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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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July 3, 2015

New Dining Room Chandelier

My friend Julie and I take bargains very seriously. Frankly, it’s one of the things that first bonded us to each other. When she uttered these words, “Sometimes you just have to buy that $10 pair of jeans even if the zipper is just a tad off centered” I knew we would be BFF’s.

French Country dining room with white chandelier atthepicketfence

I’m a proud bargain hunter. I’m not afraid to dig around or rummage through or drive to several different locations to find the best deal. And if you come to my home and admire ANYTHING I will promptly tell you it’s full history including divulging the amazing deal I got, because we all know that’s the best part the story, right?

But sometimes, just sometimes, a pair of jeans with the zipper off centered is a pair of jeans with the zipper off centered.

I’m sure that is the MOST profound thing you’ve read in a long time. 😉

You see, that pair of jeans might be my size and they might only be $10 and I might be able to cover up the off-centered zipper with a long shirt, but the fact remains that they just aren’t quite right.

french country chandelier details atthepicketfence.com

When we moved into our home 7 years ago, I was still trying to figure out my style. And I was trying to figure it out while on a tight budget. So I made trade offs. There were things that HAD to be done. Things like putting on a new deck. And replacing carpet. And patching and painting the exterior.

These larger projects took priority over light fixtures. So instead of replacing the large brass chandeliers in our dining room and entry, I spray painted them. And I’ve been fairly happy with them for the last 5 years.

(BEFORE)

living and dining room with a french country feel atthepicketfence.com

I always knew that someday I would replace them, but I never wanted to spend the money when they were just…fine.

But, here’s the thing. Not too long ago I tried on a pair of jeans that were a little bit more than $10. And the zipper was actually right where it’s supposed to be. Go figure! And in that moment I realized that there are times where ‘fine’ just doesn’t cut it. These jeans weren’t the most expensive ones out there. Frankly, they weren’t even close to being the most expensive ones out there. But they were nice. And they fit really well. And I didn’t have to worry about wearing shirts that would cover the zipper.

white french country chandelier details

My husband told me once that for all of those $10 pair of slightly ‘off’ jeans, I could have purchased ONE really great pair! I may have done a dramatic rolling of my eyes when he said that but the fact is, he’s right.

And just like those jeans, there have been moments in decorating my home when I’m faced with the reality that no amount of rummaging and digging and driving around is going to get me exactly what I’m wanting for a space.

When I’m faced with knowing that I’m going to have spend a little bit more than $10. And, even to humbly accept the fact that sometimes I’ve actually…gasp…WASTED money on things that were just ‘fine’ but were never quite right except for the fact that they didn’t cost too much and I ended up either totally unsatisfied with the final results and/or replacing them quickly.

French Country style white iron chandelier atthepicketfence.com

Does this mean I’m not still going to take my time and save my pennies and be a good steward of my resources? Of course not! I mean, once a bargain hunter always a bargain hunter, right?

But, there is something that happens when you realize you’ve finally added that one touch to a room that it was so needing. It’s like the room lets out a giant “Ahhhhhhhh”.

French country chandelier in dining room

Kind of like the “Ahhhhhh” that I let out in the dressing room when I tried on the pair of jeans that cost more than $10 and had the zipper in the right place.

Something happens when you realize that the room was ready for something a little bit lighter. A little bit brighter.

A lot more…you.

white french country chandelier atthepicketfence.com

And you rest easy because you know that you squeezed the life out of that 20+ year old chandelier.

And that you will be squeezing just a tad more out of it when you sell it at your garage sale this summer! 😉

Thanks so much for meeting me at the Fence today,

Vanessa signature

This chandelier is from Wayfair but I did not receive compensation for promoting it.

If you liked this, here are some more updates I’ve made to my dining room!

Wood Corbels

rustic wood corbel detail atthepicketfence.com

 Buffet Table and Oversized Clock

oversized clock in the dining room atthepicketfence.com

11 Comments Filed Under: Decorating Tagged With: decor, decorating

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Comments

  1. Debra says

    July 3, 2015 at 4:27 AM

    Your new chandelier is perfect! Enjoy!

    Reply
  2. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    July 3, 2015 at 8:27 AM

    I have learned through the years that I must be patient and save for the one thing that I truly love….Love the new chandelier….It truly makes a beautiful statement in the room Vanessa…Happy 4th!!

    Reply
  3. Rose L. says

    July 3, 2015 at 10:45 AM

    It is so lovely and glad you found what makes you happy.

    Reply
  4. Cindy says

    July 3, 2015 at 2:10 PM

    Beautiful! I almost bought a very similar chandelier for my breakfast nook. I also find bargains for things that are “fine”. I splurged on my light fixtures when I updated my kitchen/breakfast area. I watched every penny and did a lot of the work myself to save money, but I bought nice light fixtures. You just helped me get over the guilt I was feeling for doing that. Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says

    July 4, 2015 at 5:20 AM

    Oh it really is perfect, such a gorgeous room.

    Reply
  6. Lisa Mothersead says

    July 5, 2015 at 11:34 AM

    Beautiful chandelier. Miss Mustard Seed blog wrote about this recently. Investment pieces versus cheaper purchases. I think we all just do the best we can and it truly doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. (Although I love my new “perfect” engineered hardwood floors. Please ignore the hunter green tiles around the fireplace. )

    Reply
  7. Michele says

    July 5, 2015 at 4:05 PM

    It’s perfect. And you deserved this. Doing a happy dance for you!!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      July 5, 2015 at 4:32 PM

      Awww…thanks so much Michele! I did a happy dance too when I saw it finally up. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Kathryn Blaine says

    March 4, 2016 at 9:07 AM

    What color did you order the chandelier in? Persian white? Thank so much!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 5, 2016 at 12:59 PM

      Hi Kathryn! Yes it was Persian White. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Kathryn says

    July 16, 2017 at 12:41 PM

    I love this chandlier! I have searched for it but can’t find it. Do you remember the name?

    Reply

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Yesterday on the way home from school I had the ra Yesterday on the way home from school I had the radio tuned to my daughter's favorite station and a song that was playing had a line in it that really stood out to me. It made reference to a 'season of the sticks' which I think its safe to say must mean winter. I thought that was such an accurate, albeiet kind of depressing, picture of this time of the year.

While we definitely have more than our fair share of evergreen trees here in Oregon, we also have plenty of trees and bushes that are reduced to sticks during the cold months. But, this morning as I looked out my kitchen window, greedily sipping from my mug of coffee, I marveled at the beauty of the winter sunrise. The sky was all pinks and oranges with frost on the rooftops and a little bit of fog. And, I realized that part of why it was so amazing is because I could see it more clearly through the sticks. The bare branches allowed me a view that I wouldn't be able to see if those same branches were covered in leaves. Being stripped down to almost nothing revealed something magnificent.

We have seasons of the sticks in our lives too, don't we? Times when we feel as though we've been stripped bare and left exposed. It's easy to think that this is a place where all is ugly and dark. And yet, just like the winter sunrise was more visible because of the bare branches, the vulnerability we feel in the winter season of our souls allows us to get a glimpse of beauty that we wouldn't see otherwise. In the lush, warm seasons it's so easy to become comfortable. But in the bare, cold seasons we recognize just how much we need to rely on the One who placed the stars in the heavens and is sovereign over all.

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