affordable find: gold table lamp

this affordable find isn't going to save you hundreds of dollars (unless you a re going to buy like 5 of them!), but it IS going to save you SOME dollars!

devon table lamp
$199

ripley table lamp
$129

happy shopping!

affordable find: 12 light mid century chandelier

this is a good one, y'all!

12 light jonathan adler ventana chandelier
$1602

arc mid century 12 light chandelier
$649

happy shopping!

affordable find: modern brass pendant

sometimes, all you have to do is wait for a good thing.

let me explain....

i have two empty plates on the ceiling over my island, waiting for some incredible pendants. i have had my eye on the goodman pendant every since we started building our house, nearly 2 years ago. at a whopping $800+ each though, i just haven't taken the plunge and purchased them. 

i always thought that the profile of the goodman pendant was SO simple...and wondered why someone wasn't manufacturing a knock off! 

well...my patience paid off!

medium goodman handing lamp
circa lighting
$840


morgan pendant
ballard designs
$249


my house, just after we moved in last summer:

i still haven't decided to go with the knock off for SURE....there are a few features of the goodman pendant (that chain of one!) that i am pretty in love with. but, purchasing the morgan pendant would save a LOT of money. agh! decisions, decisions....

happy shopping!!

affordable find: gold lotus chandelier

a gold, sculptural chandelier at 1/10th the price of the original?

yes, please!

worlds away blossom gold leafed chandelier
$998

gold lotus pendant lamp
$99

happy shopping!

design plans: neutral residence with touches of green, blue + a hint of modern

sometimes, it can be a smart move to tackle several spaces in your home at the same time. usually, i suggest working on 1-2 spaces at a time (it can get overwhelming for your brain and your budget if you bite off more than you can chew!), but there are instances when working on everything at once is the way to go! 

this particular client had already endured a major remodel on the main floor of her historic home, and had made some beautiful choices. she was looking for some guidance on taking the decor to the next level...adding texture, color, and loved the idea of mixing in a few modern elements with her existing traditional pieces.

we worked together on a "super-sized" pinterest board + phone consultation (she also opted to add design boards) that included her entry, family room, breakfast room as well as a hallway and powder room. 

she was drawn to a neutral, texture rich palette with pops of kelly green and navy blue, and i love that she was willing to "go a little crazy" with the light fixtures! whenever i am pinning ideas for a client, i always try to gather an array of styles, whether it is a chair or a light fixture. some are very safe and traditional, and others are meant to "stretch" a persons design sensibilities...introduce them to something that they may never have otherwise considered. this client was right on board with some of my more "funky" choices, and i think the finished rooms will benefit greatly from her willingness to take a risk.

here are the design boards:

 the new lighting in these rooms will add an updated vibe and help make the spaces feel unique.
adding small, interesting vignettes can take a table from feeling dull... to layered and full of texture and interest!

this was a large living room, with a fireplace, french doors going to a porch, an entry from the entry hall, an entry to the kitchen, as well as several windows. rooms like these can be challenging to lay out. we discussed layout options, and the one we both agreed would work the best created three different ZONES in the room---the main seating area, a reading/bookcase zone, and an office area.

my summer is nearly booked, but i still have some spaces left in august! feel free to email me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com to set up a consultation!
you can read about my services here.

now offering:
* the pinterest board can now be modified to fit needs in SEVERAL rooms! for instance...you may need a new light fixture and drapes in your dining room, need paint suggestions and new hardware for your kitchen, and some new pillow and art ideas for your living room! (minor needs, but several rooms)  email me for more information if you are considering this option.

affordable find: iron "x" lantern

i am kinda on vacation this week--my parents are in town from tennessee and are staying in a condo in park city and we are joining them. park city is one of our favorite "quick getaway" destinations...it is only about 40 minuted from our home, but feels like another world. yesterday it REALLY felt like another world...because it SNOWED! yah. snowed. in june. (if you follow me on instagram you saw some pictures that i posted!) UGH. i mean, i love a good summer storm, but not when it comes with SNOW. in june. did i mention it is june? yah. i know. its blowing my mind too.

anyway, i have been wanting to post this baby forever....ENJOY!

riviera iron lantern
$479

josie iron chandelier with paper shade
$123
(this is actually on sale right now for $102!! i just bought it! i am planning on decorating the powered room on my main floor, and i think this light will be the perfect addition.)

happy shopping!

affordable find: marble column lamp

noah snow marble lamp
$792

pilani scroll table lamp
$165
($330 for a set of 2, on sale for $264, so $132 each!)

happy shopping!

affordable find: scalloped flush mount

well now. THIS is a good one!
i have admired the more expensive light in this pairing for a while now, and always thought that it would be an easy diy knock off. looks like someone beat me to it!

scalloped flush mount light
$1175

scalloped white metal flush mount
$119

enjoy!
happy shopping!

affordable find: prism chandelier

the last affordable find i posted was almost half the price of it's expensive twin. the price difference between these two isn't as dramatic, but HEY--$45 is $45, right? i can think of a lot of things at target that i could get for $45! i am sure you can too...

oldham chandelier
$495

large prism chandelier
$450


happy shopping!

affordable find lighting round up: world market

i was very excited when i looked at world markets website last night, and noticed that they have added some great new lights to their selections...several of which are dead ringers for some more expensive options.

take a look!


rectangular natural capiz hanging pendant lantern
$249

large rectangular hanging capiz chandelier
$349



eldridge pendant (small)
$149

four sided glass hanging pendant
$99



capiz pendant
$199

capiz lotus pendant
$69


happy shopping!

affordable find: gold patterned cage lamp

iron pattern makers table lamp
$259

gold cage table lamp
$319

pattern makers table lamp
$99


happy shopping!

Let There Be Light: A No Nonsense Guide to Kitchen Lighting (a guest post)

Lighting these days is an art form. Sure it is there to serve a functional purpose as well. But more and more people are beginning to realise the aesthetic impact they can make on their kitchens through a basic knowledge of lighting techniques. With the application of just a few simple rules, you and your friends can totally transform the look, feel, texture and mood of your home. 

Keep it Natural

image

Of course, there is no substitute for the real thing. And natural light should without doubt be the foundation from which you create your kitchen lighting scheme. To really make the most of it, you will most likely have to cheat a bit. This could mean installing roof lights or patio doors that fold out to allow more light in. You may even want to consider trimming any plants which hinder the flow of light into the kitchen. 

Ambient for Atmosphere

Having a central hanging pendant light or row of lights in your kitchen and over the dining table will provide a decent amount of illumination and will serve as an attractive focal feature. Be sure to install lights which are dimmable. This will allow you to control the mood depending on the occasion. Also, be aware that ambient light alone will probably not suffice, and that thoughtful and practical task lighting will be necessary to really give purpose and depth to your kitchen lighting scheme.     

Be Smart with Task Lighting

The kitchen can be a busy place and there are plenty of opportunities for aesthetically pleasing and functional task lights. You will definitely want to install some task lighting over the cooker and over the food preparation surfaces. A row of spotlights will allow you to see easily into your pans as you prepare dinner. And if you take your culinary pursuits seriously, you may even like to place some lighting inside some of the dry food storage units, in order to make your ingredients that tiny bit more accessible. 

A Flourish of Features

This is where kitchen lighting really becomes a visual art form. Feature lighting involves working with the architecture of your kitchen in order to organically interweave beautiful lighting installations into the natural structure of your home. The results can be breathtaking, but you will almost definitely need to seek professional specialist lighting advice.  

Changes You'll Notice

image

The above techniques are by no means complex or beyond the grasp of anyone with a little will and perseverance. And if all these changes sound like they'll cost you a lot of money, they won't. In fact,  you can get good quality kitchen lights from BrightLightz for next to nothing.  

Create Tone and Atmosphere through Lighting (a guest post)

You will find that when most people begin to decorate a room in the homes there is always one important element that they overlook and only address towards the end, but really it should be thought about right from the beginning. This is not the floor, wallpaper or furniture, it is the lighting. Lighting is hugely important in every single room in the house, and when done right it can make any room like bright, welcoming and attractive. Lighting also has the ability to create tone and atmosphere, so it can also be used as part of the interior design style that you are using in your home. 

Whether you are going for an ultra modern look or more of a traditional interior design style you will be able to add to this through the use of light, and it should play a large feature in your design plans for each room. It can be used to highlight certain items in a room like some artwork or the furniture, it can also be used to keep some areas darker for a blend of light and dark in one space, and as well as this the type of light can be used as decoration too. For example you can get some beautiful chrome ceiling pendants that can really add some style, and when this is in tune with the furniture and decoration you have in a room it can really look very smart and professional.

Getting it Right

If you have ever walked into a lounge or similar room in someone’s home before and taken note of how they have used light, then you may also have noticed that they have used a few different lighting sources to get this effect. This could be a combination of ceiling lights, decorative lamps, spotlights, wall brackets amongst other types. Of course you do not want too many different sources omitting different types of light, as this would make the room too bright and uncomfortable to be in, so you are best off with just a few different sources, and use them to highlight certain areas in the room. It can be difficult to get right, but with a bit of pre planning and experimentation you should be able to use lighting as part of your interior design style and create atmosphere and tone with it. 

You will want to find the most stylish and widest range of light types, and this is why it is worthwhile visiting a lighting specialist, such as Scotlight Direct. It is remarkable the difference that good lighting can have on a room, so make sure that you use this tip to your advantage when decorating your home.

design plan + new light for my teeny, tiny vestibule

there are a few small, (even teeny, tiny) spaces in my new house.
often, spaces like this are overlooked and larger spaces are decorated first. since i am trying to stretch my budget, and the larger rooms in my house will require a lot more "monetary attention", i am tackling those smaller spaces first.

the first tiny area i will be working on is a vestibule that separates the entry and great room from the master bedroom and powder room. it is about 4 feet wide and 5 feet long.

 as you can see, i have already put my super slim console table and oly knockoff mirror here. (i have owned both of these pieces for over 10 years!)
i adore having the table in this spot---it makes the space feel more like a ROOM!
we will one day add some pretty leaded glass to the transoms...one day.

one of the challenges of this space is the number of utilitarian items that need to be minimized.
-light switch
-thermostat (we bought the nest and we LOVE it. i will write a post on it soon!)
-doorbell. ugh. they had it placed on the entry wall originally, and i freaked out they moved it to here...better there than right when you walk in, but STILL, not fun to decorate around.
-smoke detector

 at first, i wanted the walls to be really dark---black, even.
i want this little space to feel very different from both the powder room and the main living area.
however, the more i looked at the space the more i realized that unless i painted all of the door casings the same color as the wall, i would not get the look i was hoping for---it would have felt very chopped up, since there are 3 doorways in this teeny, tiny space.

so then i started thinking that i should go a little lighter on the walls, but add some texture.
here are my thoughts:
*add texture and interest with a fabulous wallpaper. this is such a small space, that it wouldn't cost very much.
*add some drama with the lighting. right now, i have an $8 fixture up there that i grabbed from lowes when we were building the house. i didn't want a "look at me!" type light, just something that will give some directional lighting, and create more of a gallery feel.
*get the dark, intimate feel of the black i originally wanted on the walls by painting the ceiling dark.

here is the plan for the space:

i was contacted by lamps.com and asked to do a product review of a light fixture. i was super excited to select this little spot light for the ceiling:

wac lighting 826 low voltagesurface mount spotlight.
(it is also available in white and brushed nickel!)

it will add a pretty, soft pool of light on the wall, and will blend in perfectly with the black ceiling.
i am excited to see my vision come to life!

affordable find(s): caged brass pendant

these simple, caged pendant lights look amazing over a kitchen island, but can also be used over the sink in a bathroom, or beside a bed!

hudson valley groton pendant

$598

urban renewal pendant light

$148

sequestered cage pendant

$124

stephen 1 light pendant

$89

murray feiss urban renewal pendant

$99

happy shopping!

an ebay fairytale

(warning: this post is written in third person. i only warn you because i am still bothered by a speech karl malone (an NBA player for the utah jazz) gave over 14 years ago in which he referred to himself in third person the entire time...)

once upon a time there was a designer who loved pretty things. (yep. that would be me.) often, these pretty things were very, very expensive.

sadly, this designer was on a very tight budget. 

however, with some patience, and a knack for finding a bargain, she usually found something pretty for her castle that was also within her budget.

because this designer loved to find high-end items at a fraction of the cost, she often shopped on ebay. one morning, she noticed a lovely chandelier for sale. 

this one to be exact (but without the shades):

but instead of the usual $1000 price tag, the bidding on this beauty was starting at just $100.

"oh!" she exclaimed, "i had my eye on a different chandelier for my dining room, but this one is VERY lovely, and if i can get it for a decent price, i will be very happy indeed!"

the days passed, and she watched the auction with interest. she knew that if she REALLY wanted it, she might have to spend a few hundred dollars, but since the item was located in the kingdom where this designer lived, she could save the shipping fee if she drove and picked it up! plus, she had since grown very fond of this chandelier, and knew it would look perfect in her dining room.

the time for the auction to end was coming to a close...the designer watched with intensity on her magical tablet. (ha! you know you all feel that way about your iphones/ipads at times! admit it!)

with only 15 minutes to go, our heroine was still the high bidder, and the beautiful chandelier was still just over $100...

only 9 minutes to go, and her bid was still the highest!

4 minutes to go, and all is well!

oh no! someone else is trying to snag our designers amazing chandelier with just a few seconds left. evil ebay bandits!
(SO typical.)

oh, HARK!!
what is THIS? has our heroine won the auction??
and for only $211.50?
tis so! all is well! 
(she can be sneaky when it comes to online auctions, that designer...with a little help from auctionsniper.com)

as soon as the designer was able to, she rushed to the nearby warehouse to pick up her beautiful and affordable prize! 

she placed it in her chariot and rode off into the sunset towards her castle.

she unpacked it and oohed and aahed at how pretty and perfect it was!

(and how cheap!)

soon, arrangements were made for the hideous temporary light to be removed, and the new and amazing chandelier to be hung in its place....

and here is the lovely chandelier, hanging proudly in the content and happy designers home:

oh, and just in case you were wondering... the designer lived happily ever after. 

(at least i believe she will!)

so, what do you think? do you believe in fairy tales?
have you ever scored an incredible deal on ebay?
do you think i should write a post on how to shop on ebay for designer goods?
let me know!