I don’t know if there is a fear of electricians out there right now, but there seems to be an increase in overhead lights that can be plugged in, instead of hard-wired to the ceiling. Of course, it is easier than wiring what you already have (and less expensive) and some homes don’t even have ceiling lights to begin with (which I am still not used to, and I don’t quite understand why they build them that way). But, as much as I am all for quick and easy decorating, I wish these had been designed by real people, and not manufacturer’s grabbing onto a trend, throwing it into a factory, and spitting it out at the public. Lighting a home isn’t just about being able to see; if it was, then we would all just have cheap lightbulbs hanging everywhere, or a constant supply of flashlights in our pocket. We want it to look good, and, from a design point it should somehow enhance the room, instead of looking like some temporary solution on our to-do list. I love the idea of making decorating easy, but it is the execution and design of these lights that is wrong. They should come with instructions, and a lot more care, so that they really will look like the picture on the front of the box. Let’s be honest, every single one I have seen lately is hanging from a wiggly cord, looped across the ceiling, and dangling awkwardly down the wall, like a really bad Andy Warhol exhibit. So, in my effort to save you from the awful, fancy hanging lights, I have a few suggestions…. – Open the box before you buy it. If the cord is white, wrapped tight, and looks bent, don’t bother. – If you know an electrician who can add a chain to it, and/or a thinner/clear cord, then go for it. – Please don’t wrap the cord in fabric, but you can paint it if that makes you feel better. – Consider where you are going to hang it, and how you will drape/hang/celebrate/disguise the cord. – If the photograph shows just a chain, and no cord, they are fibbing. It still needs electricity. – Most of them do look better draped (in a designery kind of way) instead of pulled taut (like a bad facelift). p.s. If you have a fancy hanging light that you really do love, please send me a picture of it, and I will share it on my business Facebook page. Photograph was from Amazon but now it has been replaced with another chandelier.
For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/
Comments