Kitchen Island Pendant Choices

I've been struggling with lighting choices for our kitchen island for weeks!

The black granite island is a little over seven feet long and 3 feet wide, so I need two pendants.

This lantern from Ballard Designs is a safe bet.  I know what it will look like because I had it in our City kitchen.

But, I want something a little less safe--a little different.

I fell in love with this pendant by Currey and Company.

The black metal shade is fabulous, and I love that there is a candelabra inside.

The problem is the inside of the shade and candelabra are silver and I want gilded.

At 20 inches diameter, it could be too big.

Also, the price is very high. 

Here is what they look like in a kitchen....

 I discovered this reasonably priced pendant from  Outrageous Interiors.  

It's certainly different!  But is it too different?  Is it too rustic?

I dunno!

Another safe choice from Currey and Company is this 13 inch diameter industrial style pendant.

I like that the inside is gilded and it has that black metal finish that I love.

This light and airy gilded pendant from Aidan Gray checks a lot of boxes.  

It's different, yet traditional.  

I like that the bobeches are distressed wood, but I would replace the metal candles with drip candles.

What do you think?  

I found this pendant at Frontgate.  It's also by Aidan Gray.

It was on sale, so I ordered two of them.  

They remind me of my favorite from Currey and Company, but the shade is paper.

In the photo it looks black, but it's very light gray.  The inside is splattered with gold, not solid which bugs me.  They're also quite big at 20 inches diameter.

Thankfully, they are returnable because I'm not 100% about them.

I've exhausted my search for the perfect pendant and can't seem to fall in love with anything!

I feel like there is a thin line between not wanting something safe and expected and wanting to be different, cutting edge. 

I would love any thoughts, ideas or feedback, please! 

Before Pinterest

Before the Internet, before Pinterest, there were only magazines for inspiration.  

I had a subscription to most of them:  House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Country Living, etc.

I would tear out favorite pages and put them in plastic sleeves to save.  I had lots of binders, full of inspiration!  They've all disappeared except one.

It's titled "Romantic Homes" which is where this page came from.  

I still love this garden room with its floral wallpaper and chair.  And that floor!

I think for the most part, this room would still be on trend today, minus the wallpaper.

Not sure who the designer was.  Does anyone remember?

Another page I obsessed over!

A bedroom designed by Betsy Speert with that wonderful paisley duvet and delicious green walls.

Check out the bears on each post of the bed.  It was definitely a time of embellishment.

What still stands today?  Maybe the duvet?

Other than the many floral patterned pillows and red rug, this garden room could still be on trend with the mirrored coffee table and black lacquer chairs.  Woven blinds would replace the cafe curtains.

This room and magazine feature had a great influence on me.  A young couple decorated their home in Ralph Lauren fabrics.  Lots of plaid and florals.  Those fabrics are still around today.  I think I still have a pillow in that floral somewhere.  

Notice the sisal rug.  It was at the beginning of that trend which still is around today.

 Here's another page I've held on to all these years.
The cabinet with stacks of white towels, the faux bamboo desk and slipper chair upholstered in Ralph Lauren's "Charlotte" floral still makes my heart skip a beat.


I remember how much I loved this room with its leopard chairs mixed with florals and green stripe wallpaper.  I loved everything about this room!
That ceiling though!

 A close up of the table shows the green majolica dishes I've been collecting for years.

These pages are just a few examples of what inspired me back in the day.  It took a lot of time to gather and collect when I was a young mother who enjoyed decorating my home on a budget.  

These days, I search Pinterest and Instagram for ideas. 

When not looking online for inspiration, I have my collection of design books.

And I'm happy there are still magazines to tear pages out and pin to my virtual board!

Check out my Pinterest and Instagram to see my projects, as well as what inspires me.

Wet Bar Reveal

 The wet bar is done!  Well, almost.  Eventually, we will add glass shelves when the hardware arrives.

But for now, it's as good as done.

 What's nice about this little room, is that while the kitchen is gutted, this is now our mini kitchen.

All of the dishes went into the cupboards, along with the pantry items.

Having running water is a plus!

 The rattan bar cart replaced the desk and now holds the microwave and toaster.

Here is the before photo...

 ...and the during photo.

 The entire room was sanded and painted a glossy finish.  

 Then, a honed black granite counter went in.

I chose a brass sink and faucet in a living finish.

Our contractor built a cabinet for under the sink that looks like it was always there.

Luckily, the area to the right is a perfect size for a wine fridge.

New hardware from RH.

I do love this room that I called "the dish room" when we first moved in.

Then it was the office for a while.  

 

Now it's a Butler's Pantry, holding all my dishes and crystal with a wet bar!

Stay tuned for the glass shelves addition....

Demo Day!

Demo day was about as exciting as you can imagine!

In preparation for it, I emptied everything from the kitchen and stacked it all in the dining room.

Goodbye kitchen.

Goodbye center island that I've probably walked around a million times!

 Goodbye bathroom...

 Goodbye family room!

Yes, that's a toilet.  Doesn't everyone have a toilet in the family room?

Our contractor, Paul built a wall between the construction zone and our living space.

Right down the middle of the hallway!

 He then sealed off the door between the dining room and kitchen.

The refrigerator will go in front of it for the duration of the construction.

When the demo crew arrived--all eleven of them, it took them just eight hours.

This is looking at the kitchen from the family room.

That wall will come down when we put up a header.

The kitchen during demo.

For now, this is our kitchen.  

We have a microwave, refrigerator and toaster.  

What more does one need?