From moment one of seeing this house, something about the view of a series of three lights all in a row(ish) in the upstairs hallway made us inexplicably excited. Just call it “the tri-light zone” effect. We just knew that arrangement had serious potential. You know, once we looked past the old carpeting and the blue trim.
The existing lights were a little undersized for us (pictures don’t do it justice, but this is a 33 foot long hallway!), so although we considered spray painting them another color (oil-rubbed bronze? red? navy?), I worried it’d make them look a bit more gothic cathedral than we wanted. Plus, all three of them were crooked, one of them had a broken stem, and the middle one was actually bigger than the other two.
I’ve had these fixtures mentally bookmarked for years. Ever since we saw them in a House Crashing that we did in Portland, OR in 2012 I’ve wanted to work them into our home somehow. I like that they’re a mix of classic and modern, and that their dark finish offers some nice contrast but isn’t too heavy looking thanks to all the glass. The good news is that Sherry was with me (we don’t always agree on lights, so sometimes finding something we both like takes a while). The only issue was that the $250 price tag was a bit much for us since we’d need to buy three of them.
We hoped to find something similar at a local lighting outlet that we frequent (and even checked craigslist and the ReStore occasionally) but coming by three identical fixtures was tough. Then Sherry got an email alert about a World Market sale (25% off orders over $150) which lead her to these puppies – and we realized that after the sale they’d be $75 each, which means we could buy all three for less than the price of our single inspiration fixture!
Normally I wouldn’t take you through the installation process again, since I feel like I’ve done lots of posts like these – but I actually picked up a couple of tricks (albeit small ones) from observing the electrician work his magic at the showhouse. Trick #1 being leave the protective packaging on during installation. I guess I’ve always been so eager to unveil our new purchases that the first thing I usually did was strip away all of the plastic, cardboard and styrofoam. But I had a “well duh!” moment watching the electrician leave it all on (well, whatever didn’t interfere with installing it) to help prevent any damage while he worked. Of course he took it off before firing up the power and adding a bulb, but just hanging them with the added protection felt a lot better than rushing to strip it before manhandling things into place.
Obviously I would’ve loved to let these babies hang down on their chains a bit, but our 8ft ceilings weren’t gonna let it happen. So we had to shorten the chain by prying the links open with two pairs of pliers, the tips of which I wrapped in masking tape to keep them from scratching the finish off.
The previous lighting had been a bit low for my 6-foot self (well, the middle one outside of Clara’s room was – since that lantern was inexplicably larger than the other two), so we decided to hang the new lights by just one chain link – which would put them all a couple inches higher than that old middle light (it hung about 75″ from the ground). So even though these are larger scale fixtures, the bottom of each lantern ended up being 77″ from the floor after installation.
But back to the single link method. I kept one link handy, but left a longer string on the fixture for the time being. More on that in a minute.
In addition to shortening the chain, I had to shorten the cord. So using my wire cutters I cut open the wire cover, pulled it off, and then stripped the ends of the white, black, and green wires.
With Sherry supporting the fixture, I connected the wires to the matching ones in the ceiling. Sorry for the grainy pic, but we had the power off so lighting was limited up there.
The second trick I picked up was to hang the fixture low and then raise it to your final desired height. With most light fixtures it’s much easier to raise them (by removing chain or feeding more wire into the ceiling) than to make them lower, especially if you’ve already cut your wire. So not only is this an easier way to get your perfect height, in our case it made installation much easier because Sherry didn’t have to hold the light as high and I wasn’t wiring in such a cramped space between the fixture and the ceiling.
Once everything was secured, I swapped out the long chain for the my single link and pushed the excess wire up into the canopy. You can see my screwdriver tightening the screw that pinches the wire in place.
It still took a fair amount of time to get all three installed. Maybe 3 hours? I always have a tough time guessing since I’m slowed down by photo taking and, in this case, fielding showhouse calls. But in the end we love the result.
Just like the light in our foyer downstairs, we really like the high contrast look that these add. Even the way they tie into the dark door hinges, doorknobs, and the stained stair rail and runner that lead downstairs seems to make things feel more deliberate. They’re a bit oversized for the space, which may bother some folks – but it’s kinda what I dig most about them.
Adding some substantial wainscoting, interesting art, and other hallway updates should definitely bring more balance. So here’s our remaining to-do list:
- Reinstall & maybe modify the doors in front of the laundry area
- Add crown molding (not looking forward to those angles!)
- Add some nice thick wainscoting (it’ll bring more substance to the bottom half of the hallway)
- Get some art going on
Just for fun, here’s a hallway before shot for comparison.
In the function column, I feared that it might be a little darker (going from three 3-bulb fixtures to three single bulbs), but these take a higher wattage (60 instead of 40) and somehow the glass seems to reflect so much that it actually feels brighter. Could also be that half of the old bulbs were burned out too, so there’s that.
Here’s how things look with the clear bulbs that came with the fixtures when they’re on. They throw some angular shadows on the ceiling, but if we want less of that look we can switch them out for frosted bulbs (eventually we’d love to get LEDs in every fixture).
UPDATE! We’ve finally transitioned our entire house to LED lights (they save tons of energy & money, and they’re a lazy person’s best friend because you never have to change them). For anyone wondering, these are our favorite interior LEDs. Their glow is warm & natural (not weird/blue like some of the others we’ve tried) and they use around 90% less energy.
*This post contains affiliate links
Caitlin says
I actually like these lights a lot, but I wanted to offer one serious suggestion. PLEASE paint the newel post on your railing black, to match the bannister. I think that would look infinitely more classic and would tie in so well with the color of these new light fixtures. The white just seems a little “off” to me, and imagining it in black makes me think it would look so great. I’d send you a Photoshop rendering, if I were remotely Photoshop savvy!
YoungHouseLove says
We’ll definitely consider it! Thanks for the thoughts Caitlin!
xo
s
Catherine says
I love how much brighter those new fixtures make the hallway appear!! And I definitely appreciate you passing on those tips/tricks for future lighting adventures. Have you ever considered moving the laundry room to the right, taking up some of the unfinished space beside the attic stairs? You might could even get a window in the laundry (!!!)… just a thought since it’s all still unfinished, it wouldn’t be too disruptive to move the duct and plumbing :) Then the “movie/playroom” down the line would be what you see at the end of the hallway. I can see it in my head, lots of floor pillows, large scale kid art on the walls, maybe a fun bold wallpaper on the end wall to draw you in. Haha! I’m a dreamer ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Unfortunately shifting it right to the right would put it on top of the stairs that lead to the attic (they have a turn in them, so there are about 5 steps right to the right of the laundry room and then you turn and go up around 8 more to the attic that’s over our bedroom, etc). We could bump everything back, but I’m not sure it would be worth the trouble – but we definitely consider “restructuring” ideas for that end of the house since it’s such a blank slate! Thanks for the ideas Catherine :)
xo
s
Sue says
Wow, that is one seriously gorgeous hallway now!
cori says
Maybe someone already said this, but can you post a pic with John underneath one of those lights so we can see the scale? :)
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love to work a picture like that into a future post! In the meantime, if you compare the light outside of Clara’s room to her doorway in this shot, you can get some sense of scale (doorways are 80? from the floor and you can see their relation in that pic). I’m 62?, John’s 72?, and the bottom of the lanterns hit at 77? from the floor :)
xo
s
Tracey V says
I see your blogger BFF had her baby. You’re next. Where’s the count down clock?
YoungHouseLove says
Ahhhh! Three weeks and counting!
xo
s
Michelle says
Love these !! We ordered two of these . Do you think they would look good over an island or entry way ? Any opinion ? Thanks so much
YoungHouseLove says
Both sound awesome to me! Maybe just hold them up and take pics to see if you like them in either/both spots? Good luck Michelle!
xo
s
Jenny B. says
It looks amazingly better!! I actually really like the shadow play. :)
Sara says
Gorgeous! Love the light rays they project on the walls!
Kate says
Glad you like your new lights! What are you planning on doing with the old lights? They style is very similar to a fixture my in-laws gave us that my husband’s grandfather gave them for their home (in RVA), which I love.
YoungHouseLove says
Someone else has asked for them so I told him to email me (we were going to donate them) but if he doesn’t want them or email I’d be happy to pass them along to you!
xo
s
Katie says
Just curious — You typically don’t use the pieces from your own lighting line at SoL. Why not? Maybe they wouldn’t have been perfect for this particular project, but it seems like it would make a lot of business sense to use them as much as you can. Beyond that, you had a hand in designing them, so I’d assume you like the aesthetics they offer.
YoungHouseLove says
We had some in our last house and are actually using a bunch in the showhouse (wahoo! those high ceilings make them look especially amazing) but I don’t know, it feels kinda weird to buy a bunch of our own lights for our own house for some reason. I’m sure some will sneak in here and there (lots of rooms need lights – as in every single one upstairs since they don’t have any, along with the office and dining room, etc) so we’ll have to see where we end up!
xo
s
Lisa says
I love the new lighting in the hall! You guys really know how to make an old house look so new, crisp and so clean!!
Christy says
LOVE THOSE LIGHTS!!! I actually think the shadows are awesome. Gorgeous hallway, who knew a hallway could be so awesome.
Parke says
I know this is pretty far down the road but have you guys ever considered a painted sliding barn door for the laundry nook? That is a project I would LOVE to see you guys do!!
And of course, the new lights look awesome. I can’t believe how much the hallway has come along!
YoungHouseLove says
That would be fun too!
xo
s
chez says
You guys are just so talented! I love these oversized lights. I am not a fan of “dainty” lighting, as evidenced by our entry having a big industrial sputnik-inspired light fixture. You might want to check out the new Cree LED lightbulbs that just came on the market – they’ve been getting some rave reviews. I was just thinking of you today, Sherry, as we were spray-painting some artwork a nice glossy yellow. I wanted to glop it on to get it done in one coat but kept envisioning you saying “several light layers!” :)
YoungHouseLove says
Niice. You tell that spray who’s boss. And thanks for the LED tip!
xo
s
Emily @ Life on Food says
When we pulled up carpet we had to remove the transition pieces between the hall and the bathrooms. There was a unruly gap for the last four months. We finally put in new pieces and I cannot get over how good it looks. Best $4 I spent in a long time.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s totally the little things! Love that.
xo
s
Jen in Texas says
I have to say that I love the way these turned out. I was super-underwhelmed by the inspiration shot but absolutely adore them in your house (you guys are GOOD!) I find it interesting that the larger lamps seem to make the hallway look even longer. Weird perspective thing I guess.
When CFLs first came out we started buying them. However we move a lot and we’ve had some movers refuse to pack them! Nothing like throwing away $100 worth of “forever” bulbs! In our current home we started investing in LEDs, but we have another move coming up. Can’t wait to hear what the movers say this time….
Kathryn says
I think the shadows are my favorite part!
Christa says
These are beautiful, HOWEVER, I can tell that you guys have a little girl and a “baby” boy (to be). As a Mom raising a 9 year old sports loving daughter and a 10 year old sports obsessed son, these would be a safety nightmare!! Our son is routinely tossing anything “ball” like throughout the house. It’s impossible to stop and I welcome the activity in cold weather anyways. All it’s going to take is a perfect pass to himself/herself down that long hallway and…….crash!! Just a thought for the future…..:)
Helen says
It looks great! Except it kinda highlights how stark the hallway is without pictures and such, haha. Think you’ll put some up later on?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, art is definitely on our to-do list for the hallway, along with crown, the wainscoting we mentioned, etc.
xo
s
Amber says
These are great!! You should get some edison bulbs for them….a friend recently got some at restoration hardware for a new fixture and it looks amazing!
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/category/products.jsp?categoryId=cat550006
Tommy Voyd says
The light really fits with your beautiful home!
ellie says
The shadows the lights cast on the walls look a little like a honeycomb…which I find fitting!
sally says
Thanks for the great walk through tutorials,loving how your new home is coming along :)
Little tip I learnt in a jewlery class, bend the links side ways to separate as they put less strsin on the metal and are way easier to close back up.
Looking forward to seeing more of your DIY-ing.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that tip!
xo
s
Nicky says
I seriously LOVE Sherry’s photobomb in the grainy pic. The look on your face :)
Alba Llorente says
I really like this lamps. I’m an interior designer specialist in lighting. I would like to share with you some of my inspirations: Delightfull (www.delightfull.eu), Tom Dixon (www.tomdixon.net).
Kathryn says
I know lightbulbs are seen as a feature in and of themselves these days, but being able to see a naked bulb on display just makes me think of basements or prisons. I hide those suckers away by something that diffuses, or I feel I have to stumble and squint in the one place I should feel most comfortable. I’m afraid those shadows are a bit too vertigo-inducing, funhouse-vibe for my taste too.
But, as always, I love how you both go through the process of decision-making, compromise, deal-finding, and customising for your own space. Especially liked John’s emphasis on the new tricks he’s picked up. Learning never ends!
Korie says
All I can say is… those lights are yummy…. I actually want to pet them (channeling my inner-Sherry) :)
Hannah says
LOVE these!! quick question! we have 8 ft. ceilings also and i have such a hard time finding lights that are awesome but will work with low ceilings! they look great in your hall…so i was thinking something like this may work in our foyer and then at the top of the stairs where the landing is. do you feel like these hang low for y’all or do you feel like the height is good? (does this even make any sense? HA!)
YoungHouseLove says
The height seems great for us (they’re about 77″ from the floor and John’s 6′, so he’s 72″ tall). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Sharon Laird says
So much better. Your house is looking really beautiful. Great job!
Susan says
I just made a “swoon” lighting purchase @ World Market for Master Closet–Hope ours’ work out as well as yours! Btw, the electrical engineer at our house has a long-standing love affair with LED. He started replacing our bulbs, one by one, over a year ago. (Cree @ HD is really nice.) I now prefer the light of ‘warm’ LED to incandescent–never going back to Mr. Edison–and the engineer does a happy dance with the power bill.every.month.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip! We have heard good things about Cree!
xo
s
Amy says
Of course I love that you showed the before and after pics because how soon we forget what it looked like when you began this transformation. It’s like seeing a butterfly emerge from a cocoon!! Needless to say, it is sooo much brighter and just plain gorgeous, like a decorator’s show house. And I have serious floor envy… So, next year? …$10 tickets at your door for a few weekends in May? It would be a big hit! To support the Bean, Bun & Burger fund. :D
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, you’re so sweet Amy!
xo
s
Janna says
These look awesome! Have you thought of using oversized bulbs in them? We did it in our larger fixtures and the scale looks so much better!! See what im talking about with this light (also a steal of a deal!):
http://www.swooninteriors.com/2011/06/blog-post.html
YoungHouseLove says
That would be fun! Thanks for the link!
xo
s
Laura B. says
Hi. Those are nice. Are they led lightbulb compatible? Where else do you like to look for lights?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, they take LEDs. I think we just look for something we like, and make sure the measurements work (and they’re listed for where we want to use them – like outdoor if they’re going out there).
xo
s
My Crappy House says
Funny you should be posting about hall happenings. I just posted about adding crown to my crazy angled hallway yesterday…
I Crown Thee, Crappy House
I love the new fixtures. Your hallway looks bright and happy.
Laura B. says
Hi. Can led light bulbs be used in those?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup!
xo
s
Amber says
Did you guys paint your trim in your current home with oil or latex? We had to use oil paint and it appears more yellow than white. I was hoping for a crisp bright white.
YoungHouseLove says
We used latex. Maybe try oil-based primer + latex paint for future rooms?
xo
s
Amber says
I think you mentioned this in another post…what color white do you use for your trim?
YoungHouseLove says
Simply White by Ben Moore.
xo
s
Amber says
Thanks!
Sapphira says
Those lights are the bomb-diggity! I’m in love with all of those geometric shadows it throws all over the place! Too bad our hallway is smaller than a postage stamp…..
Also can I just say how much I love the photo of Sherry creepin’ in the background while John is connecting the wires? #dothecreep #keepitreal
caroline [the diy nurse] says
WOW. Looks stunning – very showhouse ;P
robin says
I know you probably don’t need yet another opinion, but why not Edison bulbs?
YoungHouseLove says
John is an undertone diva and he thinks they’re too yellow. So funny!
xo
s
Barbara says
What color did you use in the hallway??
YoungHouseLove says
That’s Stonington Gray by Ben Moore.
xo
s
Chrissy says
I rarely comment, but just had to say, this is one of my favorite projects I have seen yet! You are right about the hallway. We spend so much time passing through, but I’ve never really given much thought to it’s design. This post has inspired me! Also, “trilight zone” is hilarious.
Lori says
LOVE! Just a tip for next time from a jewelry maker: open chain links like jump rings, by twisting them side to side, rather than pulling them open. They’re a lot easier to put back together that way, and it helps the link keep its original shape. :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Love that. Thanks!
xo
s
Kirsten Oliphant says
I love seeing the before and afters of your house, esp this hallway. I actually showed some of these photos to my husband as we’ve been looking at houses that need reno/updates, just to show him how much things like trim and flooring transform a space. Love. The new lights are fabulous.
Dolly says
I love the lights in the hallway! I think they make a great visual statement. For your laundry room door, how about a door with a frosted glass top and laundry stencil like this door’s “after” pic: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-an-old-door-salva-147151
YoungHouseLove says
That would be awesome!
xo
s
Cassie says
Great light fixtures! They fit your hallway perfectly, and I LOVE the shadows created on the wall by them.
Jennifer says
You said the two of you don’t always agree on lighting decisions. I’d love to see a post where you share John’s initial favorites for a space, Sherry’s initial favorites for a space, and what you ultimately decided on. My husband and I also tend to not always agree on lights, and we end up compromising, but sometimes I wonder if it’s harder to make the compromise light work because it doesn’t necessarily fit neatly in either of your visions for the room.
YoungHouseLove says
That would be a really fun post! We disagree on stuff all the time, so I should start snapping pics of what I vote for and what he votes for and what we end up going with.
xo
s
Rachel says
Funny about the 77 inches thing…we just replaced an old chandelier in our home with a moravian star pendant, and, just eyeballing it, chose our height and took out the extra chain links. After reading your post, I was curious about the height of our own light for tall family members who may stop by, so I busted out the tape measure. I was so surprised to find that the bottom of the light is exactly 77 inches! Glad to know it can pass the tall-person test!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! I love that!
xo
s
Cary says
No doubt about it. Those hanging ceiling lamps look marvelous. They have a sort of an old, yet fascinating look about them. Was checking several of these at http://www.interior.deluxe.com but have not yet made a purchase decision.
Laura says
These are absolutely stunning! I love the shadows cast on the walls from them — perfection :)
Lauren says
Funny, I actually just finished hanging a chandelier and had to take off some chains. Sweet tip to wrap the pliers with tape, never thought of it!