. I too am trying to get out of my comfort zone and try new colors in my world!
lonely wife project says
I almost bought that lamp for my dining room and seeing it in your space makes me realize how much I love it!
Janette says
While the piece is pretty, I think it is too big for the space. Also, too much Ikea between the bed and the light–seems like everyone has it and I would hope for something a little more out of the box from you.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey, whatever makes us happy. Right? That’s kind of our house philosophy. We loved falling asleep under it last night and we’re looking forward to tonight. We probably adore it more than two people should love a light fixture. Haha.
xo,
s