My hubby is just going to kill me when I voice this, but I have got to do something about that dining room chandelier. I'm starting to hate that room! It's not that it's ugly, but that color is driving me batty. What was I thinking? Oh, that's right. I was pregnant! Enough said. If you've ever been pregnant, you know what I'm talking about.
Normally, I really take my time with a color scheme, but I was so sick of the faded red on the walls in there I just spontaneously matched a color, and even though it wasn't what I was going for when I saw it on the wall, I just painted it anyway. What it did do was bring to light what the chandelier really looked like. Somehow it had faded into the red. Now it screams at me!

I always feel bad if I complain in a way. Seriously, I realize I am blessed to have a big dining room with a chandelier and I feel bad complaining about it! But, I know what I like, and this ain't it. It takes time to get a house just to your liking (on my budget anyway!).

The overall shape isn't bad. I like the two layers of lighting, the size and it's positioned well. The parts I dislike are the little metal swirl details welded into each arm, the glass globes and the color.

Here's the problem. A BIG room = a BIG chandelier = BIG money! Yea, not happening. So, what's a girl to do? Somehow, I gotta up-cycle this one for a couple of reasons:

Can't justify buying a new one just because I don't like a perfectly good one,
Ceiling is 11 ft. high and I have no way to reach it...our ladders aren't A-frames..may have to borrow one?
I'm on my own with this...hubby will NOT be assisting. He's hung one chandelier during our marriage and I promised to never ask him to do that again (not that he'd not perfectly able, but he HATES doing things like that and what ensues is...umm....yea!)

I got on-line today and started brainstorming. Like I have any time for this...I have a custom drapery set waiting to be finished, but anyhoo....

These are some pics I initially pulled:

Lite Source Viggo 6" Deep Frosted Fluorescent Ceiling Light

What do you think? I use it as my workroom anyway....

JUST KIDDING!!!
UGH! This was too ugly not to show!

Seriously, here's some I liked. They cover the gamut. Remember, I'm brainstorming and have to consider I plan to replace the formal table with a big rough farm table, keep the chairs and slipcover them. If I have a farm table, I need to keep it balanced with a fixture not too organic...keeping it a little more elegant. If I keep the table, I'll do the twiggy thing in a heart beat!

Hampton Collection 32" Wide Chandelier from Lamps Plus

Maybe I could put an organza shade around it and some crystals?

De Vine Wood Ball Chandelier

from Shades of Light

I don't think I'd actually use this in that room, but it was really cool regardless!

Quoizel Shelby Bisque 35" Wide Chandelier
Lamps Plus
Maybe some paint and reconfiguration of light sockets?

I was having a hard time really finding anything that was along the lines of what I pictured in my head UNTIL I stumbled onto this website...http://www.aidangrayhome.com/. WOW! This is right up my alley. Check out some of the gorgeous chandeliers I found.

Brown Stone Chandelier

Maybe I could add some crystal beading and drops?

Charlemagne Chandelier

Italian Chandelier

Yes, please!

The Genie Urn Chandelier

Loving this shape!

Lafayatte Chandelier

Mumaw Chandelier

Turon Chandelier

Maybe wrap the arms in jute twine?

Changement Chandelier

Seriously, how many chandeliers are you allowed to have in one dining room? I want them all! I don't know when I'll actually get to this, but you can bet I'll be tackling it soon and giving it a face lift along with a fresh coat of neutral creamy white on the walls. I've decided to bring in my color with accents, not walls this time. That room's too hard to repaint!

Here's some of my dining room pics I've filed away over time that are my inspirations (if no credit is given it's because I don't know where I got it from!):