Design*Sponge » lighting

best of: chandeliers

Amy Azzarito — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:20 +0000

I’ll spare you the obvious comparisons to earrings (just know that I’m really holding back here!), but in my mind, there’s not a room in the home that could do without a little chandelier magic. (Full disclosure: my very first column for Design*Sponge was about chandeliers, so I’m a little sentimental about the topic!) In searching through the sneak peek archives, I found plenty of fellow chandelier lovers — chandeliers in and over bathrooms, bedrooms, stairwells and dining room tables! If there’s space on the ceiling, chances are someone has tried to put a chandelier there. And if there’s no ceiling space, they can even look stunning as sculpture! — Amy A.

Image above: The chandelier as a sculpture in this three-room Berkeley, California, bungalow from sneak peek: diva of linea carta.

Image above: A modern chandelier hangs over a window seat in a home just outside London, from sneak peek: gemma ahern.

Image above: From sneak peek: maya marzolf of le grenier

Image above: A small crystal chandelier adds sparkle to the cool, gray room of “Behind the Bar” editors and Horne owners, Ryan and Alissa Walker.

Image above: This little kitchen alcove gets some chandelier glitz, from sneak peek: melanie coddington.

CLICK HERE for 20 more beautiful chandeliers!

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before & after: ruler pendant lamp + gilded floral mirror

Kate Pruitt — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:00:21 +0000

I really love old-school supplies, especially wooden rulers (I once used them en masse for a store display and had to collect several hundred . . . that’s how much I like them), so I was delighted to see this ruler lampshade project from Blair in my inbox the other day. After coveting a much more expensive version, Blair decided to take matters into her own hands and make this cool retro ruler lamp for over her desk, which I’m sure has far more appeal than the mass-produced version. Great job, Blair! — Kate

Time: 1.5 hours

Cost: $15

Basic Steps: I began by measuring the length of my lampshade and cutting/sanding the ends of my yardsticks so that they were a little longer than the shade. My shade was just below 9″ in length. Perfect — each yardstick (36″ = yard) made 4. To evenly space the rulers around the shade, I used masking tape to align the tops of the rulers with the top of the shade. Once the tops were in place, I used more masking tape to attach the bottoms of the rulers to the bottom of the shade. I went around the shade quite a few times making sure the spacing was as close to perfect as possible.

Finally, I removed the masking tape from the bottom of the shade one ruler at a time and lifted it while keeping the top of the ruler taped to the top of the shade. I added hot glue and then replaced the bottom of the ruler to the base of the shade maintaining my spacing. Hot-glue the remaining rulers . . . and you’re finished! I love the Ruling The Roost Lampshade from Roost Living, but couldn’t shell out $495 dollars for a lampshade. A little patience (while searching the flea market for my own vintage yardsticks) and a little flexibility (a standard empire shade vs. a more expensive drum shade), and I am even more in love with my own version! — Blair

Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)

CLICK HERE to check out Miriam’s gilded floral mirror after the jump!

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before & after: door headboord + suitcase picnic set

Kate Pruitt — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:00:13 +0000

I’m not in the market for a new headboard, but sometimes I see projects that make me wish otherwise. This door-turned-headboard by Angela is so simple, and yet it creates such an amazing result. The character of the wood seems far better than any modular, mass-produced headboard of a similar style, and I love the versatility of this simple piece. Great execution, Angela! — Kate

Time: 4 hours (spread out over a few days, mostly time spent stripping the paint)

Cost: $30 ($10 for the door and $20 for paint stripper and polyurethane)

Basic Steps: The first step was to clean the door up and decide which side was best to use. Next we cut the door to the width of a queen-sized bed using a circular saw. To create a straight edge to run the saw, we clamped down a straight poplar board and made sure the straight edge was perfectly perpendicular to the door using a square. Then we made a cut on each end to center the panels to the bed. Next we sprayed the door with paint stripper and allowed it to soak in. Using a stiff blade, we removed the paint. This had to be done three times to completely remove all of the layers of paint. Once the paint was removed, we lightly sanded any rough areas including the freshly cut ends.

After the door was sanded, we gave it a good coat of polyurethane, lightly sanded the imperfections and then finished it up with a final coat. Next we mounted it on the wall with a French cleat. This was done with a 1 x 4 scrap board of poplar. The board was cut in half horizontally at a 45-degree angle. One half of the cleat was then mounted to the studs on the wall, and the other half was mounted to the door. The headboard then easily rests on top of the cleat, creating a tight fit. By making the cleat significantly shorter than the width of the door, we were able to easily adjust the headboard from side to side to position it just right for the bed.

We have a few bits of advice for this project — first, find a door with good character to really get a good result. For example, we thought this door worked especially well because of its unique two-panel style and antique key hole. Take your time with the paint stripping; don’t be afraid to do many smaller passes rather than trying to take off the paint all at once. Finally, when hanging the headboard, have a good understanding of where the wall studs are in relation to the desired location for the headboard. This will ensure proper mounting of the cleat. — Angela

Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)

CLICK HERE to see Amy’s vintage lamp transformation after the jump!

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before & after: brass lamp redo + bench makeover

Kate Pruitt — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:00:18 +0000

New lighting can be a great way to a freshen up a room, and there are always so many options available at thrift stores and flea markets; occasionally, a gem can even be found on the side of the road. Amy snagged this lamp-and-shade combo for only $6, and using just a little fabric and paint, she was able to transform it into a lovely new lamp for her living room. Great job, Amy! — Kate

Time: A few hours

Cost: $20

Basic Steps: The first step I took was to basically tape off the areas I didn’t want the spray paint on (e.g., the cord and the top part that the light bulb screws into). I did a couple thin coats of light gray to match the gray accent in the fabric and let it dry for 24 hours. For the lamp shade, I purchased about a yard and a half of some cool, retro, 100% cotton fabric. Folding over the corners, I started glue-gunning the top part first. After that piece is secure, it’s easier to determine how much fabric you need, as the shade isn’t symmetrical on the top and the bottom. Cut the fabric to size, leaving folding room. Glue-gun the rest in place, with the seam in the back, of course. Viola! A brand new (to you) lamp!

Be sure to do lots of thin coats of paint instead of thicker ones at first. The paint will start to drip and create an unwanted effect. You want light, even spraying to make sure you get good, even coverage. It’s more time consuming, but it’s worth it! — Amy

Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)

CLICK HERE to see Sean’s bench transformation after the jump!
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against the woodgrain: lighting

Grace Bonney — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:00:49 +0000

I’ve always been a fan of marquee-style letters and signs. They seem to sparkle and dazzle in a way that makes whatever space they’re decorating feel special and exciting. Last week, Brenna taught us how to make our own paper marquee letters, but I know some people enjoy picking up something that’s already made, or something on a larger scale. This dramatic arrow light is inspired by vintage signs but is actually brand new and hand-cut from steel and framed in pine. Each arrow is made to order and would be perfect for a vintage movie-style wedding or an office or studio that needs a little shine. Click here to check out more pictures and place an order on Etsy ($200). xo, grace

sarah foote pillows

Grace Bonney — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:00:20 +0000

After a meeting in the city yesterday, I couldn’t resist the gravitational pull to check out the newly renovated JCrew store on 5th avenue. And while I found myself drawn to all the sparkliest bits in the store (my shopping companion almost bought the black sequined harem pants. She was braver than I.), I ended up bringing home a few basics that looked slightly boring on the hanger, but seemed to fit seamlessly into my wardrobe to make a handful of easy outfits. I’m trying to remind myself that simple things are better so much of the time — they’re flexible, versatile and you never have to worry about finding something to match them. It was this same “simple can be better” philosophy that drew me to these new pillows from designer Sarah Foote. I loved her intricate wood lighting two years ago, and now she’s back with a beautiful collection of hand-sewn pillows with simple shapes and patterns.

I really love the quilted shapes pillow, but there are several styles to choose from. Sarah also introduced a new lamp that is both simple and sophisticated. If you’re looking to add a few new accessories to your home, click here to check out Sarah’s newest additions. xo, grace

*P.S.: If you’re at the new JCrew, check out the gorgeous lights over the registers. They’re stunning.

*P.P.S.: I have another day of meetings, so I’m going to wrap up an hour early (at 12pm). But we’ll have a full day of content tomorrow including a ton of really great entertaining ideas for the spring.