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We are updating our upstairs. We've spent a lot of time and effort on our main level, which is really where we do most of our living since our bedroom is on the main. But the upstairs has been neglected so we decided to freshen everything up by giving each room a makeover.
There are a few ways to immediately update a room without gutting it and starting from scratch.
1- Rearrange the furniture. I mean give yourself a week and try every configuration you can think of. Live with your new arrangement for a day or two- if you don’t like it, try another arrangement. It’s amazing how refreshed a room can feel even after just a little furniture adjustment.
2- Paint. This is the biggest bang for your buck. $40.00 for a gallon of paint and you’ll feel like your room just took a deep cleansing breath. Ahhhhh… (Just be careful. I never pick a paint color from a chip. Look online for rooms that have the color you love and then get a small $5.00 sample and paint a large square-paint changes color slightly according to the light in a room…so choose well!)
3- Lighting! Lighting can date a room like nothing else, but on the plus side, lighting can also express the vibe of your room. Changing out the lighting in your space is a fun way to update and even make a statement…
Across the board, our upstairs needed new lights, so I’ve been online searching from Farmhouse to French lighting and everything in-between. While I was pouring over lighting options in every price point, I came across some really beautiful options that I thought I’d share with you!
This is a beautiful crystal chandelier that would add a little sparkle to any room…
And if you want to add a little brushed oil bronze, I love this Vintage Inspired Pendant
Or maybe brushed nickel is more your style, if so, this Crystal Tear Drop Chandelier is stunning…
I pulled together a few budget friendly- great crystal pendants from Amazon, one of my favorite sources for just about anything…
The opposite of those sparkling crystals would be the rustic vibe of wood beads. I’m really drawn to these lights, they can be natural, stained dark or even dyed in your favorite color! Let me show you a few of my favorites!
I’m thinking about this fun wood bead semi flush light for my upstairs hallway…
And I just ordered this little beauty from World Market for one of the guest rooms upstairs- It’s a great deal at under $200.00-
While looking for the guest room chandelier, I came across so many beautiful wood bead lights…like this one! What a charming Natural Wood Bead Chandelier…
And I think this Boho Blue Wood Bead Chandelier is amazing…
Here are a few more scrumptious wood bead lights from Amazon…
I’m pretty partial to the curvy lines of these French-inspired chandeliers…
This is the exact French-Inspired Chandelier we have in our bedroom and we love it!
I had fun narrowing down the upstairs lighting, it was like an online treasure hunt!
Here are few more curvy chandeliers that I fell for… I Love this farmhouse chandelier from Birch Lane…
And if you like the one from Birch Lane, you might love this one even more…it’s almost the same size but it’s about $854.00 LESS!
(Distressed Wood Pendants are so versatile. Hang one (or two !)over a farm table, a kitchen island, in a foyer, or even over a bed to add a little charm…)
This one from Restoration Hardware is quite a beauty…
This sweet Distressed Wood Pendant has the most graceful shape doesn’t she?
A few more of my favorites from Amazon…
And some unconventional lights…just for fun!
I still have to pick out 1 guest room light and the hall light and there are so many lighting options it may take me another week or so 🙂
Love this round up, Robin! We are building a house soon and I’m contemplating the look that I want in lighting. I’m thinking Southern Living/French Country. Is that a thing? 🙂
What do you think about finishes these days? Light finishes like most of these that you featured is what I’m leaning towards but there are still so many beautiful oil rubbed bronze and black fixtures.
Stacey- Congrats on your new home! I’m overwhelmed with my upstairs choices- I imagine a whole house will take a lot of time and thought—I have some oil rubbed bronze fixtures in my house…over my farm table in the breakfast room and I picked out oil rubbed bronze for 1 of the upstairs bathrooms…(My 2 schoolhouse pendants over the peninsula in the kitchen are brushed nickel and they are on the short list to replace with oil rubbed bronze 🙂 I think the bronze adds a rustic feel which I love)
And Southern Living/French Country…YES! it HAS to be a thing..if not, let’s make it one!!! (Hey how about calling your new style : Southern Charm/French Country 🙂 oxoxox) Please keep me in the loop about all your choices- I think you’re so wise getting a head start!