A Chandelier Mishap and How I Found My Dream Fixture

A minor mishap shook my world recently. A festive game of indoor fetch (involving a husband and a dog, who shall both remain nameless) went awry. In one unfortunately accurate throw, an innocent rubber football toy managed to shatter a few teardrop crystals on my chandelier. And by "shatter" I mean "cue the bugle horn, because glue cannot save this."


Let's pause for a moment.  
Have you ever experienced something that should have made you feel sad, but deep down inside you were whistlin' Dixie? That's exactly how I felt the moment my crystals hit the floor. But Brian didn't know this yet, and before I could say a word, he was apologizing profusely. 
"That was dumb. I shouldn't have done that. I'm soooooo sorry. I'll make it up to you," he said, over and over. I decided to put him out of his misery. "Wellllllllll," I replied, slowly, "I was kind of thinking that this chandelier felt a little small in this room, and I was maybe thinking a large drum shade would possibly look better in here."
Brian started to relax. "So, what you're saying is, I did you a favor."
"NO! I mean...well, yes, but no! Throwing dog toys that high is unacceptable. But, yes, thank you!"
{toothy grin}
I'll be honest. The damage to the chandelier wasn't that bad, all things considered. We only lost a few teardrop crystals. While I probably could find replacement crystals (or just remove the other crystals in that tier to balance it out), I decided it would be more exciting to repurpose this chandelier somewhere else in my home (my master bathtub is calling its name!) and get something larger in the family room. 

So I started brainstorming....I knew I wanted a drum shade, but I also wanted something a little more glamorous. And then I found it. I found my inspiration: the Oly Studio Serena Drum Chandelier, which I had originally seen pinned by my friend, interior designer and fellow blogger, Abby (seriously, folks, she has amazing taste and I am constantly inspired by her creations).

I searched high and low, but most sites did not list a price for this beauty....which frightened me. I finally found a price here.....a whopping $2,850.00!! I just about fainted, gone-with-the-wind style (I do declare!). And then my trademark stubbornness kicked in. Surely, I could make this. Psssh.....piece of cake. 
I started by ordering this plain jane light fixture for $36.99 from Overstock.com (no sales tax and free shipping). I'll never forget the look on Brian's face when I told him that this would be our new light fixture. It was at that moment I knew I had married a good man. For, as not-our-style as this light fixture is, he tried and tried to say something nice, grimacing all the way. I finally burst out laughing and let him in on the secret: the frosted glass shades would go away, and the entire fixture would be hidden within a drum shade. Girls, I have never seen color return to his face so fast! Worth. Every. Second.   

Here's why I bought this light:  

• I like the brassy finish. My inspiration chandy has a brass finish, and so I wanted the same. Most of the brass will be concealed within my drum shade, and while I'm not a huge brass person, I felt that a kiss of brass in the room would be an elegant, unexpected touch....and Abby, who I mentioned earlier, had recently posted about approachable ways to bring brass back into the contemporary home, which helped me realize that brass was not all that bad. And if all else fails and I absolutely hate the brass, I purchased some Rub 'n Buff in Antique Gold to tone down the brassiness, just in case. 

• This fixture has five lights. I like having the option of making the room very bright in the evening. You know....for those moments when you think you spilled red wine on the couch, or when the dog pukes on the rug...or when you have to clean up shards of glass after your husband throws a dog toy at your chandelier. I installed a dimmer switch for this light awhile back, so I have ultimate control over the brightness. 

• The fixture is 18 inches in diameter, and 10 inches tall. I wanted a fixture that would tuck away nicely inside a 24 inch diameter drum shade. This one fits the bill. 

I picked up two of these 23 inch wood quilting hoops from amazon.com (I couldn't seem to any 24 inch hoops), for $11.78 each ($23.74 total....yay for no sales tax and free shipping again!)

I also picked up two and a half yards of burlap  at Joann's Fabric for $10.85, and an assortment of capiz shells for $70.80.  My costs for the new chandelier are up to $153.62. Not bad, compared to $2,850, wouldn't you say?
In a few days, I'll be posting a tutorial, along with pictures of the finished chandelier. You won't want to miss it! I'd be delighted if you would send this post to your friends, so that they can subscribe and get excited too! 
Cheers!