Light it up

When we bought our home, the previous owners excluded the light fixture in the master bedroom. It's fairly standard to have some excluded items, and we figured replacing it wouldn't be a big deal.

The actual installation? No problem. Our electricians were nice enough to put it up when they were doing our knob and tube rewiring.

But finding something I liked? Nearly impossible.

I had a good month and a half to search for a new light. I asked friends for sourcing scoops, browsed thousands (if not tens of thousands) of light fixtures online and hit up some nearby shops, dragging Mr. Speedy along for the ride.

I had an idea of what I wanted. A classy, small-ish chandelier, preferably in black or silver, which would cast a soft glow while also enhancing the overall decor of the room. As the search continued, I found myself drawn to stunning light fixtures with dangling crystals and black cloth shades. But I never bought them. Some would have totally blown my budget, while many didn't pass my "glare test", that is, not blinding me when I looked up from below.

So my vision changed. I decided something with a diffuser would be a good idea, likely a drum shade. Slightly less ornate, but still stunning. So, I kept looking. And looking.

We moved in, and still no decision on a light fixture. We stumbled through the dark, banging shins on out of place boxes on more than one occasion. And still, I couldn't make up my mind.

So, finally, I decided I'd leave the house and not return until I had a light fixture in hand.

Two lighting stores later, I was wandering the halls of the nearby Home Depot, wracked with indecision. I called Mr. Speedy at work, looking for advice, and had texted another friend. I still couldn't make up my mind. What if I chose something that didn't look bedroom appropriate? What if I hated when it was up? What if it didn't fit in with my final decor vision? It was an awful lot of angst over a light fixture.

I must have stood there for at least an hour. Then I got to chatting with another woman who was also shopping for lights. After a few moments, and my explanation of the chandelier versus drum shade argument I was having with myself, I decided on the drum shade. And, I must have been pretty convincing, because she ended up picking the same one up too!

(Editor's note: Yes, the light fixture is wrapped in plastic. Like everything we own, it's covered to help protect it from drywall dust. I promise it's prettier when unwrapped!)