5 Vintage Inspired Pendant Lights {Almost} Perfect For Our Mudroom

The lighting choices from yesterday had me drooling, but sadly none will work for our space because of our dang sloped ceilings.  We need something that can be mounted at an angle but will hang vertically - so a pendant light with a flexible cord that we can shorten is probably our only option. 

Remember when we installed pendant lights above our sink by using an inexpensive kit from Westinghouse and glass shades from Goodwill?  Those turned out great - although I think I'm going to replace the glass shades with these or these from Schoolhouse Electric which will give them a more modern feel and the bulbs might actually fit!

As for the mudroom pendant light, we just might end up making our own again if we can't find an option that looks good and fits within our budget, but until we make that final decision I thought I'd share a few gorgeous options that I found while hanging out on the internet.  The combination of vintage design, warm edison light bulbs and dark hardware gets me all hot and bothered - hope it tickles your fancy, as well.

Metal Filament 7 1/2" pendant light from Restoration Hardware

 Lowell Pendant from Schoolhouse Electric.

 Greenhouse Pendant from Pottery Barn.

Globe Pendant from West Elm.

Bubble Glass Pendant from Shades of Light.

We're hitting the big city this weekend - Seattle/Everett, to be exact - and I plan on scouring the Restoration Hardware outlet, an architectural salvage store (or two) and anything else that tickles our fancy.  Hopefully the thrifting gods will be on our side and I'll score an amazing deal and the perfect lighting - if not, it'll be back to our good ol' DIY method.

What about you guys?  Which pendant lights have you ooing and ahhing?

DIY Problems - Lighting Options for Low & Shallow Ceilings

Can a DIY project ever go smoothly, asks the frustrated DIY'er.  We're smack dab in the middle of renovating our mudroom/breakfast nook and things were going very smoothly until the hubs went to install the wiring and housings for our new recessed lights in the mudroom.  Unfortunately for us, our dang ceilings in this room, which is a stark contrast to our 9 foot ceilings elsewhere, are low (slanted, in fact) and shallow.  With their pivoting lights and extremely low-profile gimbal recessed lights solve the height and slant problems but most likely will not work for the shallow issue - there's only 3 1/2 inches from the ceiling to the roof.  I'd love to share a photo with you of exactly what I'm talking about but I can't!  It's a surprise...but you'll get to see the entire process soon enough.  Until then, you'll just have to be content with my horrible descriptions.

Instead of installing three recessed lights - which would illuminate the corner bench area, the entry and the laundry closet - we have to figure out another plan.  The corner bench area is easy - I'm going to track down some killer sconce lights like this Princeton Junior sconce or this Satellite Wall sconce, both by Schoolhouse Electric, but the two overhead lights are a whole 'nother story.  Two recessed lights will now become one mounted light. 

Like I mentioned before, we're leaning towards this gorgeous Eldridge Rectangular Chandelier from Ballard Designs for our nook area which will be open and visible to the mudroom.  So, something that coordinates without overly competing would be ideal, plus we need something like a short pendant style so that can be mounted but will hang straight.  While I'm on the hunt for our perfect light, I thought I'd share these perfect options (just not perfect for our specific space) that could pair nicely with the Eldridge light.

The Franklin 2.25" Light $127 as shown from Schoolhouse Electric - it's simple, clean and has that same vintage-modern vibe that the Ballard Designs light has.

Another option would be something similar to this Single-Light Sebring Outdoor Ceiling - $114.  Although it's an outdoor light, I like the industrial style of it plus it's a DIY project in the making.

 
Pottery Barn's Fisherman's Flushmount Light is very similar to the option above and is a little more expensive at $199.

Another option that caught my eye at Pottery Barn is the Julian Flushmount light.  It's also listed for $199 and is a more elegant twist on the boob light.

A less desirable option but something that would definitely work for a low ceiling would be something like this Saturn Small flush mount light from Lithonia Lighting. 

Track lighting might be the way to go to avoid flush mounts altogether but once again, height may be  an issue depending on the lights you choose.  I love the style of the Pottery Barn lighting track.

Ikea has an inexpensive track lighting option, the KRÄMARE Ceiling Track, but a little hacking would be involved, i.e. spray paint, to get a similar finish as the Eldridge. At only $24.99 including three lights, it might be a great option although not exactly the perfect pairing with the Eldridge.

The clock is ticking so I better stop because as much as I love finding lighting options - I really just need to find lighting options that will actually work for us.  So.....the pendant lighting search begins!  Think happy, budget-friendly thoughts.

Houzz: Get Grout Magically Clean

Do you have dirty, grimy grout that you just can't seem to get clean?  Well, have I got the solution for you!  (Sounds like an infomercial, right?)

Seriously, though.  Tile — whether it's used as flooring, in the kitchen as a backsplash or for counters, or in the bathroom — has one great downfall: grout. Since grout is porous in nature, unsealed grout absorbs all kinds of stains, from mildew to coffee and everything in between. To say it's a headache to keep grout clean is an understatement.

We inherited marble tile counters when we purchased our home. It's pretty clear that the grout was never properly sealed, so it soaks up stains like crazy. It makes our kitchen feel gross and grimy, even if it was just cleaned. While I'd love to replace the counters with a solid surface like quartz, it's just not in our budget — plus, we just can't justify getting rid of something that's perfectly fine otherwise.  So instead, I've come up with a fool-proof method to get grout sparkling clean and all it takes is a few items and a lot of elbow grease.

Check out the full post over at Houzz to learn the easy method for yourself and be on your way to clean grout....finally!

Get Grout Magically Clean — Stains and All

So what about you guys?  Have any easy methods to get those tough to clean areas sparkling?  I'd love to hear about them in the comments section!

Why "You Are Just Like Your Mom" Makes Me Smile

My mom is one of my most favorite people and I strive to be more like her every day.  She's been an amazing role model, incredibly supportive and I hope to be as great and patient (eek!) of a parent as she is.  I lucked out and that's why I'm much more likely to smile and say thank you if someone were to say, "you're just like your Mom."  While there are a few ways that I AM just like her there are also quite a few that I wish I was more like.  Here's a sampling of the good, the bad, and the better qualities that my Mom rocks.

Me and my Mom circa 1982.

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The Good

1)  Inquisitive - Mom and her 20 questions is a running joke in our family.  I can't even describe the barrage we'd be hit with as soon as she got home from work.  It used to drive me crazy and now I do the exact same thing to my little one.  I know now that she's ACTUALLY interested in our lives and loves us and that's the same way I feel about Luke.  So, my apologies, Luke - it's only going to get worse and my apologies, Mom, - ask away.

2)  DIY - Mom may not think she's a DIY-type of person, but she is.  I remember the time that she built us a bed.  A wobbly and ill-built bed, mind you, but she still built it herself.  She also built her own stair stepper back in the 90s.  It was a beast and once you moved it where you wanted it - you were too tired to work out.  Those sissy electrical machines we have now have nothing on it.  So, Mom - I hate to break it to you but you are definitely a DIY-type...so best get to building that addition!

3)  Observant - Although I tend to share my opinion more times than I should, like Mom, I do love to observe people while they're spewing nonsense...all the while thinking "you are ridiculous."

4)  Creative - I don't know how many times Mom (or myself) have come up with the most amazing invention or money making idea only to have someone else beat us to it.  We may be unmotivated to bring our idea to fruition, but damnit what a great idea it was!

5)  Bookworm - Just like my Mom, I love books and I love to read.  Although she's more of a kindle fanatic and I lean towards the classic - we still love to lose ourselves in a story.  This tops my list of things I hope to pass along to my children, well, below working hard, being kind, and being ridiculously weird, of course.

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The Bad

1) Shy - It's a problem and something we've both had to battle through.  No we're not snobs, we're just ridiculously shy.  Which is crazy, since we were both theatrical standouts back in the day.  Right, Mom?  Wagon Wheels West!!!!!!!  But seriously, my shyness has kept me from doing so much and I really need to break out of my comfort zone.  So, thanks for that one, Mom.  I guess no one's perfect.  :)

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The Better

1)  Easy Tempered (mostly) - Mom does an amazing job of keeping her cool - most of the time.  She's able to let all those little things go - like leaving your dirty socks in the living room - whereas I would be raging.  Socks don't matter in the grand scheme of things - love, respect and loyalty do. I think it's a big reason why Mom & Dad's marriage has lasted so long.  I mean, it couldn't have been easy living with Dad for the past 32 years! :)  (Sorry, Dad - love you!)

2)  Back to #3 above, I wish I could keep things in more...I always have to fight the urge to come to the defense of people.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion but if it's derogatory or judgmental I can't help but want to say something. Mom would say - you have to pick your battles and you can't change people.  Just ignore them and move on....so I try, but it sure is hard!

3)  Hardworking - My parents were teenagers when they had me - my Mom just a few months from her high school graduation.  She has always worked so hard for our family (they both have).  There are times when Mom was working jobs she hated but she did what she had to do to support her family without any complaint - that I heard, at least.  As I'm struggling being back at work, this is something I definitely need to take to heart.  It's not about me and what I want, but what is best for those crazy little creatures of ours.

4)  Smart - I'm not saying I'm a dunce, but my Mom is a smarty pants.  Any subject - she's a pro.  I mean, she was valedictorian, after all....just don't ask her for any help with spelling.  Right, Kai?!  :)

5)  Forgiving - I put my Mom through the ringer back in high school and never did she hold anything against me - she's always thought the best of me...even when I wasn't acting so well.  (Anyone remember that awful Porn Star shirt?  God, I hope I don't have a girl.)  I hope to be that way for my children - even if it is of the female gender.

So what do you love about your Mom?  Now is it Mother?  Mama?  Mum?  Whatever it is - don't forget to actually call her on Sunday or you might be in big trouble, Mister. (or Miss) Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there.  I'll be spending some good ol' quality time with the lady who made me and my Mom's second favorite daughter and my bestie, Kai.  Now that's a great Mother's Day!

Greenthumb: A Sunny Garden Bed

There are many places that need attention in our yard - our perimeter is nearly a blank canvas, aside from the shade garden that we planted this past weekend.  I'd love to plant large flowering shrubs and evergreen perennials all around it, but I'd also really not like to spend a million dollars in the process.  I'm pretty much a newbie when it comes to landscape design and I tend to fly by the seat of my pants rather than plan anything out so spending more than I'd like is always a problem.  Sticking to an actual garden plan like these would be helpful, but I'm just not organized enough to remember to bring the plan to the nursery with me.  So, I buy what I like and what I think will work which is exactly what I did for this sunny garden bed on the west side of our yard.

Once again, Josh helped by clearing out the flower bed from grass, weeds and bamboo while I lounged around soaking in some much needed vitamin D.  After he was finished, I laid out the plants where I thought they'd look best and started planting.  There were already two clematis plants growing, which I planted last year so I worked around those.  I thought I had killed the clematis when I forgot to water them for two weeks last summer, but I was happily surprised when I saw them full of life.

At each end of the flower bed, I planted the california lilac shrubs and planted the blue fescue grass and salvia, which I pilfered from another bed, in between.  I also planted sunflowers, seeds from my grandma & grandpas garden, along the fence and finished the bed off with a dark brown mulch. The bed still needs to be edged but I need to go on a hunt for river rocks, first.  I'm hoping things will grow soon so I will know what I need to add to get that full and slightly crowded look I love, but I'm sure I just need to be patient....something that I'm not.

With this sunny bed complete...for now...I added a couple more plants, hellebores and coral bells to our sunny flower bed by our arbor which already includes salvia, lavender, viburnum tinus shrub, climbing hydrangea and some kind of white flowered ground cover.  Things seem to be doing pretty well in this area, but I still need to add some soil and mulch to finish it off, plus edge it with river rocks, of course.

Just like the shady garden, have any tips or go-to plants for a sunny flower bed?