Did I overdo it? Lighting help, please

15 years ago

The electricians were here yesterday, with the following results:

One of the pair of swing-arm sconces was wonky and has to be replaced with one that will, hopefully, sit straighter.

The covering of one of the two undercabinet fixtures was broken and another will be brought later.

Three gooseneck sconces to go over the counter are still in production (two months!) and won't be shipped for a few more weeks.

And then there are the three semi-flush schoolhouse ceiling fixtures. (See pictures below.) I fear that, at 14", the shades are too big. I wanted something substantial, and a definite contrast from the three over-window sconces, which will have 8" downward-facing prismatic wide bell shades. Also, for a pretty basic kitchen, the room has some fairly large proportions--a 34" sink basin, 36" range, 42" hood, a 16.5' straight sink/range/counter run. The ceilings are a bit over 9'. The room, including the breakfast area, is 25'x11' (at its widest).

Any opinions? Do I need to go through the hassle of sending them back to get the 12" shades instead? Are these out of proportion? Do these make too much of a statement, and is that statement, "Watch out--I'm a big heavy thing suspended over your head?"

Oddly, the fixture in the breakfast nook, only a 6x10' space, seems more fitting to me than the two in the working part of the kitchen.

Thanks for any votes!

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Comments (8)

kitchenaddict
15 years ago
Hi mnerg...

The 2 fixtures I see in your pictures look fine to me. I think if they were smaller they wouldn't fill the space very well. Just my opinion, but I like them.

KA:)
lobita
15 years ago
I love the lights! Where did you get them? Can't wait to see the finished kitchen.
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formerlyflorantha
15 years ago
The proportion looks good to me.
corgi_mom
15 years ago
I have very similar schoolhouse lights in my 1928 cottage kitchen. We got them from mail order so I was unsure of the size to get. I cut out paper shapes of the whole fixture and taped them down from the ceiling to see how we would feel about the 14 inch globes. This helped me make the decision to get them. There are two in my small kitchen. When we bought the house there was only a small light over the sink, for 70 years!

I think you are just not used to the look and since you are not done with the other decorative elements in the room, they are standing out in your eyes. They are very pretty lights and I don't think would be improved by being smaller. One difference between your and mine is that mine have brushed nickel bases. It makes for less contrast with the light ceiling and the pale colored globes. But yours will be just fine, imo. Beautiful room! Don't worry.
johnnyl53
15 years ago
These look perfect. I don't think these type of fixtures look as good in the smaller sizes and since you have 9' ceilings all the more reason to go bigger.
craftlady07
15 years ago
I love your wall color!! that's so fun :)

And I love the lights too (since that's really what you wanted comments on). I think they're great!
onedogedie
15 years ago
Thank heavens your lights worried you, otherwise you wouldn't have shown us your fabulous kitchen in the works. I think the lights look perfect. Can't wait to see more of your kitchen.
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Original Author
15 years ago
Many thanks, everyone. I will gladly accept the united opinion presented, and (hurray!) not change them out. I think corgi_mom hit the nail on the head in saying that I'm just not used to them. (So nice to have the word of someone with similar fixtures in a similar situation.)

The lights are from Rejuvenation, the Jefferson, as is the cabinet hardware, though you can't see it very well in these photos. I'll take better pictures when more parts of the kitchen are put into place.