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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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.
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?
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…
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…
LeAnna says
Wow! That’s awesome!! Must be so fun to let your creativity flow in another arena. I also love that you shopped your own collection!
Question for you…have you done a tutorial/project on converting an indoor light into an outdoor one? I am eye-ing your Large Wire Globe Lantern and thinking it would look great on my back patio but it would need to be able to withstand rain/the elements. Thought I’d ask to see if you had any info on that subject or if it’s even possible! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We haven’t tackled that yet. Anyone have a tutorial?
xo,
s
jill says
Ohmygosh, this is so exciting! And the shade with your logo made me tear up a bit. Really, you two have done a marvelous thing here in providing affordable lamp help. My two house-deficiencies are lighting and windows and you just took care of one! (Actually, your book also takes care of the other.) Thank you!
Rosemary Palmer says
How did you know that I was going to need 2 new fixtures for my kitchen? Hope to find them locally. I’m old school and love to touch, feel, and see things before I buy, but if you designed it, I’m sure it can be trusted. See you in a few (Atlanta) – after my Grand Caymen trip.
Lisa says
We have lived in our “new” home for 1 1/2 years. The dining room lamp has always seemed out of place. I’ve been looking for something to replace it. When I saw your new fixture in your dining room I started dancing. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! I was super nervous that it was going to be something you upcycled and I wouldn’t be able to duplicate it here in NE. Lucky for me you did one better! Whoot-woo for me, I just bought the large wire globe in the midnight color. I can’t wait for it to arrive!!!!! (Insert happy dance here. It’s a cross between Elaine’s dance style from Seinfeld and Phoebe’s running style from Friends.)
jill says
And I just saw “Burger Tan” in the decal list of colors! Love it!
Ashley S says
Congrats! My favorite is the metal strap drum or the wire globe, but those ikat-like prints have me completely inspired! I can’t believe you guys made time to design a lighting collection on top of everything else you do!
melissa says
Oh and TOTALLY requesting the Large Globe one for my birthday in March!!!!
Brittany says
I just ordered the large wire globe lantern in smoke gray this morning! Thanks for making these so affordable! I have a chandelier addiction and know how pricey they can be. I usually have to DIY in order to afford what I love. They all are fantastic and I’m loving the fact that this time the only DIY required is installing. Can’t wait to see it in my living room!
BrookeJ says
A-MAZING! Can’t wait to look through the entire collection! They look gorgeous and way more pricey than they are. Congrats!
Lee Ann says
Love, love, love this collection! You guys did a great job and there are so many possibilities. I’m finishing up a re-do of my guest room and I have a corner that’s just screaming for a Burger pendant to hang over a chair.
Congrats on your newest venture!
qs777 says
Love the one you have over your dining room table! I was looking for something just like it, but they were too expensive. I got a birdcage candelabra on clearance at HomeGoods, but I wish I had waited. It was only $25 so maybe I can have both. Love the appliques idea. Not sure if anyone asked this, but are they removable?
YoungHouseLove says
They are! There’s more info in the description for them on the product page. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alison lengen says
Yay!!! You guys deserve it! Congrats!
Jenn says
Congratulations! You guys have had such an amazing few years – Can’t wait to see what’s in store for you next!
Jenn
With Luck
Mish says
What the what!?!? Awesomeness!! We just bought our first home and we’ll be moving in sometime in March. Never too early to stock up on cool lamps…even though they may be in storage for a few months.
Wishing you even greater things to come in 2013!! :-))
Sara says
SO in love with your collection! Congrats!!!
Andrea says
Oh my gosh. You guys! I love ALL of them! And I just showed them to the hubster and he loves them too! You need to stop doing this or everything in our house is going to have some kind of YHL story behind it, haha :-)
Paulina J! says
This couldn’t happen to two of the nicest people on this planet!!! I’m so happy for you guys. Congrats! I’m definitely getting one of those globe lights for my foyer!!!
22209 says
Yes, thank you for keeping these affordable! The price point is making me think about buying two of the bubble glass pendants, and DIYing them so they both hang from the same canopy. Do you think this might work?
YoungHouseLove says
I think as long as you could safely wire each of them, connecting them so they hung together would look awesome!
xo,
s
Julie C says
I love your lights!! I’ve been wanting to replace our dining room fake brass chandelier and ugly kitchen light since we moved into our house 2 years ago. I’ve been waiting for something more affordable and this is it! I have a question though; our dining room and kitchen are in the same room. Should we go matchy-matchy with the globe lanterns? We have green walls (Happy Camper by Behr)with black appliances and white counter tops and a little stainless steel thrown in. I’m thinking all ORB or ORB with Teal in the kitchen. What do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
I think I’d do two of the same color, just so one doesn’t look heavier than the other and it feels balanced. There are other accents, art, curtains that you can add to differentiate the two areas so it shouldn’t be too matchy :)
xo,
s
Katherine says
Such an exciting project to bring to fruition! Congrats!!
Sarah says
Congrats! I love that you guys were able to stay true to yourselves and keep the lighting within a budget. I’m sure they’re already selling really well!
I’d love to see a post about what the product design process was like. I’ve always wondered how it works for bloggers/authors to design something–how hands on you get to be, how much they help you with design ideas, etc. It sounds like an awesome opportunity and completely intimidating at the same time. Reading about your book process was really interesting so I hope we get to learn more about this process too!
YoungHouseLove says
That would be a really fun post! We’ll have to add it to the list!
xo,
s
Shelley @ Green Eggs and Hamlet says
What a great idea. I’d love to see a post like this as well because I too really enjoyed the ones about the book writing process.
Taylor says
I think I just peed a little with excitement! Hey, I’ve had a kid; it happens.
YoungHouseLove says
Bwahahahaha.
xo,
s
Ami says
Love, love, love this collection! Congratulations!
Kara says
OMG. You guys have just made my lighting dreams come true. For five years I have been looking for something to replace the gold chain monstrosity of a pendant light in my kitchen. I think I’ve fallen in love with the bubble glass pendant!
Casey says
WHAT! So exciting, you Petersiks! I love them… congrats!
Katie says
Congratulations! Love all of the fixtures and the decals are a great idea. Now I feel I must have the wire globe in midnight in the foyer of our raised ranch. Off to see what in my house I can consign/return/sell in order to get it! :)
Katie says
Congrats — that is so cool! I’ve been looking for a few new fixtures and think I may have found them in your collection :)
Shelley @ Green Eggs and Hamlet says
Congratulations! I’m going to play the what’s my favorite part game – the farmhouse pendant and the Burger shade. I’m thinking I may have to get the Burger pendant for my office which has a bit of a dog theme.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha I love that you played that game!
xo,
s
Dara says
Ohh I am soo excited for you guys! Do you know how hard it is to find a shade with a good pattern? Well, now its not, I’m so in love with your designs. Two thumbs up!
meg says
Um, amazing!!
O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with the Burger shade! ! !
Jenny says
Congrats! How exciting :)
I actually stopped by the Richmond store today after reading this post- I wanted to check out the triple tone ikat shade, but I didn’t see the shades in there. Do you know when they will be in the store?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a great question! Maybe give them a call and ask?
xo,
s
Rebecca says
OH I can’t wait to get my hands on one of your creations! I’m literally drooling over that bright yellow farmhouse pendant!!!
Kristin says
Congrats! That is sooo cool! And what great designs!
Melissa Shipman says
I love these!! I’m pretty sure I need the yellow farmhouse pendant in my life…like yesterday. Funny coincidence that I just posted about painting light fixtures in our new house today. (http://lovinghere.com/mini-makeover-kitchen-edition-1/) Now I’m super inspired to find/buy/paint some more! Congratulations! This is so awesome!
Steph says
Wow! Congratulations! I know it sounds dorky but I seriously get so proud at every new big thing you guys post! I am so in love with the collection and I’m SO happy Shades of Light was so willing to accommodate with you guys with keeping it affordable!
That picture of Burger is one of my favorites on the entire internet. I think you should just sneak it into a post every couple months because I can’t NOT laugh every time I see it.
Bec from Aus says
You guys are amazing!!! I don’t know how you do everything! I have my hands full with a 5 years and uni but the amount of stuff you guys seem to squeeze into a day is crazy (I’m thinking you must have a travel thingy like in Harry potter) seriously, you guys should be sooooo proud of yourselves, your a true inspiration in so many ways
Best of luck :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Bec! We love you!
xo,
s
Begoña says
LOVE THEM ALL!!!!! Seriously, love them. Congratulations!!!!!!
Kathie G says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! I can’t wait to find you in my next Shades catalog. I want to rush to Broad St to see that iron masterpiece in person and treat myself to some Chipotle :) Congratulations!
Jessica@HomewithBaxter says
Congrats on your collection. I love Shades of Light. Can’t wait to check it out!
Seren says
Thanks to you guys !
This collection is great and I just love those daily meetings with you !
Every morning and every night, I check up your website and I often flip trough the pages of house crashing too. M and I both worked into the architecture and love to renovate house and create stuff but YOU TWO have so wonderful ideas, it’s a pleasure to witness some of this process.
We just finished to renovate a house near Paris and we started last week to sketch up our next big project : an old huge house in Burgundy (yep like the delicious wine) and guess what is the book on my nightstand… yours !
So thanks again to you for everything !
A French addict !
YoungHouseLove says
That’s amazing! Thanks for reading our blog!
xo,
s
Jen says
Congratulations!
Guess who know what she’s going to spend her $100 Christmas check on?! I have been looking for a white drum pendant to replace our very outdated ceiling fan in our sitting room since we moved in 2.5 years ago. My original price was under $100…. 2.5 years later, I STILL haven’t found one!! I just told myself that I would have to raise my price point to $120-$150 range but now I don’t have to!! Thanks! I’m going to be ordering the white metal strap drum pendant tonight!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo!
xo,
s
Reem says
Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy….
I just had lights installed in my kitchen, nursery and living room. I paid over $200 for those globe looking lights. I would have LOVED to have had yours instead. The “whyyy” was beacuse I wish I knew before, not beacuse I am not happy for you : )
I am beyond happy for you. Congratualtions, you guys rock!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you’re so sweet Reem!
xo,
s
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
CONGRATS! Love all of them! I think I need to go visit the store in Richmond!!
shanna says
Wow, you guys, this is huge and wonderful. Congratulations! And thank you — I’m currently in the midst of a divorce and had to move out of the home that I adored more than words can say. I like my new space, but I am renting, and while my landlord is great and is letting me paint (neutral colors of course), there are certain things like *horrid* light fixtures that I can’t really change out. Your collection will enable me to update the fixtures temporarily and inexpensively, and, blissfully make the home much more my style. Thanks for helping make my new home more, well, homey. xo
YoungHouseLove says
Aw that’s so sweet! All the best to you Shanna!
xo,
s
Sasha says
Always leave this blog with the biggest smile on my face. :) Congratulations on the amazing lamps :) think i might “splash out” and buy some. :) just need to figure out the tax rules here in England :)
You are a blessing to follow, you make my day, find myself excitedly awaiting the posts of the coming week every Friday. Like your a thrilling DIY/family tv-serie ;) hehe.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Sasha!
xo,
s
Momcat says
AAAYYYEEEEE!!! That’s me screaming with happiness! I am getting ready to redo my laundry room, and I need a light fixture!! I saw the gorgeous one in your dining room on last week’s post, and thought that would be perfect! SO FUNNY that you are now announcing this!
Haven’t yet taken the time to read all the responses, but are these available in SoL stores here in RVA?
SO SO SO happy! I don’t have a chihuaha, but that gray Burger shade might have to find its way into my house…. I LOVE it!
I’m so very happy for you and because of you!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Momcat! We think if you call then they can tell you what they have on hand in the store. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
kate says
Yea! Congrats you entrepreneurial rascals you! And thank you! I’ve been waiting for a light that I not only loved but could afford for a newly renovated staircase with high ceiling. Hello Mr. Small Wire Globe Lantern, you have a new home!
Amy says
WOW! You two are incredible! I’m sure you don’t sleep
(Edward and Bella perhaps?) but I am certainly glad you don’t! Can’t wait to get my paws on one of these beauties!
Nicole says
Congratulations – beautiful collection!
lisa says
Love the lights.
Now I want you to focus on developing a line of fun reasonably priced rugs, perhaps for Dash and Albert, FLOR or West Elm. They all have decent options but would benefit from your fresh colors and patterns.
I’ve been looking for the right rugs for a while . . .
YoungHouseLove says
That would be fun!
xo,
s