Since our house will be re-sold in a few years, I need to keep my opinion of fun toned down a bit so it will appeal to more buyers. Then again, I spent countless hours selecting what I thought were classic light fixtures that went with the style and architecture of a spec house only to see the home owner change just about every light. It was totally fine with me. My choices did not fit their style at all and their replacement choices went fantastic with their furniture.
I wish there were rules to follow as to what goes and what doesn't, but there isn't. In today's designs you can mix and match traditional with contemporary and chrome with oil-rubbed bronze. Due to this this the choices are endless. I have come up with a list of resources I use when trying to make those choices.
OVERSTOCK
www.overstock.com
I have purchased several light fixtures from Overstock. Their selection is pretty decent and the prices are great! (Shipping is free on purchases over $50) For the spec house we needed a large light in the two story high entry way. Large scale lights can be really expensive. I found this 21-light chandelier for $313 and spray painted it matte black. It was one of the lights the homeowners did keep. To make it even better, I recently found this same exact light on a lighting store website listed for $1200.
JOSS AND MAIN
www.jossandmain.com
Joss and Main is a daily deal type of site that features only home décor and gift products. You can sign up to receive an email with several events going on that day. The events are categorized by style, theme, product etc.. Every once in a while they feature a lighting event. So, if you check everyday you may stumble upon a great deal. For example, I fell in love with the Mercer sconce from Pottery Barn for our master bathroom selling for $79 a piece. I found the same light on Joss and Main for $30. With a little time and patience you can find what you are looking for. There are no returns on this site, so if you do end up getting something you don't love, sell it on ebay or Craigslist. You probably got such a screaming deal on it you can re-sell it for the same price.
SHADES OF LIGHT
www.shadesoflight.com
I stumbled upon this site through my favorite blog Young House Love. (The couple that writes the blog has their own collection at Shades of Light.) Shades of Light has a lot of fun, funky and unique type of lights. Their prices are some-what reasonable. There were several lights I loved the look but not the price. If I had an unlimited budget and I was staying in the house, I would probably buy all my lights from here. I found this pendent light I like to call "something a little different."
HOME DEPOT & LOWES
www.homedepot.com
www.lowes.com
You can always depend on the ol' bread and butter of Home Depot and Lowes. As I had said in an earlier post, both stores have much more of a selection online. You can order online and return to your local store if it doesn't work out. Both sites also have a lot of popular styles for less, though the quality and details may not be the same. The good thing about lighting is that it will likely be hung high, therefore you can't really see the difference between the Restoration Hardware version and the Lowes version.
CRESCENT LIGHTING
www.mycrescentlighting.com
This is a local store that Joe has been working with for years. I love this store for the contractors discount we get! Just kidding, not really. Seriously though, they do have a great selection of styles. It is always important to support local businesses in your area anyway. The majority of our lights will be coming from Crescent Lighting. Here is a vanity light that will go in the basement bathroom.
Other lighting resource sites:
WayfairEbay
Lamps Plus
*I am not getting compensated by any of the sites or stores listed. As always, these are just my non-professional opinions.
What sites or stores do you like to find lights?
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