A while back we bought this light for $29 at the Pottery Barn outlet. At first we planned to hang it over the sink “someday” when the kitchen was redone, but when we installed our oil-rubbed bronze pendant lights above the peninsula, the silver and mercury glass finish on the new light didn’t seem to fit. We loved the mercury glass shade, but the silver neck, black cord, and silver ceiling cap felt off. So the fixture ended up waiting for a new home—maybe a bathroom or another spot in the house.
One afternoon I asked tall John to hold the fixture over the sink just to see how it looked. Surprisingly, the shape and scale were perfect. The mercury glass reflected the chrome faucet and stainless hardware beautifully, but the metallic parts needed to match the rest of the lighting. Enter: ORB—oil-rubbed bronze spray paint with built-in primer. A few thin, even coats later, the fixture had a glossy oil-rubbed bronze finish that brought it into harmony with the pendants above the peninsula.
After giving it a full day to cure, we hung it above the sink. The darker finish balances the room and visually connects the different pendant styles, even though their shades are quite different. The mercury glass still gleams and ties into the stainless and chrome accents, while the oil-rubbed bronze gives the fixture weight and a grounded, luxurious feel.
The new pendant over the sink functions as a bridge between the oil-rubbed bronze pendants and the silver touches around the kitchen. With our recently installed stainless steel dishwasher on one side and the fridge on the other, the room now has a pleasing sense of balance—two silver elements placed across from each other anchor the layout. We didn’t plan that symmetry when we rearranged the kitchen, but it’s a happy coincidence.
We often get asked for photos of the light-installation process. It’s tricky to document because installing a light usually requires one person to hold the fixture while the other does the wiring, so there aren’t many spare hands for photos or video. If you’re looking for step-by-step visuals, searching for light installation videos online will turn up several helpful guides.
I’m particularly fond of the small hexagonal pattern on the mercury glass shade. The sparkly, reflective surface works beautifully with the darker hardware. The contrast makes the fixture feel both delicate and substantial, adding a little glamour without overpowering the space. We could have matched the sink pendant exactly to the larger outlet pendants over the peninsula, but we like the subtle variation: similar but not identical. The slightly smaller scale of the sink pendant suits the cozier area above the sink better than a bulky globe would.
Here are some “it’s on” shots for you to see how it looks when lit:
On a different note, we’re excited to be speaking at the Home & Garden show in Portland this Wednesday. We’ll be traveling most of the week and have scheduled events throughout the day on the 22nd, including an invite-only blogging seminar in the afternoon and a Meet & Greet at 5:30pm in the Smart House Remodel in Hall D. If you’re attending the show, we’d love to meet you.
Burger is staying home with a house-sitter to avoid the stress of travel, but Clara is coming with us since John’s parents will be there as well. Because we’ll be on the road and at the show, our posting schedule this week may be a bit irregular. We’ll do our best to keep things on track, but there may be moments when we can’t respond to comments right away. If your comment doesn’t appear immediately, we’re likely waiting for a chance to reply or haven’t had a moment to approve it yet.
Neither of us has been to Portland before, and we’ve got a long list of places we want to check out. We’re also trying our best to prepare for the public speaking part—fingers crossed. I’m a little nervous about speaking in front of a crowd, so send some good vibes our way. We’ll share highlights and home-related discoveries from the trip when we can. What did you work on this weekend? Any ORB projects or lighting upgrades in your house?