Home, Actually
SOME LIGHT UPDATING
When we bought our house, I knew right away that I wanted to make it feel more like us—but I also knew we weren’t going to renovate every room overnight. So, in almost every room, one of the very first things we did was surprisingly simple: we changed the light fixture.
And honestly, it’s amazing how much of a difference it made.
Lighting is one of those things you might not pay much attention to until you change it. A dated fixture can make an entire room feel dated, while the right one can instantly give the space more personality and make everything around it feel more intentional.
In our house, swapping fixtures has been an easy way to start putting our stamp on a room without committing to a major renovation. Some rooms still need paint. Others have much bigger projects waiting for them. But changing the lighting gave us an immediate improvement while we figured out everything else.
I’ve also found that lighting is a great place to take a little more of a design risk. A sculptural pendant, an unexpected finish, or a fixture with some midcentury character can almost function like artwork—and you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune to get the effect.
So if you have a room that feels a little blah but you aren't ready to tackle a full makeover, look up.
Sometimes all it needs is just a little light updating.
Take a look at ours below. Product links included.
our dining room
Before → After
What we changed:
The original fixture was pretty terrible in my opinion. When we took it down we realized it was essentially a plastic chandelier 😂 We replaced it with something that brought in a little more midcentury modern character, and it immediately changed the feel of the entire room.
Shop our light:
→ [Origin 21 Maren 4 -Light Matte Black LED Opal glass Metal Chandelier — $189.99]
our Living Room
Before → After
What we changed:
The original crystal sconces felt a little too glitzy-glamy for us. We swapped them for simple black up-and-down wall lights that feel cleaner, more modern, and much more in line with the home’s midcentury style. Such a small change, but it completely changed the feel of this wall—especially when they’re turned on.
Shop our light:
→ [Aipsun Black Modern LED Wall Sconce Hardwired Indoor Wall Lights Set of 2 — $59.90]
What we changed: I don't have a good before photo of this one, but our living room has a funky little alcove/shelf next to the stairs. Previously there was a bejeweled (seemed to be a trend for the presious owners) pendant light. We removed that & replaced it with a warm-lit geometric pendant. We used smaller versions of this same light over our breakfast bar, which you can see below. I love the coziness this gives off in the evenings! Now I just need to figured out what to use the shelf for... more to come on that!
Shop our light:
→ [Style Selections Mix and Match 1 -Light Matte black Transitional Cylinder Mini Hanging Pendant Light — $29.98]
→ [Style Selections 7-in x 6.5-in Geometric Black Pendant light shade with 2-1/4-in Fitter— $22.98]
→ [GE Vintage 60 -Watt EQ ST19 Warm — $13.98]
our breakfast Bar
Before → After
What we changed:
The original pendant lights felt a little too traditional for our style, so we swapped them for simple black geometric pendants with Edison-style bulbs. The darker finish ties in with the other black accents we’ve been adding throughout the house, while the open design makes the breakfast bar feel cleaner and a little more modern. It was another relatively easy lighting swap that made the space feel much more like us—without changing anything else.
Shop our light:
→ [Style Selections Mix and Match 1 -Light Matte black Transitional Cylinder Mini Hanging Pendant Light — $29.98]
→ [Style Selections Mix and Match 6-in x 6-in Geometric Bronze Wire Vanity light shade with 2-1/4-in Fitter — $12.98]
our Kitchen
Before → After
What we changed:
Shop our light:
→ [Origin 21 Maren 4 -Light Matte Black LED Opal glass Metal Chandelier — $189.99]
