Design Within Reach Inspired Light Fixtures

I need some new ceiling fixtures for the beach house. For reasons that are unclear to me, the former owners hung pendant lights in both the downstairs and upstairs halls. At 5'5" I just miss the bottom of the pendants when I walk by. Not very practical. Did I also mention they are hideous?

Browsing around the internet, I found this fixture at Design Within Reach. I love the style of the fixture, but I'd prefer chrome to brass. It's flush so no one will smack their head walking by. Much more practical.

DWR Large Bulkhead Light $395

So I need three fixtures--two for the upstairs hall and one for the downstairs hall. Now let's see...the fixture is $395. So for three fixtures I'm looking at $1200. Not happening.

Then I ran across this fixture at Home Depot. Similar lines and size--and under $15! Now we're talking, but with its plain white metal finish, it's not quite what I had in mind. So I picked up three of these babies and then headed over to the paint aisle where I grabbed a can of Rustoleum Metallic spray paint in silver.

Hampton Bay Outdoor Bulkhead Light $14.97

When I got home, I took the fixture apart. There are three main parts: the grid, the glass globe, and the base. First, I removed the two screws on the rim of the grid using a small Phillips screwdriver. The grid then lifts off and the globe can be separated from the base. There are two rubber gaskets to remove. One is at the base of the glass globe, the other is around the bottom. Unless you're going to use the fixture outside, you don't need these.

I put the globe to one side and laid out the base and the grid. I took the screws (because they need to be painted, too) and replaced them loosely in the holes in the grid. I took a piece of cardboard and stuffed it into the socket to prevent paint from getting in there. Then I sprayed on two coats of paint.

When everything was dry, I put it all back together. It's a good idea to put a light bulb in before you put it back together, since the only way to access the socket is to unscrew the grid.

Now, obviously, these don't approximate the quality of the DWR fixture, but I ended up with three ceiling fixtures that have the look I want for less than $50. I'm good with that.

© Salt Marsh Cottage 2014

Coastal Finds at Ikea

I stopped in at Ikea the other day to pick up some sheets, so of course I had to browse around a little...And I'm glad I did! Ikea is full of fun coastal-themed products right now--and at such great prices. Here are some things I picked up.

First, I found this canvas table runner with a fish print. So cute! $9.99. It's 79" x 16".

And paper napkins to match. I bought four packs of these. I think they were $1.69 each.

I also found these laminated trays for $6.99 each. They are 19.5" x 6.25". They would be great for serving crackers and cheese.

How about an apron for $9.99?

Although less obviously "fishy", I also picked up this duvet and sham set for one of the guest rooms. The duvet cover and two shams in queen size was $49.99.

So lots of great beachy items at Ikea right now. It's certainly worth a look.

© Salt Marsh Cottage 2014

Starting Over

If you've been following this blog, you know that it was named after our cottage on the Connecticut shore that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.I started the blog to document my progress in restoring or rebuilding this place that meant so much to us.

After spending more than a year and lots of money, first trying to repair and then trying to rebuild, we realized we were at a dead end. As hard as it was to admit it, we needed to move on. So we started looking for a new beach house.

We ended up finding a place in Rhode Island. We love the beaches there and it's centrally located to friends and family. We closed on our new house last Friday.

Everyone who has seen it says it's got "potential" and "good bones". These are euphemisms for "Holy cow! You've got your work cut out for you!" Which is true. But...it's on a beautiful piece of property, with lots of privacy, close to a fabulous beach. It has three decks (including one off the master bedroom) and a screen porch. It's just the right size for us--3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The layout is great and the work that needs to be done is cosmetic, not structural. Over the next few posts, I'll be showing you the "befores" of the interior and discussing my plans for each room. Stay tuned. This promises to be a wild ride!

© Salt Marsh Cottage 2014