lighting details...

I'm thinking I might want to switch out the ligh fixture in the 'breakfast nook' (nook? um, I know I won't have an actual dining ROOM, but does that mean it can't graduate from breakfast to an all-meal eating area? Regardless, it will be where my only dining table will be). I paid to have all my lighting fixtures done in oil-rubbed bronze, but the one above the table seems a bit blah to me. I think it'd give the area a lot more ambiance to put in a cute rustic-y candleabra chandelier type thing. A simple one, but enough to have character...

Here is what it comes with, except imagine a darker finish (as opposed to the satin nickel)...

Here's some inspiration... what I'm not sure of is how big a fixture would be appropriate for the space. The one it comes with is just a smallish glass bowl thing, so I would lean toward the smallest 3-shade one, but maybe that's not dramatic enough for me.

HGTV has a formula for determining how large a chandelier should be - based first on the room dimension and then on the table dimensions. I don't know how big my table is (it's been banished to the garage until the house is done) - relatively small I think... and the 'room' is really one long(ish) combo of kitchen, dining/breakfast'nook'/living room. I can tell you it's 11'6" wide (i.e., from the patio door to the garage door).

I know photos are great, but the plain chandelier on a white background doesn't give the best mental imaging, so to push it even further, here is some quick and dirty photoshopping. Keep in mind I have no idea if these are true to scale! Hmmm... something to think about, anyway.

Mom didn't like the fake white candles... here's one with black.