I had a major lighting issue in my living room. The issue? There was none. Now, I don't know why my 1940's builder thought the residents of this home would not need overhead lighting in their main living space, but he didn't. So, we needed to change that. My dream would've been to install several pot lights in key places, but between the plaster walls, 62 year old wiring, and no access, this dream was a no go.
I found a matching pair of chandeliers on clearance at Lowes that were a perfect solution. I still have the hardwiring issue...so, what's a DIY girl like me to do? I purchased two chandelier conversion kits, like this one from Lowes. It's a kit that will turn a fixture that's meant to be hardwired into the ceiling to one that can be plugged into an outlet. I did not take pictures to walk you through this step-by-step, mainly because I am not an expert with electrical things, but you can follow these instructions on eHow.
Once the chandeliers were rewired, I hung each one from a chain covered by a custom made linen cord sleeve. I then installed some plastic cord covers to hide the cord along the ceiling and wall. I am going to paint them to match the ceiling and wall colors and tape the remainder of the cord along the widow frame, which will be hidden by drapes.
I'm having a great time in Florida, but I can't wait to get my living room finished, so I can share it with all of my girls! Since I came up dry at yard sales last Saturday, we're going to hit a Flea/Antique Market this Saturday. Hope I find some cool things...that will fit in my suitcase!
