? better price

Thank you for the suggestion Mdln, but I should have mentioned I'd like to keep the cost under $125.

I like 1 better because of the darker brass, the square plate and its contrast with the rounder shades. Also like the lamp shade more because it's less fussy. It looks less delicate. Your plan sounds lovely.

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Millennium-Lighting-Benton-4-Light-10-in-Vintage-Gold-Cylinder-Vanity-Light/1000046571

I'd definitely do a three light because the doubles look odd over a mirror. Doubles look better as side sconces.

Both of those lights are nice. #1 seems a little more farmhouse and 2 seems more traditional. I know your home is mostly traditional, though buffalo check curtains seem more farmhouse/cottage. I always think of vanity, mirror, and light as one unit, so I'd pick them all out now so the style is consistent.

I like the first picture and the last picture. I dislike this one

because it's the one they put in the lower range flip houses in my area except the finish is different. I have something similar in the guest bath from po. It's not bad but I don't love.

#2

I like number 2. Number 1 reminds me of builder grade.

May - I agree about style should coordinate. I figure I'd ask about mirror and faucet next. The mention of farmhouse for #1 made me kind of cringe. I see that now. This is why I like to bounce ideas! I sometimes think of buffalo check that way and I'm hoping it doesn't lean that way in here. I think I'll be keeping the oak vanity painted for that reason.

I can be somewhat flexible with the price but would like to stay under $200. I find it's best to set prices with myself so I can eliminate a range of items helping to narrow the decision process.

My3dogs - You know, I remember wondering about that light in your kitchen and thinking it was lovely. Thanks for the suggestion. I really like that light. It's similar to my #2 but less fussy and I wasn't sure about the curves of the globes. I'm still struggling with wanting things less fussy but yet I like some fussy things! I think I may even looked at that one at one point.

In general I think sometimes stock photos look cheap and I'm surprised in real life and vise versa. Actually the last vanity light I bought looked nice online and was terrible looking in real life. I didn't install it and failed to send it back within the time frame. It's a paperweight in my attic and I need to get it out with the donate items.

Is there a standard guideline for how high a vanity light should be installed?

My current mirror is 5-1/4" above the vanity backsplash. I have swag lights installed from the ceiling in here that will of course be replaced.

My other bathroom has a large plate mirror that sits 6-1/4" above the splash and the vanity light bar is 5-1/2" above the top of the mirror with the lights hanging down a bit lower.

For now I'm hoping I can go with the Minka Lavery (I'll refer to that as 3). Out of my 1 or 2 I'm leaning toward 2.

It sounds like the Minka Lavery is a good compromise with it's straight shades, especially if my3dogs can vouch for its quality.
I recently bought a vanity light at HD (I needed it fast because contractor was waiting), and actually had to buy three packages to make sure that all three shades were more or less the same length shade!!!

I first thought something wasn't straight because shade bottoms didn't line up, but it turned out that they varied by about 1/2 inch in length!

I can strongly vouch for Minka Lavery. The color doesn't change over time like some inexpensive ones, and they are much heavier than the cheap fixtures. This is one on the ceiling of my pantry. I haven't bought any fixtures in the last few years that weren't Hudson Valley or Minka Lavery.

My3dogs, I like that a lot!

My3dogs - I like that one too. They look of nice quality from the pics you're showing. I didn't even think about the possibility of the color changing over time. That wouldn't be good.

Nosoccer - Oh wow. That's quite a big difference. The vanity light that I never installed was crooked. I actually thought the globes were solid white and they were a frosty swirl which cheapened the look even more. I was pretty disappointed and too busy at that time to take the time and properly deal with it.