Music Room Lighting Options
When your ceilings are only eight feet high, lighting options in traffic areas of your home become very limited. I can’t even tell you how long (months?) I’ve been searching for the perfect ceiling light for my music room, and I think I’ve given up on finding a ready-made option that’s stylish, interesting, not too short, not too tall, wide enough to make a statement, the perfect color(s), and (most importantly) within my price range. Every time I find something I absolutely love, it’s ridiculously expensive.
So I’m pretty sure I’ll end up having to make something, which is perfectly fine with me because that’s a fun, challenging, artistic project that I’d love to sink my teeth into right about now. The challenge in making a DIY light fixture is ending up with a product that doesn’t look like a craft project, because who wants an obvious craft project hanging from their ceiling? I especially don’t want that in such a prominent place in my home, and the music room is the room that’s straight ahead when someone walks in my front door.
Once I switched gears and started looking at lighting as inspiration for something I would make myself, I started finding quite a bit of inspiration out there.
I really love the chandelier that John and Sherry of Young House Love used in their dining room.
I’ve come across several chandeliers like that, but it’s always the same problem. They’re too tall. If I were hanging it over a dining table like they did, it wouldn’t be a problem. But since I’m hanging it right in the middle of the main traffic area in my home, it’s a problem. (Well, not for me since I’m only 5 feet tall, but it might make some guests feel like they’re visiting a Hobbit house. 😀 )
But I could make something like that in the exact height and width that I need. I’d probably use glass from the craft glass section of Michael’s or Hobby Lobby (the stuff they have for stained glass artists) to create a similar look. But that sounds awfully tedious and time-consuming.
I also really like this chandelier that Jana Bek used in her breakfast nook.
Again, that’s way too tall for my room, but I could replicate the look using various sizes of wood beads. They could also be used to replicate a design like this one used over the dining table in this room designed by Katie Rosenfeld Interior Design.
via Katie Rosenfeld Interior Design
And here’s a similar light with a striped design in this room by Tobi Fairley.
I could also use that same wood bead idea, but do a completely different shape like this drum shape beaded chandelier from Urban Nester.
That could be done in one solid color, or random multi-colored beads, or stripes, or alternating rows of color. So many options!
So obviously beaded chandeliers have caught my eye. Most of the lighting ideas that I’ve saved to my “music room ideas” folder have been beaded, which kind of surprised me when I looked though that folder last night. But then there’s amazing light from Coleen and Company, and I think this one has edged out all of the other options as my absolute favorite.
The irony here is that this semi-flush light is already the perfect size (it actually comes in three sizes) and height, and it can come in literally any color you want because you can send them any paint brand and color you want on the fixture. But the price…well, that’s a different story. The large size (which is what I would want for my music room) in a custom color costs $2832.00. I think it’s safe to say that that’s just a tad bit out of my price range. 😀
But I would definitely be up for making my own inspired by this design. And if I make my own, I could customize the design of the cutouts. One thing that makes the light look so unique, in my opinion, is the rectangular link chain that they used. Just regular oval link lamp chain that you buy at Home Depot wouldn’t have nearly the impact, so that’s a part of the design I couldn’t skimp on.
So we’ll see what I can come up with. The only thing I’m sure about is that I don’t want a craft project hanging from my ceiling. 🙂
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
My head is spinning with all he beautiful choices here…not sure I could decide LOL. I think as talented as you are the crafting of a fixture will be easy and fun. I would like to suggest maybe looking at belt buckles for the chain if you can’t find it elsewhere…just a quick thought. Good luck looking forward to end results. Have a beautiful blessed day.
How about finding a brass fixture that is similiar and painting it the color you want.
I like that light fixture a lot. Maybe it could painted the color of your piano or one of the birds in your painted wallpaper?
I love this light fixture and can’t wait to see the design you come up with. I love the design of the legs you make for your cabinets and I’m wondering if you will do a design like that. You are such an inspiration to me Kristi. Sometimes I wonder “does your mind ever rest”. Do you keep a notepad and pen beside your bed just incase you dream of an idea. lol love following you sweetie.
I love the last one but the price is crazy. I would definitely check the jewelry making section of Michaels or a jewelry site for different chain options. Or keep your eye out for purse straps. Something like that might be more apt to be closer to what you want.
The last fixture painted navy would look nice with your yellow piano and with the green in the kitchen!
I found a source for the square chain.
http://www.grandbrass.com/catalog.cfm?category=Chain&subcategory=Decorative%20Chain
A less expensive source. There are some other interesting shape too.
http://www.antiquelampco.com/Catalog/Chain.htm
Since you are doing the bird wallpaper what about making a chandelier from a birdcage? Just search pinterest for birdcage chandelier for some inspiration.
Hi Kristi, love your vision and tenacity. I like Darnell’s suggestion..that too came to mind first. However, I would go easy on the colour (you have a lot of colours going on already) and choose timeless black iron. Would tioe in nicely with your wallpaper “drawing” Looking forward to your choice..it always seems to work.
“But that sounds awfully tedious and time-consuming.”
…says the woman who cut, painted, and glued a bazillion plastic spoons to a mirror and sanded, cut, installed, and painted her own louvers from paint stirring sticks. 😉
All kidding aside, I like the last one with the geometric design. It just seems more “you”. I’m sure you could piece that together with a bunch of stuff from Home Depot like a light kit, some chain, white plexi, some metallic spray paint, and maybe rolled aluminum flashing (use tin snips or a cheap pair of scissors to cut it) for the metal designs on the outside. Or even really thin craft wood.
Do you know how many feet of the chain you would need for your light? I remember having a chain link belt similar to this back in the 70’s. There are jewelry supplies websites that sell chains plus websites for lamp chain supplies. I think it will be beautiful. Look at this site to see if any of these would work. http://www.antiquelampsupply.com/category/200_lamp-chain
I absolutely love the Colleen & co with the cut out. If you wanted, you could make the cutouts the same as on your sliding doors that you made. I know that whatever you end up with will be gorgeous as usual! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!
That’s what I was going to say!
Just a thought, this one
http://www.lampsplus.com/products/roxbury-16-inch-wide-antique-brass-ceiling-light__4v211.html
from Lamps Plus is similar to the one you like, the “cage” could be painted (Maaco??) with an enamel to create the look you are going for . . . I’m always looking to “get the look for less” too.
OMG I love this one (for some reason, the other ones seemed so 70’s to me!)… this one even reminds me of her cut-out on THE DOORS! 🙂
I love this one. (Although I think the brass does not work, PAINT IT!) It echos the design of the doors! Great find!
Have to agree! I like this one way better, too. I don’t know if the size is right though, it might be too small for the space. This is a classy design and looks more modern than the inspiration ones.
I too love the one from Lamps plus much better that the others.
Why do you believe you even need a ceiling light or chandy? Why would it be necessary to flood your music room with the ambient light this type of lighting would provide? Other than your piano in the room what else do you plan on putting in there as far as any other furniture? A well placed table lamp and/or sconces on either side of your sliding doors (if room permits) would give you more of a softer environment for guests to view as they first enter your foyer. As far as task lighting for when you are at the piano an elegant or eclectic floor lamp would suffice. A ceiling light or chandy above your dining table makes more sense to me on a dimmer, of course. I’m only offering this perspective from my own 8 foot ceiling situation and have come to realize that I don’t need ceiling lights in most rooms other than bedrooms, kitchen, and bath. It only makes the ceilings look lower. Your home, your vision and your choice should win out no matter, Kristi.
It’s not a matter of need. It’s a matter of want. 🙂 Beautiful ceiling lights are among my favorite things in decorating.
If trying to avoid the crafty look, skip all beads! You can make a gorgeous drum-shaped one!
Hi Kristy. Love the light you picked. Just some info for you, I saw a womans belt at Walmart the other day that was metal rectangles linked together like that. Perhaps you could use something like that for your chains if you can’t find that sort of chain material in the stores or online. Can’t wait to see how everything turns out.
Check out Wilson Brothers Jewelry……. the square chain links… it might work..
These lighting options are just exquisite! I really love the wooden beaded lamps you show! These are great ideas on how to easily update a boring light fixture. Maybe for a more industrial look, someone could use metal links or chains instead of the beads? What are your thoughts?
Thanks for sharing!
I have always LOVED the Amelia Pottery Barn fixture pictured in Jana Bek’s home. I would LOVE to see you create your own…. I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure it out for some time!
If you like the Young House Love chandy, I know if you search diy capiz shell chandelier, there are quite a few options.
All of these lights are lovely, I love your final choice, and I love drum-type fixtures. My observation, though, unless you live in a bug-free house (who does?), is that it doesn’t take very long for a collection of tiny carcases to appear on the floor of that lovely new drum shade. Yuck! Floorless is the way to go for me!
Cameron Diaz is selling her home (your inspired kitchen home) – here’s a peak at what the rest of her house looks like….http://www.popsugar.com/home/Cameron-Diaz-Selling-Her-NYC-Apartment-38995046?stream_view=1#photo-38998958
Hi
I’m going to go against the crowd and say you should go with brass for this room. While I do like the options you gave I don’t think they work with the space. Maybe for your breakfast room but here I think you need some cohesiveness. A brass light would compliment your black doors, your gold accents in your kitchen and your kitchen lighting. there are a lot of affordable brass lighting options on way fair which are beautiful. Cheers