Shedding more light on the subject....

COMMONWEALTH DESIGNER EXTRAORDINARE, Melissa Chernick, sent us options for our dining room fixture yesterday. We're not sure what we're going to pick. We're going with simple Mission Style table and chairs, clean lines, so keeping that in mind she offered us these 5 choices...whaddathink?

OPTION #1: I like this one a lot, but like the nickel plated one better.

1969 - Lyndon Six-Light Chandelier
By Kichler Lighting

Light Bulb
(6)100w A19 Med F Incand
Finish
Distressed Black
Glass
Linen

Dimensions
Height: 26" - Diameter: 27" - Chain/Cord: 72" -

Description
Lyndon Six-Light Chandelier Includes 65" of extra lead wire and 6' of chain

OPTION #2: this is too industrial for my tastes

21086 - Julius Multi-Light Pendant
By PLC Lighting

Finish

Satin Nickel
Light Bulb
(6)40w T4 G9 120v Halogen

Dimensions
Width: 44" - Height: 4.5" -

Description
Julius Multi-Light PendantThis fixture features a Satin Nickel finish and Frost glass. Supplied with 10 ft. cable and quick grip cable support for quick and easy adjustment..

OPTION #3: I really like this one.

12704 - Deco Chandelier
By Maxim Lighting

Number of Lights
Five Lights
Light Bulb
(5)100w A19 Med F Incand
Finish
Florentine

Dimensions
Width: 18.5" - Height: 22.75" - Diameter: 25.75" -

Description
Inspired by the Art Deco era, this classic series features Wilshire glass shades and hand painted with our classic Florentine finish.

OPTION #4: Pretty, but a bit too stuffy.

11854 - 5TH AVENUE 3 LT CHANDELIER
By Maxim Lighting

Light Bulb
(3)60w A19 Med C Incand
Finish
Wormwood
Glass
Gold Aurora

Dimensions
Height: 23" - Diameter: 21.5" -

Description
A graceful post-modern design features our rich Wormwood finish and Gold Aurora artisan glass. Each piece of glass is hand blown and has its own personality.

ADDITIONAL OPTION #5: I found this one somewhat disturbing...dunno why. Maybe the lights look too much like tentacles.

Edison Chandelier (Pottery Barn)

That's it.

Thoughts?

CC

On a Mission to Danker

On Saturday, M and I got the furniture bug. We read in the WaPo that Danker in Crystal City was having a Stickley furniture sale. Both of us love Arts & Crafts/Mission style furniture, and Stickley is well made, and mostly affordable. We ended up buying the table pictured below, it's called the Harvey Ellis Table, it has mission-y enlays in each corner. Its a roomy 44 inches wide at the ends and 6ft long without extension. With two 15 inch extenders it

We chose these arm chairs, with a different fabric, of course. It's also in Cherry, very close to the shade for the cabinets.
This is the Tulip Fest carpet M and I bought about 2 years ago, it's in storage. We love the colors in it; burgundy, sage, gold...so we're kind of sticking with this palette.

I thought you'd like seeing these...tonight, Thursday, June 11th, we're meeting our Commonwealth Designer Extraordinare, Melissa Chernick, at a furniture store that we found called, BIF. It's in Fairfax, VA and when we went through it on Sunday we really liked what we saw, its very contemporary. We're in the market for a sofa set. Melissa is going to help us with our choices.

S'all for now,

CC

Week Six, Interior get the frame

Happy Friday err-one! Week six has come to an end, M, me and the Commonwealth crew are at about the mid way point. This week was all about interior framing. These guys, Steve and carpenter, Tim worked like demons this week. It was truly a pleasure to come home each night an see what they'd accomplished.

Join me in a quick tour of the new space!

Below is the framed out kitchen ceiling. Tim thought we should keep the lovely fixture, that used to be in the dining room, he felt it really complemented the new decor. NOT! This is the dropped ceiling that I was trying to tell you about early in the blog. It's hard to describe. The ceiling height in the middle of the cove is the standard suburban 8ft, the dropped ceiling around it will lower to 7'3" there will be speakers and spotlights inserted in the dropped area.
Detail of the dropped ceiling in the kitchen. There will be LED lights hidden in this cove area, lighting the interior.

Ok, this view is from the front door, looking into the new dining room into the new kitchen. Notice the curvey new wall area that will frame the entrance to the kitchen. That metal framework is something that Steve said they hadn't used before, but it allow the dry wall guys to attach directly to it. There will be LED lights in the interior of this extended area, shedding indirect light up towards the ceiling.

Another side view of the dining room wall feature.

Tim framed out this display shelf. This was an area that is going to be behind the pantry cabinetry. We saw it on the plans as dead space and asked Melissa if they could use it, and she come up with these built in shelves. They will be lit somehow with LED lighting.

Detail of Tim's handiwork.

Inset shelves, a different view.

Below is the detail of the new structure being framed out in the new living space. This will be a shelf that extends out into the living space from the kitchen cove. There will be LED lighting hidden at it, and there will be space to display things on it.

At it's longest point it extends 26 inches into the new space. The wall above it will be sheetrocked where the studs are, creating a nice backdrop for art, or wallhangings, what-have-you.

Ok, so that's what we got so far. Not bad, huh? It's all really coming together.

Give me a shout and let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend all,

S'all for now.

CC

Melissa's computer kitchen drawings

Here's the drawing Melissa did to illustrate how the new fixtures would look in the new space.  This is looking from the new living space into the new kitchen.  The granite we chose is lighter than the type in the mock-up.  But the cabinetry and appliances are the same.

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Thoughts?  We're going with option 2, by the way.

Cheers,

CC

Pendant Lighting Options

Designer Extraordinaire, Melissa Chernick, sent us pendant lighting options last night!!!  She also sent computer drawings of what they'd look like in the new space.  I'll post those next.

OPTION 1: Melissa liked this one, but we thought it was too similar to the powder room fixtures, and lacked some umph we need for the space.

144-6 - Nikko Mini Pendant By Z-Lite

Finish Brushed Nickel Shade Black Light Bulb (1)60w A19 Med F Incand Dimensions Height: 8" - Diameter: 6" - 

Description The Nikko Family is a soft relection of contemporary. The outer organza shade allows a glimpse of the inner opaque shade which eminates a soft glow. Includes telescoping rod ranging from 18"-36"

 

 

 

 

 

OPTION 2:  These reminded us of the art glass we saw in Murano, Italy on our trip there in 1997.  These really spoke to us.

E92071 - Carte Incandescent Pendant By ET2 Lighting

Finish Satin Nickel Glass Counch Light Bulb (1)100w A19 Med F Incand Dimensions Height: 10" - Diameter: 6" - Overall Height: 120" - Min. OAH: 24"

Description Dabble in the art of design by creating a custom collection without an equal. Complete the unique creation with a dizzying of glass selections. Choice lighting just took on a whole new meaning. Ajustable height Slope ceiling compatible

http://www.lightinguniverse.com/MiniPendants/ET-Lighting-Carte-Satin-Nickel-Mini-Pendant_4924439.html    (link to be able to zoom in on fixture)

 

 

 

OPTION 3:  I loved these for there whimsy, but thought they may not put out enough light and were a little too whimsical for the space.

PD30155SN - Milano Mini Pendant By Vaxcel

Part #

Finish Satin Nickel Glass Honey Ripple Light Bulb (1)40w B10 Cand F Incand Dimensions Width: 3.125" - Height: 9.25" - 

Description Milano Mini Pendent. 6' of adjustable cord.

 

 

 

 

OPTION 4:  We loved these, and for us it was between option 2 and 4.  These are close in color, to the type of granite we are getting, so we were a bit concerned that they'd wouldn't call attention to themselves. 

ALR-8815-10 - Alabaster ROCKS!™ 1-Light Mini Pendant By Justice Design Group

Part # 3559560 Price $99.02

Shade Cylinder w/ Flat Rim Metal Finish Brushed Nickel Cord Black Cord Light Bulb (1)40w G16½ Cand F Incand Dimensions 5 1/2" H x 4" Dia. (Shade)

Description Mini 1-Light Pendant. Each shade includes 8 ft. of cord for adjustable drops. Canopy: ¾" H x 5 ¼" Dia.

Next up.  The computer drawings of how they'd look in the space

CC

 

We're Sealed!

It's been a great weekend here. M and I had saw a great play on Friday night. An Arena Stage production of "Looped" starring Valerie Harper (yeah, Rhoda...that Valerie Harper) as the stage actress Tahlulah Bankhead. She was so good that you forgot she played Rhoda Morgenstern completely. Lots of laughs, and but it was also sad and poignant. Highly recommended, it's at the Lincoln Theater on U Street thru June 28th. After that it heads to Broadway, and if Ms. Harper gets nominated for a Tony and you didn't see her while you had the chance and she was in DC...won't you be kicking yourself??? No!?? Whatever.

The Commonwealth guys were able to complete the framing on Friday thank goodness. It rained torrentially all day on Friday. This pic I took on sunny Sunday, because the yard was a mess yesterday. You can see the room really take shape now. Remember the middle area will be a gas fireplace when it's all completed.

Here's the view from the inside I took on Saturday morning. All the windows are openable, so cross ventilation will be excellent.

Here's the side view. Susan Pierce, the architect, really had it down, M and I were expecting the deck to be on the back of the house like it used to be, however, Susan pointed out that it would obscure the view of the back yard (of course, duh). So this makes much more sense for us.

Note, the red steel beam and joist. This was installed on Thursday. The ceiling in the new space will be 11ft at this point, and slope down to 8 feet at the window wall.

Here's a veiw of the side window. The door to the deck has not been installed yet, but it will be to the right of these windows.

Here's the view looking from the other direction. See the flash of pink from the old kitchen? The beam will of course be completely sealed in drywall. There's a reminant of the brick wall on the left there that won't be demo-ed, but sealed behind the new wall. The spaghetti mess of old wires is going on Monday. This week the electric guys will be out to do preliminary pre-work for wiring! The temp wall will be gone this week.

One thing we noticed on Saturday morning was the light that was coming in from the backyard from the new window was really substantial. We won't need lamps in the morning.

I'll leave you with a bit of food porn. This was a potato-pepper-asparagus hash I made for lunch today. It turned out really well, I used a bit of smoky paprika to finish it, and served it with a fried egg and 2 toasted pieces of sour dough bread. Great way to start a Sunday afternoon!

S'all y'all...

CC

Track lighting and ceiling fan options

So, Melissa Chernick, Designer Extraordinaire at Commonwealth, gave us several options for track lighting in the new addition.  The option below is a more traditional, warmer oil rubbed bronze.  We liked this and a brushed nickel style pictured farther down the page.    

 

Oil Rubbed Bronze Option 1:  

5DS34 - 34" Designer Supreme III Fan By Monte Carlo Fan Company

.

 

 

Oil Rubbed Bronze Option 2 (with cherry blades):

 

 

 

ME52 - 52" Metro Ceiling Fan By Craftmade Fans

I must say, we weren't excited by either choice.  So Melissa gave us two others for the brushed nickel option.

B554P - 54" Premier Blades (Set of 5) By Craftmade Fans

Fan Blade Custom Cherry

 

 

 

 

 I like the smaller spots without the glass globes I think.

Brushed Nickel Option 1:

FA52 - Fifth Avenue Ceiling Fan By Craftmade Fans

Brushed Nickel Option 2:

We're leaning towards option2 with the brushed nickel track lighting.

S'all for now,

CC