Suddenly I’ve changed everything, and I mean for the better. One simple purchase turned my great-room from nice to knockout. What did I do? You guessed it, I swapped out the chandelier. Choosing something really spectacular took me out of my comfort zone. I looked for weeks and kept coming back to the one I was mesmerized with in the beginning. I felt I should stay safe, choose something a little more traditional, a little simpler, you know? But in my heart, I thought, NO! Go ahead, I kept thinking to myself, choose something that will make this room we live in really special. A piece of art.

I should say that I love being outdoors. I mean, it is the place I find joy in with birds and my garden and play spaces for my kids. When I’m down, I head outside and look at the sun and sky. When I need exercise, I want to be outside. When I look for things to do with the kids, I think outside. So, it’ll be no surprise that the fabrics I choose, the rugs, the throw pillows, all have a natural feel, in the gentle colors of living things. Not monochromatic, just softer. A room like this can handle one big statement, and in this room that was going to be a light fixture.

Of course, I was nervous. What if I went the wrong direction here? What if it was too much? Well, I should have known better than worry. The staff at Madison Lighting really knows their stuff, and working alongside them every day, I trust them to tell me the truth.

The fixture arrived right after New Year’s and in the grey, grey of a Wisconsin winter we hung this beauty. My husband was kinda stunned and smiling, and I was beside myself with this amazing chandelier. It looks like the golden leaves of a plant, and has an airy beauty that brings the outdoors in. Perfection.

Here’s my message. Do it. Lean into it. Choose something that you absolutely love when it’s time to replace your lighting. Confirm your vision for your room with a lighting designer at Madison Lighting, just to reassure yourself. Because beautiful lighting really is like art. Check out  Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook pages. There are so many original pictures of local homes, so lots of inspiration! Shop online at MadisonLighting.com because there are over 100,000 fixtures to choose from at everyday low prices. And, know that there are more fixtures in the showroom-only so shop our showroom Monday through Saturday. I think you’ll love it. They bring your style (and mine!) to light.