Yes, that’s an electric slide reference. And I’ll bet it’s making my mom laugh while my brother rolls his eyes and vows never to read this blog again.
Let’s talk about electrical updates: installing a new capiz chandelier in the bedroom, adding a few extra outlets, and trying to minimize drywall damage when running new wiring. After last week’s post about our new outdoor sconces, we mentioned some indoor wiring work that happened at the same time. Here’s a clear rundown of what we added, where it went, and how much it cost.
First up—the prettiest result so far: the new bedroom light.
We had electricians install ceiling fixtures in all four upstairs bedrooms because we prefer the look and convenience of overhead lighting. Previously, those rooms had no ceiling fixtures; the existing switches were wired to wall outlets. Thankfully, the team was able to use the existing switches, so the only drywall work was the hole for each ceiling box. That meant no extra switches, and no more accidentally turning off the cable box or sound machine when leaving a room.
We haven’t chosen fixtures for the kids’ rooms or the guest room yet, so for now we’ll use simple white metal covers to avoid that awkward blue-circle-with-wires look until we find the right lights. The master bedroom fixture, however, was ready: a Large Lotus Pendant we ordered from World Market when we bought our hallway lights. It had been going out of stock, and we got the same 25% discount, bringing it to $112 with free shipping.
When the pendant arrived we realized it didn’t include a light kit (a detail we’d missed on the site). World Market’s kits only come in black or silver, so we looked for bronze options at Home Depot and Lowe’s. We chose kits intended for decorative glass shades but hoped they would work here. The Lowe’s Portfolio pendant in an “aged” finish ($18) matched best and turned out to be the one that fit.
The ring on the capiz fixture was slightly smaller than the kit’s screw, so instead of screwing on traditionally, the fixture rests on the flared part of the light kit. Once we found that nesting method, the installation was straightforward—one of the quickest light installs we’ve done, under fifteen minutes. The new ceiling light uses a single 60-watt bulb and adds a useful layer of lighting on top of the two bedside lamps we’d been relying on.
There’s something wonderfully luxurious about walking into a bedroom and turning the light on from the doorway. It’s one of those small improvements that makes everyday life feel upgraded.
Now for a quick overview of the whole electrical job. The crew completed all of this over three mornings, working in the cooler hours since the attic and crawl space were unbearably hot later in the day:
- Installed ceiling fixtures in four upstairs bedrooms via the attic
- Converted the bedroom switches to operate ceiling lights instead of wall outlets
- Added four sconces to the veranda (controlled by an existing living room switch)
- Safely terminated old radio/intercom wiring in the veranda
- Installed a ceiling fixture in the downstairs office and converted its switch
- Added a floor outlet under the floating desk in the office
- Added two additional wall outlets in the office
Update: You asked for more details about the office floor outlet. It was a simple addition because the electricians could run the wire up from the crawl space. They wired from below, drilled a small hole from above, and installed the outlet cover. Quick and clean.
We received the invoice this weekend—approximately $1,500 total. Materials were about $270 and the rest was labor. While it’s one of our larger electrician bills, consider that this included nine fixtures across six rooms plus three new outlets and several switch conversions and terminations. When you break it down, it averages to about $100 per item. Bundling multiple jobs together saved money by reducing repeated trips to the attic and lowering overall labor time.
Being available while this work happens can also save headaches and unnecessary damage. Because we were there, we were able to discuss an alternate wiring route that greatly reduced drywall cutting in our office ceiling.
Instead of running wires through multiple joists and making numerous ceiling holes, we suggested routing the wires parallel to the fixture box joist, then snaking them down the wall and through the crawl space to the switch. That plan required just one small ceiling hole instead of nearly ten. A few wall holes were necessary, but wall repairs are generally easier to hide than ceiling repairs.
One small but useful change we decided on during the job was to place an outlet right beneath John’s desk. When the electrician said a hole would appear in that area while snaking the wire, I asked if the hole could be turned into an outlet below the desk line. He agreed, and now John’s cords are much less visible. We did the same near the light switch and added another outlet under the same wall, so the printer and a lamp can be plugged in without stretching cords across the room.
That painting you see is a monster Clara brought home from art camp. We love it so much it might get a permanent home there—without masking tape.
We’ll be updating the office light and picking fixtures for the remaining bedrooms soon. If only our ceilings were eight feet taller—oh wait. #8ftceilingproblems
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