Greetings, Friends! I hope you are surviving this June heat wave somehow. Hasn’t it been unseasonably hot? Happily there are still plenty of indoor projects to do around here. Yesterday the electrician returned and made one of my dreams come true. Double chandeliers over the kitchen island!
It’s always been a dream of mine to have double chandeliers over the kitchen island. I mean, what’s better than one crystal chandelier? Two! And if you’ve ever shopped for crystal chandeliers, you know they can be quite pricey. Which is why I prefer to buy vintage. I bought this one over 15 years ago for $40 at an antique store. It was already painted green so I didn’t feel guilty about painting it white. ( Heirloom White – Satin Finish ) I added some long crystals and it hung in our house in Doylestown for the duration of our stay.
When we moved from our house in Doylestown I made sure to exclude my favorite chandeliers from the purchase. So, I just needed one more fixture to match the white one. Then I found a very close match at another antique store. It was more expensive but I couldn’t resist the fact it was almost an identical twin to the other. (And of course Lacey agreed.)
After removing the crystals and cleaning the chandelier I gave it several light coats of white spray paint. Then we all moved South.
Yesterday the electrician hung both chandeliers over the kitchen island. I couldn’t be happier! Well, I will when I find the candle sleeves for the one on the right. I ordered new ones on eBay before we moved and now I can’t remember where I put them. They might be in my Treasure Room at Happy Hill so I’ll check there first. Also I need more light bulbs. I had 25 watt bulbs ( GE Candelabra Base Bulbs – 25 watt ) on hand and thought they might be too dim but with 8 lights per chandelier it’s plenty! Plus, they are on a dimmer ( Lutron white dimmer switch ) as well, which helps control the intensity. (UPDATE: I found the candle sleeves in the garage yesterday and put them on. Here is the new picture!)
Once I get the candle sleeves and lights on the one on the right they will be perfect! ( Chandelier Drip Candle Sleeves ) Ideally I’d like them to be a bit closer together, but I was working with the wiring that was already in place. Previously there were 3 pendant lights over the island, so we used the two outer spaces and the electrician capped the one in the middle. I’ll look for a small ceiling medallion to cover the open hole soon.
I added all of the crystals yesterday which took quite a bit of time. There are 80 crystals per chandelier and one crystal ball on each end. That’s a lot of sparkle! And my husband, bless his heart, indulges me when it comes to my chandeliers. This one is the original from Doylestown.
I have a few more chandeliers in my stash but they will need to wait for another day. Luckily the electrician lives in our neighborhood so he can pop by anytime! I’m trying to ease my husband into The Crystal Palace a few fixtures at a time, so I’ll wait a few weeks before adding more. 😉
I am off to take Lacey to her first doctor’s appointment at her new vet. She will not be a happy camper. Then I’ll try to find the chandelier sleeves somewhere. Tomorrow I will share with you one of our favorite new seafood recipes. If you like halibut and white beans, you’ll love it! Until then, xoxo Dell
