Shed a little light.....................

........on my kitchen.

This beauty is coming home with me!

My search for a chandelier for the kitchen, yes the KITCHEN, is over. I fell for this one as it was being hung in Laurie's booth at SuzAnna's Antiques last week. I yelled, "stop, get off that ladder, don't bother to hang it, I want it".  Well, in all honesty, it wasn't quite like that because I didn't want sweet Laurie to fall off her ladder, and I had to be sure it really was the right one, the one I've dreamed about.  What really caught my eye were the double lights on each of the five arms, meaning plenty of crystal brightness for meal prep.  I'll also put a dimmer switch on it - may as well wash dishes in a romantic atmosphere! My chandelier had to meet the following wish list requirements:

• Must give off enough light (this one has ten bulbs/250 watts)
• Has to be short because we don't have high ceilings in the cottage (perfect size)
• The wiring has to be safe (it's newly re-wired)
• Clean and bright is a nice extra (chandeliers are pesky to clean up)
• All the crystals in place if possible (they are, and they match)
• It can't cost and arm and a leg................it kinda did until lovely Laurie gave me a most generous discount (so was just an arm and 1/2 a leg)
• It must be antique or vintage European (a tiny metal tag attached says Made in Spain)

Laurie's lovely space at SuzAnna's Antiques

So, I left my treasure hanging with a SOLD sign dangling all week, dreaming about it coming home to my kitchen. Yesterday, after dropping DH at the airport, I hurried to the shop to pick it up.  

After my electrician arrives to hang this lovely fixture over the island, I'll have more pictures to share.  Meanwhile, I'm so excited knowing that soon my little cottage kitchen will be lighter and brighter.......I think I'll definitely be loving it and the long hunt will have been worthwhile.

Oh, almost forgot............it's a Valentine surprise for DH who doesn't like change!  Hope he'll enjoy more light - recently he's been moaning about the current fixture not being bright enough so I think this will make him happy when he returns from Los Angeles........where lots of decorating divas hang chandeliers in their kitchens, don't they?

Anyway, you know me by now, Shabby Farmhouse, Euro Trash, Nordic/French, call it what you will, it's my eclectic view of decor......and I'm really pushing now to get this look all through the cottage, using found/recycled treasures.  

Have you/would you hang a crystal chandelier in your kitchen?  Or am I a little bit crazy here?