Over the last week, I've been a little under the weather (negative Covid test, no worries there!) and I took some time to rest which translated into some time to think. I thought about how far we've come over the last year or so in this house. I thought about where we're headed and a few places where we need to pivot or push it further! With the exterior nearly completed (we have a bunch of fun updates for you there this week!), the "modern" part of our modern cottage is really taking shape out there which made me think--where are we representing the modern aesthetic inside?!
I've been going hard on the traditional, cottage-y notes but as our bathroom comes together (with lots of traditional elements but super modern faucets), I'm reminded DON'T FORGET THE MODERN everywhere else too!!! Because, oops, in some places I haaavveee. But fortunately, no room is ever marked with a "done" stamp. My favorite place to bring in modern touches? Lighting! There's nothing like an unexpectedly modern light in a traditional setting that bends all the rules and makes you do a double take. It feels quirky and cool. Almost every room I'm drawn to lately has vintage and wallpaper and traditional and an uber modern light of sorts somewhere. It makes all the difference.
The epiphany came just in time for me to order a light for Faye's room. We went all in on a trad bed and charming bedding (more about that here). I'd love to get some curtains with a small pattern on it and then--boom! A fun, modern fixture hanging from the ceiling. While her room was torn apart, we had an electrician add a box right above her bed in the vaulted portion of her room, which strangely didn't have any lights previously.
Right now, I'm leaning toward a bubble chandelier! It feels fun and quirky and playful and modern but will also tie into the spindles on her bed.
Two of my favorite examples are this living room from Stoffer Home:
And this countryside sitting room from Chango & Co:
I've had a lot of you request more behind the scenes with design decisions, so I thought it would be important to share how I make these kinds of decisions but also why. Sometimes even I forget--oh yeah, we're going for MODERN cottage, not just cottage.
Here are a few of my favorite bubble lights that I'm deciding between for Faye's room! Which is your favorite?:
1. Clear Blown Glass Bubble Pendant $199
2. Saic Together Pendant Light $296
3. Bubbles Brass Ring Pendant $399
4. Satin Gold Chandelier $485
5. Bronzeville Wide Abstract Chandelier $485
6. Pelle Gooseneck Chandelier $639
7. Ramona Recycled Glass Chandelier $699
8. Cielo Chandelier $800
9. Cielo 3 Light 33" Wide Chandelier $1065
Leave a Reply
WE'RE CHRIS + JULIA
Portfolio
Projects
I love how #6 conveys movement....or is that just me?
4 and 5 would look so cute with the bed????
We have been deliberating over a modern light fixture for our dining room in an old, OLD farm house and many of these are in the top of my list too! I personally love #6 & 8.
I like #1 :)
I put the Cielo 6-light (20 globes) over my massive kitchen island and I LOOOVE it, but I will say installation was intense. The electricians put it in, but then I had to go back and arrange all the globes individually. Each globe has its own length adjustment you can tweak. I ended up removing them all and replacing them one at a time. I've never wished for something to be made out of plastic so much, but I wish those globes were...each time you mess with one, the whole mass of them moves around like a giant breakable amoeba. But the visual impact is unbeatable :)
8 - it looks like balloons. Fun!
They're all beautiful. I do prefer opaque bulbs/covers for bedrooms because it feels softer when you don't see the light bulb.
8 - go all in on the modern since everything else isn’t.
I like 1, 2 and 8 some of the others look too much. Too Big, Too bubbly too . . .
I can see #6 in there as it reminds me of a carousel with the horses going up and down as they circle around. So whimsical yet traditional.
I have that chandelier in my home, and the scale surprised me. It is smaller in person than I anticipated. I don’t think it would work in that room, but in a smaller room it is very charming.
I love number 1 or 7. Have you considered letting Faye weigh in on the decision?
1 & 5
I love the bubble chandelier and have been looking for something similar for our nursery! The cloud-like vibes are dreamy! In your search did you happen to come across any semi-flush mount options? 8 foot ceilings are cramping my style.
I put a bubble light in my studio/home office and it’s my favorite light fixture in the house! My style is very modern :).
Am sure you will pick a great one-am here to comment the cozy seating arrangement in the first photo! Love that coffee table (actually I think there are two of them placed close together) and I especially love the placement between the couches. Close enough so you can actually use it easily and allows for just the right distance between the couches so that conversation would be easy and naturally comfortable! Would love to see this arrangement if front of your fireplace!
#8!
I love them all, but my practical brain always says... DUST!
Oh these are so fun! For a kid's room I love #1 and #7! They are so organic and whimsical, but also modern.
#1 (price-wise)
#5
#7
#9
Real question, how to keep the glass clean!
This is the post I've been waiting for! The interior updates you've done are beautiful, but I've missed the modern elements if I'm being honest. And, of course, the Cielo 3 light is my favorite! But the Bronzeville is a close second... Looking forward to what's to come!
I think they are all cute! I’d probably lean toward whichever one is the easiest to change out the bulbs!
Ooh I love them all, but especially 1 and 7. I think the whimsical cloud-like esthetic is perfect for a little ladies bedroom.
I think 5 is my favorite!
Ooh I love them all, but especially 1 and 7. I think the whimsical cloud-like esthetic is perfect for a little ladies bedroom. ☁️
So many pretty choices but I love that #7 looks like a beautiful glass cloud! Seems like the perfect touch of whimsy to have overhead in a kids room.
#8 gives me pretty cloud vibes, love it!
Really love 5, 7 & 9 for Faye's room. They feel organic and playful, but then the glass feels old world and classic. To me feels connected, rather than a complete juxtaposition.
What a fun thought for her room!
I love 1, 4 and 7 for her room! The organic bubble effect feels so playful for a little girl, yet modern for the aesthetic you’ve created. Can’t wait to see which one you pick!
Yes!!! I JUST ordered a small flushmount bubble fixture for our front hall: Dainolite Comet 3-light. So excited to put this fun pop front and center!
We have #6 Pelle gooseneck in our dining room, and it might be my favorite piece in our entire house. (Paired with an orange/magenta Persian rug and a 60s scandi dining set). Love them all, though!
Number 8 is my fave! I move seeing the behind the scenes- thanks for taking us on the ride!
#5 or #8
#1 or 7. The other's I like, but not for a kids bedroom. The others look too much like a dining room chandelier to me.
4 & 6
What about scale? How is that incorporated into your decision? With a vaulted ceiling, how high or low do you hang the light? With those questions in mind, and knowing that the thumbnail of each light may not represent the actual scale, I am leaning towards #3 and #4. But I also like the unexpected whimsy of #1. #1 is almost a neutral element, letting the other elements of the room take over visually, but is still fun and doesn't compete.
I think #1 would look great, but does that mean it needs to be a pillow fight free zone.... or can it be high enough that would not be a concern...
I love 5 and 9 the most for the space! I think the scale and warmth of 9 would make a real statement. Excited to see what you choose!
#7
Form over function question: Does the number of bulbs for brighter or dimmer lighting ever affect your decision in selecting overhead lighting?
Yes! When it's a main overhead light, I prefer at least 2 bulbs.
Number 5 and 7 are at the top of my list.
Thank you for today’s post!
Yessssss. I love bubble chandeliers - so chic and cloud-like. I did a smaller one over my kitchen table and it looks magical. I love #8!