Shine in the New Year with Multiluminaire

Today I'm collaborating with Multiluminaire, a brand many of my Canadian readers will recognize as a leader in affordable and stylish lighting.  Fun fact: do you remember the modern ceiling fans we bought for the townhouse?  They were purchased at Multiluminaire in Ottawa and I remember being so thoroughly impressed!  The ceiling fans were already a great price but because we bought three and asked nicely, we were even given an additional discount and someone helped carry them to our car.  The showroom was so inspiring, with so many modern light fixtures.

Replacing light fixtures is my go-to move for updating a space.  With both the townhouse and lakehouse, after we took possession I marched in with a 5-gallon pail of white paint and new light fixtures - which was a great way to kick start both makeovers!  I just love lighting, it's like jewelry for the home, but it also creates the perfect ambiance.  I don't feel comfortable in a house with a clear glass boob light and fluorescent bulbs.  I love a statement-making chandelier on a dimmer for intimate dining and strategic table lamps to enhance to coziness.  I appreciate when designers take the atmosphere a light fixture creates into consideration, like a pendant light that casts a beautiful shadow or a bathroom sconce that flatters with soft lighting. 

Here are some of my current favorites from Multiluminaire.

I love a statement-making light against a white wall (like these geometric pendants):

The pendants linked above are definitely a splurge, but check out these modern black pendants - they're currently $99!

Even more affordable are these simple pendants for only $44!

I've been reading 2018 trend predictions with some amusement - it seems like everyone predicts something different!  One common theme is that brass is (I'm sorry friends) on its way out.  You know I'm a firm believer in loving what you love - it's why I hugged on tightly to silver throughout the entire brass trend - so who cares if it's not going to be as trendy.  But it is interesting to see that black/dark finishes are predicted.  I loved black faucets and light fixtures in the townhouse, so I'm happy to see it catch on - like this sleek and modern chandelier.

According to some predictions, chrome will also be big in 2018.  Chrome is a classic, though - demonstrated by this timeless chandelier:

And this chrome floor lamp:

Multiluminaire still boasts an incredible selection of modern ceiling fans that fit any budget - like this beauty:

When we moved to the townhouse, it took us awhile to get our bearings so we didn't find out about Multiluminaire until we had already purchased some of our light fixtures and I wish we had discovered the local store location sooner because I struggled with our main bath light and Multiluminaire has a great selection of bathroom lighting, like these modern sconces (mounted on a mirror - which you know I favor):

Another gorgeous choice for a bathroom is this modern light that doesn't even look like a light (and is that teal tile???):

 
This textured flush mount works in any room, but I really love how it sparkles on this bathroom.

Speaking of texture, how mesmerizing is this light fixture's organic vibe?

These are just some of my favorites - there are hundreds of gorgeous light fixtures for every budget and style. 

This post was sponsored by Multiluminaire, but all thoughts, opinions and editorial selections are my own. 

24 Stunning Mid-Century Modern Inspired Lamps

I don't even want to admit how many hours I've been spending looking at mid-century modern inspired table lamps.  I huddle under the covers at night, scrolling through pages of lamps until I'm too tired to hold my smart phone.  Every now and then I drop it on my face, and that's when I know it's time to start dreaming of lamps instead.

I think I need an internet intervention, because this recent habit is really messing with my sleep!    

I have a good excuse, though.  I'm shopping for lamps for the office makeover I've been secretly working on, plus I'm trying to round up lamps similar (or identical) to what I own for a "shop the lakehouse" page I'm putting together.

In the past, I've stumbled across gorgeous vintage Lotte lamps (the yellow ones in the townhouse living room and guestroom, plus the blue Lotte lamps in the lakehouse living room), but these days I can't seem to find any good vintage lighting - at least not within my reach!

That's why I'm so thrilled that designers are taking cues from the 1950s and 1960s, because look at the beautiful table lamps I found, with a mid-century modern vibe:  

Gorgeous, right?  I'm seriously considering this turquoise ceramic lamp for the office because it reminds me so much of the turquoise Inka West German pottery I lust after, but can never find.

Which lamp is your favorite?

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Bathroom Update: Kohler Purist Sconces Mounted on a Sheet Mirror

Way back when I was plotting the lakehouse bathroom renovation, I fell in love with these Kohler Purist sconces and decided that I had to work them into the design.

But there were some other must-haves that got in the way: namely, double sinks and a linen tower.  Neither left a lot of room for sconces and mirrors, so my original sconce, round mirror, sconce, round mirror, sconce idea was a no-go.  I could keep the round mirrors and do a light above them, or keep the Kohler sconces and try something crazy: mounting the lights directly on the mirror.  Turns out, I'm not the first one to try installing a sconce on a mirror and so, after rounding up some inspiration, I decided to go for it.

Well, the sheet mirror and sconces are finally installed, and I just love how they look!  I forgot just how much brighter and larger a small bathroom feels with a huge mirror - it just bounces so much light around.  I know that sheet mirrors get a bad reputation for being "builder's basic," but I just love them for a small space - and I think mounting the sconces on the glass gives the mirror a more custom look.

(For some reason in my pictures the sconces look a little wonky, but I assure you that in real life they are straight.)

Once we were committed to this idea and had ordered the sconces, I spent some time researching local places that cut custom glass.  I picked a great place that also does cool things like stained glass and textured glass - they seemed to be the most ambitious glass company in town.  Although I went to the shop prepped with measurements, they sent someone to double check - for which I am incredibly grateful.  Living in the country, we actually paid a lot (mileage/time) for this service, but it was worth it.  In their words:  it's better if they screw up the measuring!  I had recently been burned by the careless counter top place, so I was incredibly cautious about this purchase - but luckily, so was the guy who came out to measure.  I think it took him about an hour to carefully measure the placement for the holes and outlets, which he triple checked.
A standard sheet of mirror is 72" but we needed 72 3/4 (so close!) so it was a special order - which increased the time and the cost.  It was delivered and installed without any problems and was glued in place to avoid clips because I just don't like the look of mirror clips.  They did a great job cutting out the circles for the lights and the holes for the outlets.  When cleaning the glass for these photos, I did notice one fleck of imperfection under the glass but it's minuscule.

Here's a better look at the holes cut in the mirror for the sconces and outlets: 

I didn't want the mirror to match the height of the linen tower with the mirror, which puzzled the installers.  Instead, the distance between the top of the linen tower and the top of the mirror is the same as the distance between the bottom of the linen tower and the bottom of the floating vanity.  You might not notice this detail from the hallway, but when I'm in the tub that's all I see, so this thoughtful little touch pleases my type A side:

Once the mirror was affixed, we installed the light fixtures per instructions but with one caveat: we had to make sure not to crank the screws too tightly, otherwise pressure could crack the glass.  It was a two-person job but fairly straight forward.  These sconces are securely affixed, but I wouldn't want to monkey around with them.

I was really curious to see how much the back of the sconce is reflected in the glass, but it's not much at all: just a shadow really - no wires or anything show.

Whew!

We decided to put the outlets in the mirror too.  Stashing them inside a cabinet or to the right of the vanity didn't feel practical for us (although it would have kept them out of sight).  We thought about putting them in the backsplash, but cutting into the stone seemed like a shame.  Someone suggested putting an outlet in the side of the linen tower, but cutting a hole in the walnut seemed like a shame too.  Seriously, outlets are a real bummer!  After spotting an outlet in a mirror on Pinterest, I decided that the mirror was the best spot for accessibility and hiding them somewhat.  I regret how high we put them but we were still contemplating a higher stone backsplash or maybe adding a shelf at the time, so we intentionally left (too much) wiggle room.

Straight on, the outlet covers really blend in (I tried to snap a straight on photo without me in it!):

But from some angles there's a green tint and if you look just the right way - and get in nice and close - you can see a shadow/reflection of the back of the mirrored outlet cover.

I spent a long time looking for a mirrored outlet cover.  So many of them are a fake finish and I wanted actual glass.  This one was the best I could find but I don't love the bevel because I opted not to have the edge of the mirror itself beveled - it's just a clean, ground edge, for a more modern look.  Hopefully I can track down a simpler outlet cover in the future but, for now, this will do just fine.



I just love how the bathroom is taking shape!  We're so close to being finished.

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How to Update Pot Lights without Replacing the Can

We recently updated our kitchen pot lights with a quick fix:



Our kitchen has two pot lights over the counter that I usually croped out of photos because they just looked so terrible!  In the lakehouse tour, you can see them in the "before" photos, but they're cropped out of every "after" shot of our aqua makeover.  They functioned well and I used them every day, but they were old and discolored, and one of them had just been coated in silicone by the silicone-happy former owner:

I'm seriously embarrassed that we lived with them for so long!

We had been wanting to replace them for awhile, but we weren't enthusiastic about climbing into the attic to remove the cans.  Recently one of the bulbs burned out so we headed to The Home Depot for a new one.  They're $10!  I suggested to Handy Hubby that we finally replace the lights and purchase two fresh bulbs - I didn't want to end up with two different bulbs in addition to wonky lights.  We sauntered over to the lighting section and pondered for awhile.  Finally, we made our selection and were about to head to the check out when a salesperson asked if we needed help.  We asked how difficult it would be to replace our pot lights, and if he had any tips.  He discouraged us from replacing them because removing the cans could really damage a ceiling.  Instead, he showed us the LED bulb and trim retrofit kits.  They're actually a bit more money than purchasing new cans, but it is so much easier to use these kits to update the look and technology.



Here's how we updated our pot lights, the easy way.  First we bought two Halo LED 4" retrofit kits from The Home Depot, for about $50 a piece.  This one is fairly similar.

As with any electrical work, we turned off the power.  Then we removed the old pot light trim by gently pulling it down and then squeezing the metal retaining wires that held it in place.

The arrow is pointing to the wires:

Then we were left with just the can, which was perfectly functioning and really not that old:

Then it was time to install the new light and trim retro fit kit!

First we installed the light socket adapter.  Then we took the new LED and plugged it into the adapter.  With a screw driver, we used one of the self-tapping screws (included) and screwed the ground wire into an existing hole in the can.  Instructions are included with the kit, and we followed them completely.

The installation was straightforward, except we hit ONE stumbling block: when we tried to push the trim in tightly against the ceiling, the can shifted too so we couldn't get a nice, flush fit.  Genius Hubby (I call him "Handy Hubby" for a reason), figured out that if he threaded a wire through the gap between the gimbal and the trim, looped it around a fixed point in the can, and then back through the trim, he could pull down on the wire to hold the can down while pushing the new trim piece up.  It worked!  Once it was tightly in place, he pushed the wire back through and removed it.  You might not need this step, but it's a handy hack to know, just in case.

The light bulbs should last 50,000 hours and only draw 10 watts, but they are SO much brighter than our old lights, which were 50 watt halogens.  Now that the days are getting shorter, I love that I have brighter kitchen lighting, although I do miss the halogen bulbs a tiny bit.  They were dimmer, but a touch warmer.  These are bright and offer a very white light - much better than flouescent, but I'm still clinging to my incandescent bulbs and irrationally resistant to liking any other type of bulb. 

It goes without saying, though, that they just look so much better now!

Now we're eyeing up the eyeball pot lights above the fireplace and thinking that we might use this same style of LED retro fit to update those, too...

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Scandinavian Inspired Lighting

Thanks so much to everyone who weighed in on my keep the pine/don't keep the pine dilemma.  There was near unanimous agreement for keeping the pine in its natural, un-painted state - especially considering my plan to keep the guesthouse very neutral, with Scandinavian-inspired touches.  Given that it's technically a sauna building - and I'm half Finnish - it feels right!  So now I'm slowly inching my way toward that vision but with cold temperatures approaching, I might have to settle for a good clean (it's pretty messy out there!), maybe address the lighting and window coverings, and save the floor painting/bathroom reno until next spring because we don't heat that space.  I don't mind waiting because then I will have all winter to window shop!  That's not a bad way to hibernate...

If you're feeling the Scandi vibe too, you might be interested in a new-to-me source for Scandinavian-inspired lighting!  I was approached by Parrot Uncle (an online shop with a huge modern lighting inventory) to collaborate with them and I was immediately drawn to their wooden light fixtures.

This Nordic style ash wood flush mount is the first fixture that caught my eye.  It's on sale right now for about $160 - which is so reasonable!  I immediately envisioned using two of them in the guesthouse, but caught myself wondering if maybe that was too much wood...

If I was picking something for the main house, this glass and wood flush mount fixture would help create the mid-century mod feel I covet.

If I had more clearance in the guesthouse, I'd be all over this pine cone shaped pendant light.

This huge pendant light is begging for a spot over a kitchen island in a pared back space with lots of white and maybe a dash of marble with light wood floors. 

This grouping of beaded wood pendant lights is so on-trend right now.  Until now I've only seen these on their lonesome, but I do prefer a grouping like this because it makes more of an impact.

This rubber wood pair of pendants references atomic design, but the wood grain softens the space age influence.  I also like that it isn't just a naked bulb.

I can't say I'd want to dust this wood slat pendant light, but it would be a great way to introduce mid-century inspired slatted designs on a small scale. 

There are actually so many gorgeous hanging light fixtures, but this sculptural, spherical pendant light might take the cake.  It's mesmerizing and I'm sure it casts beautiful shadows, perfect for a moody dining room.

 

This is just a small selection of the modern lighting they offer - no wonder Parrot Uncle is recommended by Houzz!  I picked these fixtures to share because they're so unique and some of these designs feel really fresh - at least I haven't seen them elsewhere.  Of course, Parrot Uncle caters to every style (from Industrial to Traditional), but the modern style wooden hanging lights were obviously among my favorites.

If your interest has been piqued, I asked about discounts and here are some coupon codes to use:

Numberone5% for vintage industrial lights (already 20% off)
Numbertwo5% for wooden lights (already 20% off).

Plus, there are a few promotions on right now and great discounts already applied.  You can even get a 10% discount on new products!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Parrot Uncle but I was not given any editorial direction.  The content of this post and the products highlighted were all chosen by me.  Parrot Uncle is new to me, but their prices seem incredibly reasonable and when I asked about coupon codes, I was thrilled when they offered a few additional discounts on items already on sale - sweet!

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