I’m such a firm believer that lighting makes a big difference in a home. Did any of you inherit one of these lovelies in your kitchen? I’ve been eyeballing this thing for 3 years with plans of one day getting rid of the white box. Hate these things! I guess the only thing they are good for is they do put out a lot of light, but they sure are unattractive. I had my eye on one of those pretty track lights with adjustable spotlights. I think they are pretty neat.
So, when I found a deal last week at Lowes, I jumped on it. I had to be a bulldog about it, but I got the deal. I was in one Lowes store and saw these on clearance for $69.50. Of course, they had no more, only the display model was up there. He looked on the computer and saw that another store not far away had a couple in their stock, so he gave me the phone number to call. I did call on my way out of the store and the other store told me that they are not obligated to match a clearance price from another store. I couldn’t believe that policy! He told me I could come by and check it out and to at least ask, but didn’t give me much hopes of getting the clearance price. Regular price was $150.00, way more than I wanted to pay. So after checking in at the store and asking again about matching the clearance price, at first I was told no by the department manager. I insisted on talking with another manager behind the Customer Service counter. He asked me what I was looking at, so I went and showed it to him. He brought it back up to the counter and checked in his computer and told me HE COULD MATCH THE PRICE! Yippee! I was pretty excited.
So, I took it home and proceeded to install it the next day. Wherein my hubby came in to help me hold it up as I was trying to put the screws in and I’ll just go ahead and tell you that I dropped the teeny tiny screw 4 times and the 4th time it went down the heat vent. See, my projects don’t all go perfectly smooth, so you can feel better about your own now. Hubby shook his head, called me Blonde, and left me to it as I scrambled to find another screw that would fit. I found one, got it installed and I’m a happy girl! The old white box left 2 holes on either side of the main box and I had to caulk them with caulking, but luckily the 2 side mounts covered most of it up, so it’s really not noticeable after I touched it up with white ceiling paint.
It’s an antique brass finish which looks perfectly fine with the hanging chandelier in here that I got at a yardsale. And I love those little swivel heads on it that can be moved all around the kitchen. It’s a bright white light which is great for task lighting.
Hubby’s response to the new tracklight was not all that enthusiastic (he thought the old one was just FINE) and his first question was, how much are those replacement light bulbs going to cost me. Ha! I’ll have to find that out next time I’m in the store. Men and women sure have different ways of looking at things, don’t they?
I then moved on to the master bath and I’m happy to say, that all the light fixtures are now completed, including 2 of these. Aren’t these about the ugliest things you’ve ever seen? We live in a nice 10 year old house, but the fixtures these builders put in leave a lot to be desired. After 3 years, I’ve finally changed them all out, many from yardsales and a few on sale at Lowes, so I did get some great deals. Every single builder’s brass fixture is gone now and none too soon for me.
Ahhh, much better! I had already bought the over the mirror fixture below, so now they all coordinate. These are not overly expensive fixtures (from Home Depot), but work just fine for me. If you’re patient, you can find some good deals out there, just keep your eyes peeled.
And speaking of the kitchen, I have other exciting news. I’m finally getting granite countertops! We’ve currently got tiles in the kitchen and after 3 years, the grout is looking pretty rough. I’ll do a kitchen post soon and we’ll talk about countertops. I want to hear what all of you have too!
Since this is a before and after post, I’m going to participate in Susan’s Met Monday, so go and check out all the other inspiration from her blog today, Naps on the Porch.
Birmingham Girls: Check out the post below about our Saturday flea market adventure next weekend!
I’ve also got another special guest coming by on Wednesday for a fun post, so be sure to stop back by. I think you’ll love this girl!
Love your light re-dos. We took out that ugly white light in our 30year old kitchen and put in some canned lighting and it was the best re-do we did. Way to be firm about the price! They should honor all sales – they are a chain! Linda
We have similar lighting in the studio. There are three separate fixtures along the length of the room. We installed it so I would have a little better lighting, should I decide to work on projects in the studio. Then I moved the antique iron bed and other things into the studio. I thought I would not like the tracks. But…they are great for spotlighting different areas of the room.
I like your new track lighting and good for you for being tenacious in getting the clearance price!
If I were in B’ham, I would definitely meet up with ya’ll on Sat.
Looks great Rhoda. Our house is only 8 1/2 years old…I picked all the fixtures…and I could already change some of them. The styles just change!
Wonderful!! I like the track lighting. I’m sure it’s better task lighting as well b/c you can aim it.
We had one of those big florescent boxes in our old house…but it was actually built into another box on the ceiling, so there was little that could be done. One industrious weekend when I was out of town, DH ripped out the box sheet rocked over it and put in 6 eye ball spot lights. What a huge difference it made!
We have a few of the mushroom lights in the new house that we will be replacing when we get around to it. There’s just so much we want to do, it’s hard to get it all done!
Rhoda, love the makeovers. I have similar lighting in my bathrooms. I agree, those darned boxed lights don’t look the best. I’ve also learned that I really need to start yard saling and watching for good sales. Thanks for sharing.
Rhoda! That looks awesome! And, I like your new blog-look too. You are one classy lady.
We have one of those ugly box lights in our kitchen too, so I am glad to see an alternative because I couldn’t picture what else would look good there. Your persistance paid off at Lowes. Good for you!
Looks like you got about the same amount of snow we did in NC. My kids are loving it, and so am I because I give them the day off of homeschool when public schools are closed. Kids forget that teachers love the day off too. 🙂
PS We also have the ugly builder-grade lights in our foyer. I took down the brass and spray painted them black. At least they look a little better that way until I can afford a replacement. You are the one who inspired my black spray painting fix. 🙂
Hi Rhoda,
I am always impressed when I read what “you” do in your home! I would never tackle anything electrical or that involves wood and a saw,lol. Great Job!
Lisa
Great job, Rhoda!
I’m glad you persisted with Lowe’s because that fixture is SO neat! Looks a thousand times better than what was there. I hate those things, too, and lived with one in a previous home. It did put out a light of light, but UGH! I just ignored it, though now I’m wondering how. LOL!
Great going! Can’t wait to see more…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
We had a ceiling fan in our kitchen that we just gross from the grease, not sure why somebody would put one in our galley kitchen, but whatever. We installed lighting so very similar to what you did in yours and it just really made a huge difference! I have learned while making over rooms in our home that lighting fixtures play a huge role in the design. It’s so much fun to switch one out and see the room transform!
I just changed out a light in our family room. I was scared to do it because it was my first electric light to do. I followed the instructions and it was easy. So nice to know that I can do it and not have to hire it done all the time. Now on to the kitchen for more lighting in there.
I have one of those boxes, only framed in oak that I am trying to come up with something to replace. I have to admit that I am not crazy about track lighting. Sorry! Hubby has suggested a flush mount or semi-flush mount fixture (4-bulb) that will match the small chandy over the breakfast nook table. I’m thinking about it and watching for a good deal. LOL He’s installing under the cabinet lighting also, so I think that will give me plenty of lighting.
Love the bathroom fixture!
Hey, we built 11 years ago and ***I*** picked out all my lighting fixtures and have changed out my dining room and am in the process of doing the kitchen and MB. Things change!
tina
[email protected]
I love the track lighting! I have an ugly box in my kitchen but the mess on the ceiling is much worse. I’ll have to post some of my ugly lights.
Ooooh, love the new fixture…good for you for being persistent!
Countertops……after Ike, my kitchen redo included granite countertops… I LOVE them. I know you will, too! It’s much harder to choose, especially if you go to the granite yard. The large pieces often do not look like the samples, so choose from the slabs rather than the samples!!!
Suzanne
I was exicited to see your new lights and to learn that you did it yourself and then I read …GRANITE! What? Oh you lucky girl…your living my dream now. Please tell us all about it because Im so wanting to do my kitchen but the cost just keeps me away. Now I know that if Miss Rhoda is going to get them…she has done her studies! Im all ears girlfriend. ps… I did something on my walls…no,not paint. I will have to tell all about it after I feel better and get Madisons room complete. Have a great one !
There’s usually not a project too big for me to attempt. But electricial is one that has scared me a tad. We’ve moved into a smaller home temporarly until our new home is built and the lighting is terrible! I don’t want to invest tons of money in it b/c we won’t be here long. But a year with poor lighting may be too long! Do you have any pointers? I love your blog by the way…lots of inspiration!! Thanks!
Your light updates look fabulous!! Great job on getting that deal, they must have known you meant business. 🙂
~Michelle
Rhoda, be sure to check with Birmingham Marbleworks, ask for Emily.
I just got my new granite for $35.00 a square foot, 1/2 what everybody else was charging. They came out measured and installed for that price.
And they look fabulous. Check out my blog, http://youknowjuststuff.blogspot.com for pictures.
Melinda
Well, hellooooo there, Rhoda~~~ it’s been a while, hasn’t it?!?! Your blog is looking just LOVELY~~~ Soooo classic!!! Congrats on that, AND, sticking to your guns at Lowes!!! Nice to “see” you again! Hugs, Linda
This is soooo weird!!!
We had those awful box lights in the kitchen, and this weekend I bought new ones to replace them, and they are similar to yours! Almost identical! Hubs put them up on SAturday, and I was planning on blogging about it today.
(twilight zone) Doo dooo dooo dooo doo doo dooo doo!
Yours look great!