Wishing everyone the best and brightest for the new year! For 2022, we are sharing a monthly design inspiration to bring light, joy, and beauty into your home. You know design is at the heart of what we do. And the most common refrain we hear from clients at the end of a project is "I wish I would have done x, y, and z when I lived here." This year, we challenge you to do x, y, and z in the home you are in. You don't need a full remodel to make an impact, and most of our suggestions can be completed for a hundred dollars, or less.
Each month we will address an aspect of design to inspire you to create beauty in your home.
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Let There Be Light January Edition |
Yes, this month, we are starting with light. Holiday decorations and lights are down and the days are still way too short! We're spending longer hours with artificial light, and most interior light needs a refresh. We are here to help! Upgrading the light in your home is one of the simplest, most affordable ways to make a real impact on your space. Every property we list has two critical upgrades: fresh paint and light fixtures. We want to inspire you to think of one or two areas in your house that could use a lighting refresh. Maybe your dining room needs a personality, or your bath vanity light is from 1998. Have you thought about an accent light in your primary bedroom? Trust us, it's a game changer. We're sharing with you our favorite fixtures to upgrade various rooms in your house. Should you accept our challenge, we would love it if you took before and after photos, and posted them to instagram and tag @hopebroderickrelator so we can follow along! I honestly believe that the biggest hurdle for everyo ne, including designers, is to just "do something"... Really, nothing is ever perfect and the style will change so it is temporary regardless. Don’t get stalled trying to achieve perfection. We are not decorating Versailles and most of our lighting won’t become a family heirloom! But a small change can have a big impact on a room, we promise you will not regret it! |
You have to have a dimmer. I try to put dimmers everywhere. If it doesn't dim, don't buy it, check the product details! Spend money on ONE Statement fixture. The rest can be well chosen, inexpensive fixtures that will look chic adjacent to the statement fixture, just as long as they all dim. :) Consider scale! Oversized fixtures are in, but make sure the fixture doesn’t overwhelm the space. Conversely, don’t use a tiny fixture in a large room. Coordinate your finishes. You love a matte gold vanity light, but your bathroom is all chrome. Instead of swapping out faucets and hardware to gold, consider finding a fixture you like in chrome, or something neutral like black to contrast. Yes, you can mix metals, but it takes some skill, so stick to basics until you get the hang of it. Don't do "daylight!" Daylight bulbs are actually blue in tone, and cast a chilly light. We have absolutely no idea why they exist, honestly. We stick to "soft white" and so should you. |
"Something is better than nothing."
"Just show up! Really in life if you 'just show up' most of the time the rest will work itself out!" You've been dreaming of a $4,000 fixture in the dining room, but limping along with that dated, dilapidated Home Depot number until you can afford the dream light. It makes you not want to entertain, and you hate looking at it every time you turn on the switch. Stop! Pick something off our list, spend $150, and enjoy the space! When it comes time to get that special fixture, you can sell the old one Facebook Marketplace, or donate to a local charity. "First impressions are everything!" Focus on most visible spaces first! If your porch light needs upgrading, we have ideas! (Or at the very least, clean out the bugs and spider webs!) Other first impression spaces are entryways, dining rooms, kitchens! Pick something, anything, and get to work! |
Most common question, I get from agents and clients: |
Where do you shop for lighting? Everywhere... Amazon has been our clear winner for the last two years due to supply chain issues. We love CB2 for their modern designs and moderate pricing. West Elm has good options, too! Wayfair has finds, but it takes some patience to sort through the endless options. Shadesoflight.com Aspirational/inspirational: |
For your inspiration and motivation, our list of favorite fixture, detailed by type and area can be found here. |
Don't wait around! Do this for yourself this month! And bonus points if you swag a pendant light in your living room! |
No handyperson required to install, just an outlet and a good hook from the hardware store. Do it!! And don't forget to post your before and afters to Instagram, we'll be looking for them! |
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