Coastal Collective Co.

Lighting

Coastal Lighting with Ferguson Showrooms

Anneke McConnell

sponsored post

You never realize just how important lighting is until you're in a space that has kind of bad lighting. Lighting has such an impact on how someone feels in a room, yet there is so much more to getting it right that it is well worth taking the time to get some help from professionals. In fact, doing this will likely SAVE you time and money so you get it right the first time and don’t waste precious hours searching hundreds of options.

Cartgate Chandelier

Case in point, I selected a capiz shell chandelier for our dining room last year that is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. It truly is. It fits perfectly with our coastal beach house, BUT we quickly realized there was an issue.

Our heating and cooling unit is on the wall nearby and anytime it’s turned on, air blows toward the capiz shell chandelier and turns it into a wind chime of sorts. Yikes! While this might sound beautiful in an outside setting, all day long in your main living and dining area is not so relaxing.

Cartgate Chandelier

I recently partnered with Ferguson Showrooms to fix this situation and update some other lighting in our beach house. The associates are extremely knowledgeable and were very easy to work with!

Since Ferguson Showrooms now offers virtual consultations, I was able to book an appointment online for a video consultation, from the comfort of my own home. This homebody approves! Really though, I was able to narrow down my selections with my associates help and avoid the long drive to the showroom. My associate was extremely helpful throughout the entire process.

I really wanted to find a dining room chandelier that had a bit more of a classy and less casual look, but still blend with our casual life and style. Not an easy task!

In the end, I selected the Park Harbor “Cartgate” Chandelier which has a mix of polished stainless steel and antique brass. It is STUNNING. The natural light reflects off of the polished metal during the day, the open style allows for the water view to remain the focal point, and in the evening, the eight lights brighten room really well. Our previous chandelier was only four lights.

Coastal Flush Mount Ceiling Light

Now the entryway to our beach house is small with low ceilings. While I dream of high ceilings and a statement chandelier, I have to remind myself that there are plenty of options to bring beauty and style to ANY space.

Since we just had two can lights in the ceiling, this was the perfect time to swap them out for something pretty. I chose the Park Harbor “Summerlake” flush mount lights in a polished nickel. I can’t believe the difference this small change made!! I loved it so much, I installed the same light in a larger size in our laundry room. Polished nickel has my heart these days and this flush mount light is just so beautiful!

Large Polished Nickel Coastal Flush Mount Light

Moving on to the exterior of our home, we have just one exterior wall light next to our garage and our current one was already degrading from the saltwater air.

During storms, the saltwater can hit the bulkhead and splash over the deck to the front of our house, so we needed a light that could stand up to those conditions.

Because it’s the ONLY light besides our porch light, I really wanted it to be a statement.

Exterior Wall Light from Park Harbor

Black Lantern Exterior Wall Light

I chose the Park Harbor “Fair Avenue” outdoor wall sconce in black. The X detailing and ring on the top fit the look I was going for, as well as being made from aluminum. The associate at Ferguson made certain that the lighting I chose could stand up to our local conditions which gives me peace of mind.

There is something about Ferguson Showrooms that is so luxurious, yet approachable. I had such a great experience from start to finish. They have an extensive product selection to choose from and there is truly something for everyone.

Ferguson Showrooms works with trade professionals as well as homeowners and are now offering virtual consultations. Book an appointment online to schedule a video consultation with a Ferguson Showrooms representative for help with the bath, kitchen and lighting selections for your home or project.

From the beach,

Anneke

sponsored post

Coastal Kitchen Update: The Island Light

Coastal Interiors, Home Blog Posts, Interiors, KitchenAnneke McConnell

Last fall I decided to tackle the finishing up of our coastal kitchen makeover after a semi-grueling painting of the cabinets in the summer.  That's slightly dramatic, but if you're considering painting your cabinets yourself, yes, you'll definitely want to read through and learn from our experience. 

 

Here is a recap of each week:

Week 1: The Vision and Before Photos

Week 2: Painting the Cabinets

Week 3: Purging, Storage and Organization Solutions in the Kitchen

Week 4: Herringbone Tile

Week 5: Evaluating Progress

Week 6: Kitchen Reveal

 

Today's post is all about the selection of lighting for our island.  This is not a sponsored post, but I am fortunate to have been able to work alongside Lamps Plus who provided the light for our makeover.

Even as someone who LOVES design and decorating, I was running into some challenges (which I share more about in a bit) and the people at Lamps Plus were very kind and helpful in making a decision. Just sayin'! #greatcustomerservice

Here is the island light we ended up with!

So here just some design parameters we were working with when we were trying to find the "perfect" light.

  1. We wanted to have as many bulbs as possible. We went from 4-5.
  2. We wanted the light to be visually light so as not to block our view of the water, but also make a statement. This is super tricky in such a small space!
  3. The ceiling height of only 7.5' combined with the standard bar height on the island made the dimensions we had to work with very limited.  We needed something long and skinny, that remained as close to the ceiling as possible. Some island lights were visually perfect, but the way they mounted were not feasible so that's something to consider!
  4. Also, we did not want to rewire anything and stick with the single hole mount that was already there.
  5. Of course, we wanted a light that fit our beach house style, was easy to clean, and blended in nicely with the other textures and finishes. Our entry, living, dining, nook and kitchen are all one space!
  6. I love, love, LOVE how the light we chose has two metal finishes! The main metal portion is a dark bronze and the light socket is an antique bronze that ties in REALLY well with our hardware.

 

See it up close.  It really is the perfect fit!

Here you can see a better view of how the mount fits well with what we already had in place. 

The light comes with extension rods, but we just don't have the vertical space for that.    Extension rods are a great thing when you have taller ceilings and want a light with a straight clean line versus a cord.

 

You can see how it would look here installed with the rods.  I love knowing that it is an option to add them if we moved or did a major renovation.

 

So here you can see the progression of lighting.

Before Painting: a simple bronze 4-light

After painting: we switched out the bronze for this simple silver 4-light when the bronze one had led lights that were an absolute PAIN.  We were also waiting on our new Roman Shades, which we now LOVE.  The shade below is actually a curtain panel I just tacked up for photos. That's blogger TRUTH right there! We currently use these curtains in our home office and master bedroom.

So there you have it!

Thanks again to Lamps Plus for a great experience working with them.  I've purchase their lighting over the years and truly love the variety of options they offer!  They have some great videos on Facebook to help show you how to bring all design elements together.  Video makes all the difference for me, so I really appreciate when brands make things easier and make videos to help us all out.

xo,

Anneke

P.S. If you're new to Coastal Collective Co., I'd like to invite you to take The Make It Happen Challenge! It's a FREE 5-Day Video Series I made to help people meet their goals.

>>>>If that sounds like something you're interested in, click HERE.

Let's Connect!

NOW on Periscope! @annekemcconnell

Follow along on Facebook

Follow along on instagram at:

@annekemcconnell

@coastalcollectivestyle

@coastalinteriors

 

 

 

 

 

Nautical Pendant Lighting

Kitchen, InteriorsAnneke McConnell

Lighting has the magic of taking an otherwise completed space and giving it an entire different look and feel depending on what you choose.  I love, love, love nautical pendant lighting, especially of the antique brass variety, because it adds that instant classic coastal look to ANY home.  On a quick note, be sure to check back soon for our final kitchen makeover reveal! I can't wait to share it with you!!!

When picking out a pendant light, be sure to consider a few things:

  1. The dimensions of the pendant are important for how it/they will fit in your space. Whether they are for a kitchen island, entryway, above a desk, etc.,  make sure to check the height available as compared to the width of the pendant.  Pendants range from a mini size to a larger scale of 14" or more, so always triple check!
  2. I personally think it's ok to mix metals, but pay attention to how the placement of metals balance out your room.  If you have brass predominantly on one side and bronze on the other, it will feel a bit out of place.  I can't wait to show you more about how to make this work using our kitchen as an example!
  3. Different finishes will requires different maintenance, especially the shape of a classic nautical pendant.  I personally recommend stocking up on these guys to keep things in ship shape! They may have changed my life slightly!

 

 

Of ALL these nautical pendant lights, I'd say THIS ONE is my favorite which comes in a larger and mini pendant size!!!

 

As for some other great sales you may want to check out currently:

Nordstrom Clearance Event:  Just a few days left of this sale with up to 40% off items.  I love shopping Nordstrom for clothing AND home, and it's my go to for Dash and Albert rugs......and heels, and sweaters, and coats......so much love for this store. Lol

ChicWish: this is a great place to find affordable AND stylish clothing and they are currently offering up to 35% off sitewide.  I know I've got my eye on some pretty holiday party dresses and sequin tops!

Neiman Marcus:  there are some pretty high quality items up for grabs at up to 40% off in NMs New Arrivals First Call sale.  Tory Burch, Vince, Cole Haan, Rag and Bone are just a few that have some great discounts.

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

xo,

Anneke 

Follow along on instagram at:

@coastalcollectiveco

@coastalcollectivestyle

@coastalinteriors

Follow along on Facebook

Top Picks: Lantern Chandelier Lighting + 10 Tips To Making Confident Choices in Lighting

Interiors, KitchenAnneke McConnell

Lighting has the ability to entirely change a space and a beautiful lantern chandelier can certainly become the focal point of a room when paired properly with the other elements in the room.  They can be utilized to brighten up an entryway, kitchen island, dining area, or even span a hallway or staircase if the walls are high enough. I've used lantern chandeliers in an office space before and they can really add a huge statement to the room while brightening everything with a soft light.

Some general lighting tips to help you make a confident choice in your lighting:

 

  1. It's perfectly acceptable to mix finishes and textures within your home. Lighting can be made with various materials. Your lighting should compliment the room you are styling or decorating, not necessarily match everything or create drastic contrast.
  2. Consider adding a dimmer to accommodate different tasks or mood lighting depending on the time of day and when or how much lighting is needed.
  3. When installing hanging lights, choose a chandelier of pendant that is roughly 12" less in diameter than what it is being hung above.  Because most chains are adjustable, make sure that the bottom of the light is about 30" above the table or countertop.
  4. Use at least two different kinds of lighting within a room, preferably more! From a lamp to sconces, pendants, gallery lighting, etc., it adds dimensions, beauty AND function to your home.
  5. Pick your size accordingly. More common nine and ten foot ceiling heights almost demand to be filled with beautiful lighting, otherwise risking a void look. BUT if this isn't the case for you, there are many options for mini chandeliers and pendants out there today.
  6. When installing heavier chandeliers and ceiling fans, always make sure you or your electrician have proper mounting hardware to appropriately accommodate the weight of the piece being installed.  One that I have used personally for mid size chandeliers and children's ceiling lighting is the Saf-T-Brace by Westinghouse Lighting.
  7. When installing a foyer light, either center it with the window and if that is not applicable, hang it so the bottom of the chandelier is about 7 feet high from the floor.
  8. Dining lighting should be about 50-75% the width of the table depending on the style and room. Again, make sure the bottom of the light is about 30" above the tabletop for 8 foot high ceiling. Every foot higher than eight, the chandelier can be raised approximately 2-3" higher.
  9. The larger the room and higher the ceilings, naturally the bigger the chandelier OR the opportunity to use multiple chandeliers.  Consider two and three tier styles to fill the space and illuminate the room more evenly.
  10. Think outside the box! Mini chandeliers and pendants have been steadily filling laundry rooms, walk in closets, mudrooms, home offices, bedrooms, and even small dormers.  There are SO many great designs out there these days and your lighting can really bring a unique look to your home.

 

What are some tips YOU have learned along the way about lighting? I'd love to know in the comments below!

 

xo,

Anneke

Follow along on instagram at:

@coastalcollectiveco

@coastalinteriors

 

Want to start your own blog? Check out my FREE tips at www.CreativeBloggingResourceGuide.com