Let there be light!

Something tells me I've used this title in a blog post before. In which case, we'll just refer to this as "Let There Be Light 2". I've never been a fan of sequels, but in this case, I am...

We finally tackled the awful lighing issue in the kitchen. Which, it's about time! We only remodeled the space over a year ago, but never bothered with the little details like lighting or floors. I know, Miss Attention to Details here....honestly, sometimes even I surprise myself.

Anyway, this is the beaut that we were working with before...

I'm aware that taste is subjective, but seriously, the creator of this light fixture should go to lighting prison. The lighting was never appropriate for the space (seeing your food while preparing it is usually a big plus), not to mention this thing was a huge bug collector (trust me, you don't want to know what was hanging out in there when it was taken down...for reals...).

So off I went in search of something new. The husband gave me free reign to figure this one out on my own, which is totally what I love about him. Although, given that the kitchen is his domain, I figured I would hear about it later if he didn't like it (Oh well. I'd cross that bridge when & if we got there...right?). I searched the local reuse stores, but nothing struck my fancy. In the end, I settled for a $35 clearance light from a local hardware store....

And by clearance I mean, they took it off of the display & I hauled this baby out of the store without the box, nor option for return. Which made me a little nervous...I mean, who the hell knew if this thing even worked or not? But for $35 I was taking my chances.

Okay, so I have zero shots of the in between process, but you'll get the picture...prime, spray, and then in a classic rookie mistake apply gloss enamel over gloss paint and watch your DIY project go up in flames. Okay, not really. But instead just watch the paint peel away from your light fixture. And then panic. And then run to another location of said hardware store, praying that you'll find another $35 clearance light fixture (which you do), until finally coming to your senses and realizing the small area that was sprayed with enamel is totally fixable if you just calm down already. I'm happy to report I took a second to relax, review and form a plan of attack (but not without screaming multiple expletives in the process). Turns out the problem was fixable, but cost me a few extra days of work in the end. The fixture is still not perfect, but do me a favor...don't look for the imperfections when you come over to our house, mmmmm kay?

I replaced the existing bulbs with round ones & added a $15 ceiling medalion from Lowes. Then I ended up buying a second set of bulbs since the first ones blinded us everytime we turned on the damn light. And best of all...it's all husband approved!

Oh, and I ended up hiring an electrician to do the work. I know, that's not very DIY of us (especially considering the husband would typically do it). But with the husband busy & an upcoming girls' night at our house just days away...sometimes it's just easier to pay the professionals $185 for 3 hours of their time. Easy-peasy.

I've been working on a few fun projects lately, which explains my abscence from blogland. But I'll be back to share some updates and pictures soon!