My dining room has been a work in progress since the holidays. I know I have yet to really show the “after” photos. I have a hard time with “after” photos when I’m not really all the way “finished.” I’m always more of an “in progress girl.” After might be a long time in coming.
So what is preventing me from feeling the room is “done?”
Um, well…let’s look up from the usual corner I have shown quite a few times (above) in this room, to see one of the things that keeps me from feeling the room is finished. Go ahead, look up… well, actually, look DOWN now for the photo.
Behold, my current dining room light. Otherwise known around here as Flying Saucer Surrounded By Goblets. I turned the lights off so you wouldn’t be blinded.
If you ask me, the flying saucer surrounded by goblets kind of ruins the old world mood I was trying to create in this space. It is absolutely NOT inspiring to me. No, it is probably not the worst dining room fixture ever so don’t call me crying if you have a similar light. It just isn’t working for my style right now, I need a change!
{And of course, painting the remaining band of swine would be pretty awesome to finish things off as well.}
Recently I was invited by Apartment Guide to be a part of their New Year New Space Challenge. I love me a challenge! Apartment Guide is an online resource all about making the most of your home, no matter where you live.
Through this challenge, I was given the opportunity to get something new in my home that would inspire me in 2011. Well you don’t have to ask me twice to get inspired to spend a gift card. I’m ON IT!
After thinking long and hard, I knew what I wanted to do.
Ever since I stated my goal was to get this house to feel like HOME in 2011, I’ve been looking around for the perfect lantern to update my dining room light fixture. I want to go beyond predictable builder fixtures to something a little more unique and inspiring.
I loved the quirky old lanterns and chandeliers in my old houses so I’m SO looking forward to aging my new house with more interesting light fixtures.
Before I left for Blissdom, I asked my friend Holly to help me find a new old fixture (because she has amazing taste!) and she found this beauty from Wisteria! HOLLA!
I think I love it. It has just the right touch of old world style and unique personality that I want for this house.
Here it is pictured above a dining room table so you can imagine it above a table:
But, because I like options, here is another contender I am smitten with option #2 from Pottery Barn.
It is a little simpler and maybe not quite so unique, but still would make a great statement! I love it. Here it is above a table (well, there are two of them but imagine just one!):
Which lantern do you think I should choose? HALP!
I’m so excited about the opportunity to have an amazing light fixture. Whichever one I end up with, I’m going to love it!
making a statement
Sometimes all it takes is one brave but simple change in a room to make a big statement.
I’ll be able to show you the “afters” once I choose which light, but meanwhile, would you like to have a $100 gift card for yourself? What would inspire you at home in 2011? It could be a new office, a new command center, new paint, new dishes … let’s dream a little about what a $100 AmEx gift card could do to make a new statement for our home!
There are up to 3 ways to enter this giveaway!
One random winner will be chosen.1. Leave a comment here telling me what new space you’d create with a $100 AmEx gift card! And then, tell me which lantern I should choose and why!
2. “Like” Apartment Guide on Facebook and leave a comment on this post saying you liked it!
3. Go to twitter and tweet about what new space you’d like to create. Use these in your tweet to enter: @aptguide @theinspiredroom #newspace
Easy enough? Good! Thanks for your help!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!
PS I’ll announce the previous giveaway winners this week, sorry for the Blissdom delay! I’m looking forward to getting back into my routine of blogging!!
Apartment Guide is owned by Consumer Source, Inc. Apartment Guide partnered with bloggers such as myself to participate in its New Year, New Space Blogger Challenge. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the New Year, New Space Blogger Challenge. Apartment Guide and Consumer Source believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
My favorite light is the first one by far! It’s super unique and has a more elegant feel for a dining room.
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I would use the gift card to do a new room in our new apartment this spring. Probably our dining room too since this college student couple has never owned a table!
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I pick #1 for 2 reasons… More interesting and you picked it as your #1… Don’t second guess your self, go with your gut
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$100 would definitely go toward my “buy some furniture for my new empty house” fund
I need everything!
I like the wisteria fixture – it has some “oomph” to it that the pottery barn one is kind of missing.
However – like someone else said, if you go the pottery barn route, there’s definitely a bunch of knockoffs out there for much less!
I love the first latern that your friend found for you. It is unique and interesting. I would love the American Xpress card, and I would use it to decorate my family room in our new house. It currently houses my parents 14 year old sofa’s, and a old ikea metal TV stand. 100.00 would get me started….Thanks for sharing your ideas with the blogosphere.
I like the Pottery Barn one….it’s adds just enough class, but not too much. If I were to win the $100, I would definitely use in my “new” kitchen. I’m in the mist of painting and putting up a border and new curtains and painting the cabinets.
Thanks!
I “like” you on fb.
The Wisteria one is fabulous, but frankly I think it might be a bit ‘stage-set’ looking in real life. The next thing you know, you’re hiding your TV behind a printed cotton Bayeux tapestry, and no one wants that.
The Pottery Barn one isn’t trying as hard.
I like the globes on the Pottery Barn lantern more as it
would allow the light to drape the room. While not competing with other lighting that might be under cabinets etc etc.
I desperately need some inspiration around my little abode,
the drapes in my living room are helpless and need to come down asap.
Linda Seattle WA
I like the second fixture. I think it has a bit more sparkle quality. I would use the gift card to spiff up my DR, which I’m stuck on inspiration at the moment.
I liked you on FB!
I really like both fixtures, but think if it were me, I would choose the second one. It looks a bit classier to me. Yet not formal.
I like them both but think the one from Wisteria fits better in this room. I would use the $100 to put toward a new living room rug.
I think both fixtures are great, but the one from Pottery Barn definitely seems like it would fit in your space better. I feel like it gives off more light, which would be good for dining. The Wisteria one I view as more of an entryway light. Perhaps if you had vaulted ceilings in an entryway or something I think it would look good there. I would use the hundred dollar giftcard towards refinishing the hardwood floor in my bedroom. There is currently carpet, but the hardwoods underneath just need a little love!
I like the Pottery Barn fixture the best. It makes a statement without screaming. I would use the $100 towards wallpaper for an accent wall in my living room.
Thanks!
I’d have a hard time choosing between those lanterns. They’re both gorgeous! I need some inspiration – winter is bogging us down! Little paint would go a long way to brighten up our space. The living room needs it badly!
As far as the lights go, I like the first one. It definitely has more “old world” appeal. For redoing and spicing up at my house? My bedroom of course!!
1. I would pick option two on the lighting I like it’s clean lines and versitility if you make changes
2. If I had $100 I would paint my craft room and put in new lighting so I could see better.
Hope all these comments don’t make the decision more difficult
I would use this to spruce up my bathroom, perhaps getting a new shower door. I prefer option #2 from Pottery Barn.
I like Apt Guide on FB (Mari Doug)
I really like the #2 option from Pottery Barn.
With the $100 gift card, I would be able to update my dining room/homeschool room. It definitely needs some work and this would help so much.
I really like the simplicity of the second one. It just looks cleaner and more minimal.
I need paint! Oh heavens, do I need paint, lol!
With a $100 gift card I would replace the light fixture in my entrance way. It’s one of those Home Depot “nipple lights” (borrowed that term from a friend’s contractor) and is so generic and boring. The rest of the entrance-way is live-able while the rest of the house is a construction zone – we have major renovations needed (like insulation for these snowy New England winters!)…so it is the little things that keep me happy as I wait for walls to be built.
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I think the first fits your look just a bit better but it is a very close call between the tow.
An Amex gift card would help me start a much-needed bathroom renovation.
i love the #2 from pottery barn. The first one look a bit middle east…. I is not true, i guess, since middle east usually use colorful glass, but… i don’t know, i got the impression on the first look. the room is so western country for me. So, the #2 hanging lamp would look fabulous in the room.
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There’s no question that Option #1 is perfect for your dining room. It completes the feeling set by your stained glass windows.
The first lantern is a favorite. I also considered the Pottery Barn version but ruled it out at our house as didn’t want to deal with cleaning dust and bugs that could land in that closed bottom glass base. Go with option one. . .
option 1 is my favorite too. It feels a little more substantial and will be a feature to add to the feel of the room. I think option 2 will just disappear/blend in too much.
So, what would I do with the gift card to inspire me for 2011? It’s a toss up. I love most things about my house except the kitchen. Painting the cabinets would completely transform the house since the kitchen connects to the main space. I also have ideas for my fireplace which would complete the main living area space. So needless to say, it could make a big difference. Thanks for the opportunity and I can’t wait to which light you choose.
If I win, the $100 will go twds a new comforter or quilt from which I will be a color scheme for a master bedroom re-do! Just what I need to kick-start the project! I think you should go w/ OPTION #1- option #2 will gather DUST in that glass bottom w/ the open top-keeping that looking clean could possibly be worse than a band of swine near your ceiling!!!
I definitely like the second light fixture better. It creates a “larger” statement, but because of the large glass globe it doesn’t feel “massive”. It feels airy and light and yet compelling!
(And with $100 I would find the perfect rug for my sunroom floor!)
Love the one from Wisteria. Also it has four lights and just one more light can make all the difference!
Someone might have already said this, but the Pottery Barn one fills with dust and is hard to clean. I have used serveral of their lights and I LOVE the look but they get dirty easily and are a pain to clean.
And if I won $100 I’d use to in my laundry room.
I like the pottery barn…classic understated and fun. I would buy myself a new slipcover from Ballard design catalog. Lots of fun fabrics and washable twill. Yeah!
I would use that to purchase paint for my kitchen cabinets!
Oh & I love the Wisteria Lantern!!
The first one.
I like the original, but I am lighting fixture confused,,untill I get one home and hold it up. I hope you will love what you get.
Marcie
Oh, I am liking that first one, just seems to fit in better, style wise, so excited to see what you will choose…
I don’t LOVE either light fixture. (I hate being the debbiedowner) but since I just bought my very first home, all by myself and drained every penny from my savings to pay for it in full – I have been addicted to your blog. You are helping a 20 year apartment dweller become SO inspired to create my first home..and because I have seen HUNDREDS of thousands of fixtures in the last 60 days, the first one by far is the most unique and would fit in your home the best, IMHO.
If I could win the gift card (I dont have FB or twitter), I would buy the fabric (I am dying for) and sew my slip covers for my thrift store wing chair and clearance couch so they would match, each other, and my decor!
Thanks for your help!!
and I want to thank Jane six posts above this one, for the most valid reason of all… #2 would be a pain in the beehind to keep clean..pfffft
I would pick the first one…it fits perfectly! I would use the money to purchase decor for our master bedroom.
I would use the $100 gift card to finish some projects I have going: dining room benches need slip covers, framing project, room of no purpose needs paint, etc…
I think you should go with the PB lantern. I have seen the Wisteria one up close. I was at the outlet and they were admittedly at the outlet for a reason, but they did not strike me as super sturdy in person. I would be afraid that the metal part would get bent in the shipping process. Sorry to say this, as I love Wisteria and have many great things from there.
I would use $100 to put a backsplash in our kitchen. at least start on one
the drab drywall look is getting a little old (and we’ve only lived here for 5 months).
option 2. the other one looks to much like it belongs on the front porch of my medieval stone mansion.
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I think you should choose the lantern from Wisteria–seems a little more unique than the PB one. With the $100 gift card from Am Ex I would give give a mini-facelift to my first floor powder room. It’s currently filled with vintage pink and blue tile and could use a little love.
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I’d like to get some paint to paint our new apartment… haven’t moved in yet but will be soon and I am sooo excited! I like the first lantern for your room I think.
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