Time Together

Another house project I'm tackling right now is where we eat dinner. It’s important to me that as a family we have our meals together so we can talk about our day. But I find our table uninviting and I tend to eat quickly so I can go sit somewhere more comfortable... like the couch!




I decided that an overhead pendant light might help bring the focus on being together. Originally, I felt that our small space couldn’t handle an obtrusive hanging fixture, but now I’m realizing that the pockets of light around the room actually make it feel bigger. The pendant would create another zone, a smaller more intimate space within the larger. You can do this in any area of the house... say over a bed or couch to create a cozy place to read... as seen in this image, using the Tolomeo lamp by Artemide.





I tend to like a drum or square shade for a pendant. They are clean in form and can be positioned low over the table like this one. That's what I'm looking for; to create an intimate experience.




 
It's great to see the simple drum come back... it was popular during the mid-century modern period. Here's one on Mad Men... I love that show and not just because of the inspirational decor!





I like these wood veneer shades because of the warm rich texture. The grain gives the material depth without a graphic pattern that might become dated.




It just so happened that our neighborhood vintage store, Mackeyblue, had the perfect shade for the right price. They’ve got lots of items that will inspire you, so if you live in Hoboken (or NYC for that matter) its worth checking it out! Here's a shot of their eclectic storefront display.




A few weeks ago I went to the Bowery in NYC to check out some lighting stores to see if I could wire up my shade. I ended up at O'lampia. It's a great little shop with elegantly, refined fixtures that are well crafted... and they do custom work to meet your specific needs. Here's a project of mine where we customized a fixture for over a bed, each side can be switched off separately so one person can read and one person can sleep. (Is that really possible?)




So my pendant fixture for my dining table is now on order... I'll be sure to post some photos once it's installed!

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