Getting ready for the wedding, I found a brass chandelier that I bought as part of a $20.00 bundle. I made out like a bandit on that deal. If you have been reading the blog long you have probably seen something that I got on that trip at least once a week. My favorite piece was a milk glass chandelier that will one day be in my bathroom. The grape sconce in the purple frames, two of the ornate frames, the glass candle holders, my tarnished silver change holders, and six vases that we used at the wedding are just some of the items.
It was one of those builder's grade sort of brass like metal light fixtures.
My first thought was for it to become something for the dessert table at the wedding. http://weddingsby2plushue.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_00682.jpg
http://www.etsy.com/listing/74784759/handmade-teacup-chandelier-using
When I didn't get the cake stand done I thought that possibly I would do something fun, but Sweet Amanda's dining room is so tiny and she has a lot going on with the frames. It would get in the way of my giant son's head most of the time when the table is against the wall.
Sweet Amanda and Baby Boy do not have an overhead light in their front room. That is normal for an apartment the age that theirs is, but it means that they need a lot of lamps in the room. Because they are ministers on a college campus and have small groups in their home, the front room is literally wall to wall couches. The space where the window air conditioner is really doesn't work well for a table lamp so right now they have a red floor lamp that I bought on clearance at Walmart after the off to college stuff went on sale one year. It really doesn't go with the vibe of the room, The chandelier was the perfect solution for the spot. I had a ton of chain, cord, and other lighting parts left over from another project so the solution is to make the chandelier into a hanging lamp that plugs in.
Their lease says that anything permanently attached has to stay. This will not be permanent.
I took the light out to the trees at the edge of our woods and then tied it up with twine to allow me to spray prime it.
I am a terrible spray painter. I apparently am also a terrible spray primer too. The primer was gritty, and uneven. I hated it so much that I got out the paint brush and gallon can of primer and gave it a second coat.
I still did not love it so it sat for two weekends while I studied it. One the best ever garage sale run where I found the giant ornate mirror, I bought five black lampshades with gold interiors for $2.00 that are going to cover the bulbs and provide less direct light in their living room.
The walls in the apartment are white, so a light colored chandelier with black shades would not look right. When Sweet Amanda and her bud Beth came over, the color was selected... coral.
I should not have been surprised they chose coral. It is really a popular color right now. The 2012 Pantone color of the year is a tangerine color that is really close to coral. http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/category.aspx?ca=88
Hubby and I went to Home Depot to look for coral. I gave him a color block and he could not pick coral from the block. Baby Boy doesn't think it is a real color.
We found a color called tropical coral. I am going to brush it on. I know what you are thinking. Yes I probably am crazy but I do not love spray paint and I couldn't find a color I liked.
At Christmas time I am going to look for beads to add to the light.
Finally this weekend I was able to get the thing painted. The color was a little scary- almost sherbet colored. I just had to trust it would dry richer and darker.
Here is the finished product. It did dry a lot prettier than I originally feared it would. I also aged it a little with some glaze at Baby Boy's request.
I still need to get new plastic covers that look like candlesticks, bulbs, and Hubby needs to finish wiring the plug in part so it is not mounted on the ceiling but is a plug in lamp.
I unwrapped one of the shades. It will be perfect. The gold on the inside will go with the gold metals in the room. This is going to be a great color boost to a mostly brown living room. I found the fabric below to make some pillows and I have another project to bring in the coral color to the room.
Yes, Baby Boy, coral is a real color.
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