My living room. I've since moved lamp into corner.
I’m on a mission. I need more lighting in my living room. (Even this photo is dark!) The only lighting is lamps — and since we’re not going to do any budget-busting recessed cans, I’m looking for more lamps and end tables (or a slim sofa table) for them. I’m heading to Move It Elsewhere in San Jose today (a giant estate sales open only one weekend a month), hitting up the annual St. Christopher Antique Show, and checking out Emily Joubert home and garden in Woodside, which is donating its proceeds from this weekend to Haiti relief efforts.
Sounds easy enough, right? Wrong!
Asian-style credenza with leopard skin lamp
The problem is, I’m in the midst of a decorating identity crisis. It’s just too easy to call myself eclectic. I consider myself a modern girl who loves clean lines (I’m an architect’s daughter afterall!). But look at my living room and you’d never know it. Still, it’s filled with things I love: an antique jewel-tone rug in reds and golds, a faded brown Belgian tapestry behind my French writing desk, and a black credenza with an Asian-style fretwork motif. I even love the lamps I have, including my grandfather’s cloisonne floor lamp, a small marble lamp with a leopard skin shade (from our days in Dallas), and a tall table lamp with a funky mid-century shade in gold and white I salvaged from a throw-away bin. Love it! (I even repainted a rattan chair from white to black that my mom sent me away to college with.)
My crisis continues when I try to figure out just what look I’m going for here. I get so excited about vintage mid-century and ’60s things. I go ga-ga over Kelly Wearstler, who can take a 1970s heavily carved buffet table, paint it lime green and voila! But I need to get down to business. So, I’m looking for end tables on which to place lamps. I saw some at Not too Shabby in San Jose — bright gold boxes with glass tops (so Wearstler, I thought) but when I came back a week later, they were gone, of course. I saw some white Asian-style end tables, kind of retro, but they might be too stark.
A Kelly Wearstler living room. Why do I see myself as this?
The lamp from the attic. Be honest! (but remember it was my grandmother's)
I need help. Serious help.
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Hi Julia!
I love that lamp from your attic – I would SO use it. It’s not easy figuring out the lighting in a room. In fact, I just re-did one of our rooms, and found finding the right lamp was the hardest part of the whole process! A great place to look for lampshades – Anthropologie…the one in Palo Alto has a great selection. The lampshades at Restoration Hardward are nice, too, but not as creative.
Hope all is well with you! – Rebecca
Wish were were discussing over a glass of wine…
Lighting…first think of the function that the lamp needs to serve. Reading, ambient, task, etc.
and choose the lamp and it’s shade accordingly. Remember, a dark color shade will not permeate the shade, only allow upward and downward light.
The lamp pictured on the asian credenza is too small….maybe a pair of lamps or definitely something larger.
Grandma’s lamp…paint it or silverleaf it….add a new linen or silk shade with trim.
(Blaine’s Lighting has shades and harps in stock, and will correct any electrical issues~ bring your lamp with you!) But, keep in mind it needs to be put on a table that is in proportion to the lamp.
ie…lamp shade should not project past the table surface.
It also looks like you could use some sparkle…glass lamps, mercury or venetian glass…
Last word…no torchere lamps in the corner!
Happy shopping and may Kelly W. be on your shoulder!
The lamp from the attic is very nice! So many ideas for lighting. Hanging lamps are very nice and can be hung in corners or over any tables. Still would love to see your home= Love your inspirational pic- I see you with it too!
Well, the saga continues, ladies. I found a retro end table, but my husband says it’s too bulky for the space. Now I’m thinking maybe it can go in the den. Thanks Kathi (my favorite designer) for your lighting tips. Please ‘illuminate’ me about ‘no torcheres in the corner.’ Is my floor lamp a torchere? ‘Cuz it’s in the corner.
I would place the grandma’s lamp on the asian credenza and purchase a drum shade from Anthropologie, they have great sales on them, or one from pottery barn. The scale seems much better for the piece. In addition, your room seems a little heavy on the leather sofa, large floor lamp side. As for Kelly, think twice she’s pretty overrated.
Debra, hadn’t thought of grandma’s lamp on Asian credenza. That’s a good idea with a different shade. And I’m with you on the couch. I’ve got the same issues with it. But a new one is not in the budget now. As for my Kelly Wearstler obsession? God help me.
“Torchere” is a disc type lamp that illuminates upward, no your floor lamp does not qualify.
How was the estate sale?
Hey, I was just looking through your website and wanted to load your RSS feed, but it isn’t working with my webbrowser (I’m using Google Chrome) any possible way to get around that?