From OMG Gold to ORB Beautiful

in House

I forgot to mention my very favorite kind of workout buddy…

The four-legged and furry kind!

James

Check out… How to Pick Up Friends at the Gym

 

I had grand plans to take James on a  long walk this morning – he was definitely my motivation to pull myself out of bed.  But then I opened the back door and realized that it was pouring.

 

James is a tough guy, but there is one thing that really freaks him out… rain.  He acts like tiny bullets are dropping from the sky – very melodramatic.

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Hopin’ we can get in our workout later!

 

Yogurt mess:  Vanilla Greek, raw oats, banana, almonds, dried cranberries.

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A Tacky Gold Lighting Fixture Update…

 

So – remember the tacky 1990s gold lighting fixture over our dining room table?

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We wanted to replace that damn thing immediately upon moving in, but the few times that we priced out chandeliers, the ones we liked were close to $200.  Ouch.  And I had no luck on Craigslist.  We have so many other very necessary fixes (like replacing both HVACs) comin’ up for the house that we couldn’t really justify the expense.  Plus, after a while, the shape kind of started to grow on me. 

 

A few AMAZING readers suggested that we go Young House Love DIY style and spray-paint the light with ORB (AKA Rustoleum Universal Metallic in Oil-Rubbed Bronze). I’ve ORBed a few things before (namely, picture frames and sconces) but never wouldn’t thought to do the chandelier. 

 

$10 or so later in spray-paint – and two days of drying time later….

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BEAUTIFUL!  We are so pleased.  It looks like a brand new light. 

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And I only broke one light bulb in the process. Winking smile Success.  Thanks for the great idea, guys!

{ 63 comments }

 

  • Claire @ Live and Love to Eat April 25, 2012, 9:05 am

    Looks great! I hope to get into more DIY projects eventually – Pinterest is great inspiration.

  • Kelly April 25, 2012, 9:07 am

    That looks awesome, and I love the color with the purple walls!

  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats April 25, 2012, 9:10 am

    that light fixture looks amazing!!! great job!

  • Shannon April 25, 2012, 9:15 am

    Oooh–it looks great. I wish my boyfriend didn’t purposefully pick out shiny, 90s gold. He likes it….?

    • CaitlinHTP April 25, 2012, 9:26 am

      He can come take all of my fixtures away!

  • Ashley April 25, 2012, 9:27 am

    omg came out amazing!!

  • Elle April 25, 2012, 9:28 am

    It looks BEAUTIFUL!! I have no words. You really need to open a section of the blog dedicated to your designer skills – actually, can you do my house, too?! 😉

  • Earthy Nicole April 25, 2012, 9:30 am

    Oh, I love the chandelier now! It looks so much more updated! Great job! I can usually tackle small projects like that but some of the YHL stuff is WAY over my head, lol! Gotta love ’em though!

  • Erin April 25, 2012, 9:30 am

    That looks like a brand new fixture!
    My dog hates the rain. Until you grab her leash, then she heads right for the door!

  • Britt @ BalancedBritt April 25, 2012, 9:31 am

    LOVE the new light! Such a cheap update 🙂

    I need to start taking our furball Lucy on my walks/runs with me. Being pregnant has brought on much more walking than running. Maybe having the pup along will make it slightly more entertaining.

  • Jennifer April 25, 2012, 9:32 am

    That looks amazing!! I love when simple little transformations like that can make such a huge difference.

    I love James and his aversion to rain. Both of your dogs are so sweet and I love the stuff you share about them. And who doesn’t love sun drunk puppies?

  • Britt @ BalancedBritt April 25, 2012, 9:33 am

    PS – Oil rubbed bronze is the BEST. We acutally painted all of our door handles (used to be icky gold) in ORB. Ugh, hate that gold.

    • CaitlinHTP April 25, 2012, 9:34 am

      Has any of it chipped off?

      • Britt @ BalancedBritt April 25, 2012, 9:43 am

        Not yet, and it’s about a year old at this point. For the $10 we spent on it, it was definitely worth the money than spending the bucks to replace them all.

      • Kristen April 25, 2012, 12:10 pm

        We also did our handles in orb. I have three kids 5 and under and we haven’t had any wear or chipping. It’s only been a few months, but some doors (the pantry for example) get used CONSTANTLY and agressively. I figure that those doors that are used a ton and eventually wear will just need a little sand and repaint, which is well worth the cost savings.

  • Linz @ ItzLinz April 25, 2012, 9:34 am

    that’s awesome!!! golly reason #109324592309421 why you freakin’ rock!

  • Ashley April 25, 2012, 9:45 am

    Wow – it really looks like a whole new light! I love it, great job!!

  • Ashleysh22 April 25, 2012, 9:54 am

    Wowzers! That chandelier looks truly amazing. Never would have thought to do that. I wish there was an ugly chandelier in my dining room just so I could do that. Also, your puppy is precious. I long for medical school to be over so I can get one 😉

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) April 25, 2012, 9:55 am

    Funny how some paint changes things so much! Love the light. Looks perfect! Have a great day Caitlin!

  • Ashley @ The North Carolina Cowgirl April 25, 2012, 9:57 am

    Wow it looks really neat now. I didn’t like the Gold either but Black seemed to fit perfectly! I really love the colors of that room too. Good Job on all of it! 🙂

  • Lindsey April 25, 2012, 10:00 am

    The light looks great, I love simple DIY projects with such awesome outcomes.

  • Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) April 25, 2012, 10:02 am

    Wow looks awesome! Such a small update yet such a powerful result! Love it.

  • Reenie April 25, 2012, 10:04 am

    Looks great….spray paint is the answer to everything ~ nothing is safe around me. HA!! =)

  • Amelia April 25, 2012, 10:25 am

    That looks incredible! How difficult is it to spray paint things? YHL always makes it look so easy, but they kind of make everything look easy.

    • CaitlinHTP April 25, 2012, 10:41 am

      I think as long as you are spraying lightly and moving your arm constantly, it’s not hard.

  • Kelli April 25, 2012, 10:40 am

    It looks great! I’ve ORB’d outdoor light fixtures & even through weather they have held up great. What a nice & inexpensive way to update things.

  • Elizabeth @ Southern Color April 25, 2012, 10:41 am

    I love the chandelier transformation – it looks brand new! A much cheaper alternative to buying a new fixture.

  • Haley April 25, 2012, 10:41 am

    I LOVE the new look of the light fixture! ORB really is a winner….

  • Marissa C April 25, 2012, 10:42 am

    Wow, it looks awesome!

  • clare @ fittingitallin April 25, 2012, 10:45 am

    seriously impressed! so much more chic than that gold!

  • Alex @ Raw Recovery April 25, 2012, 10:48 am

    Oh that looks great!! I bet it would be so pretty to hang some twinkle lights from around the holidays. It does look completely new!

  • Eve April 25, 2012, 10:56 am

    SO swanky!

  • SK April 25, 2012, 11:10 am

    I literally gasped out loud when I saw the after photo of the chandelier! That looks amazing!! Also wanted to say thank you for your post the other day on therapy. And thanks for all your posts – I LOVE reading this blog, it puts me in a good mood all the time!

    • CaitlinHTP April 26, 2012, 10:52 pm

      Thank you so much sweetie.

  • Ashley April 25, 2012, 11:21 am

    I’ve never heard of ORB Rustoleum before – now I think I NEED to find something to paint with it!! Haha. I really like the look of the chandelier, it fits in great with the room.

  • Carolynn @ The Running Novice April 25, 2012, 11:34 am

    WOW, that chandelier looks a bajillion times better now! I would have never thought to do that…what a cute, cost-saving way to update a light fixture!

  • Laine April 25, 2012, 11:37 am

    Wow! What a difference!!

  • Laura @ She Eats Well April 25, 2012, 11:41 am

    It looks amazing and I still absolutely LOVE the purple wall color. It’s so different and looks beautiful with the furniture in there, really makes everything pop. Also I love apartmenttherapy.com if you have ever checked that site out…so amazing and inspiring.

  • Amanda April 25, 2012, 11:50 am

    Oh my gosh. You are awesome! I can’t believe that you saved $200 and all of that hassle!

  • Emily April 25, 2012, 11:53 am

    I actually did a sharp inhale of breath when I saw the difference. That’s amazing!

  • Sarah April 25, 2012, 11:57 am

    Wow! That looks so great! Nice smooth finish too.

    So “HVAC” actually stands for “Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning”. I assume you mean your air conditioner and furnace or heat pump need replacing? When you talk to vendors for price quotes, you might try to avoid using the term “HVAC” like you did here. Just a tip from an architect. Don’t want you to get taken for an extra expensive ride 🙂 Good luck!

    • CaitlinHTP April 26, 2012, 10:52 pm

      Oh man, good to know! Thanks 🙂

  • Charity April 25, 2012, 12:35 pm

    Best walking buddy for a 7 month preggo lady.. a 15 year old beagle who LOVES to sniff hehe. We can keep up with each other!
    Love your chandelier btw!

  • Ashley @ Cooking for John April 25, 2012, 12:41 pm

    I love the chadelier, it looks fantastic!! 🙂

  • Jacquelyn April 25, 2012, 12:42 pm

    This is gorgeous! It really does look like an entirely different chandelier. I love learning about new DIY ideas, too.

  • Nicole April 25, 2012, 12:48 pm

    Looks great! You’re inspiring my to tackle a few u-g-l-y fixtures in my new place!

  • Caitlin @ This Bride's Joyride April 25, 2012, 12:50 pm

    That looks awesome! Everytime I read YHL I want to do what they are doing but I can’t imagine it will come out the same. Seeing your chandeleir gives me hope!

  • Jason April 25, 2012, 12:53 pm

    Off the wall question – what breed is James? Where did you get him?

    His size (and apparent demeanor) look to be about perfect! Just curious…

    Thanks. Love the blog (and the pumpkin pancakes you posted a couple days ago – they were great this morning!)

    • CaitlinHTP April 26, 2012, 10:53 pm

      He’s just a little mutt – I’m not sure what his mix is. We got him from the pound when he was 1.

  • Amber K April 25, 2012, 1:05 pm

    Wow, it looks so much better! I can’t stand anything gold.

  • Kristin April 25, 2012, 1:06 pm

    Love it!!!

  • Lauren April 25, 2012, 1:12 pm

    That came out amazing!! Gives me hope I too can DIY 🙂

  • Brigid April 25, 2012, 1:17 pm

    That is gorgeous and complements the dining area perfectly! I do love that shape.

  • Rachel April 25, 2012, 1:37 pm

    My dog also hates the rain! It’s a battle getting him outside to go to the bathroom. He would willingly hold it for 24 hours if the alternative was going outside in the rain. He is such a pain!

  • Elisabeth April 25, 2012, 1:40 pm

    Wow! That looks really awesome & for only $10. Major win in the DIY department 🙂

  • Alexandra April 25, 2012, 2:38 pm

    That looks AMAZING. Love it! Good job 😉

  • Leanne (Simplicitlee) April 25, 2012, 2:39 pm

    It looks gorgeous! Good job homeowners 🙂

  • Jen April 25, 2012, 2:40 pm

    I helped out a faculty member at my university with dog-walking last year, and her German shepherd also had a rain phobia; he associated rain with thunderstorms, so he locked his knees or kept sitting down during the walk if it was raining. Those walks were not fun! haha very tedious trying to coax a big 70-lb dog along in the rain.

  • Joanne April 25, 2012, 3:11 pm

    Adorable! My favorite running bud. has 4 legs as well. 🙂
    I couldn’t believe it was the same chandelier. What a good job!

  • jen April 25, 2012, 4:52 pm

    that light looks fantastastic! my husband and i just signed a purchase and sales last night, so all fingers crossed ill be going after some gold fixtures with what you used! it looks amazing!!!!

  • Julie April 25, 2012, 5:21 pm

    I LOVE it! Looks AWESOME! Good job!

  • Stephanie @ Legally Blinde April 25, 2012, 10:15 pm

    Wow! I’m really impressed with how the chandelier came out – nice job!

  • Sara April 26, 2012, 3:44 pm

    That’s crazy–I am having pretty much the exact same problem! I’m pretty sure I have your chandelier’s twin in my dining room and while I’d like to replace it, we’ve just found many other things to spend money on! I love the way this looks and it’d look great with our dining set, so maybe I’ll look into doing the same thing with ours!

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