Home · February 18, 2023

Statement Lights for a Home Office

My home office sits tucked away in a room of our primary bedroom – which unfortunately means it’s been a low priority on our renovation list. But, when the light in the old builder-grade ceiling fan circa 1980 finally gave out this week, we decided that rather than swapping the bulb, it was time to swap the whole fixture! The vibe we’re going for in the room is moody, yet historic to fit the rest of the house. And, we want the light fixture to be a statement pice.

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s take a look at the before.

Our house was originally a boarding house, and what is currently our primary bedroom and my office used to be a sitting room and the owner’s bedroom (our bedroom = their sitting room; our office = their bedroom). The renters before us used the office as an extra bedroom.

  • Historic home office: The before
  • The before photo of our 100 year old office with original fireplace

All that woodwork and the fireplace? Original.

The options

A ceiling fan in a room like this just feels like a travesty. It needs some personality, to make a statement. Also, I just need more light. The room doubles as both my sewing room and my home office, and lots of great light is critical for both.

My wishlist:

  • Makes a statement
  • Matches the historic look of the rest of the house, while still having some modern elements
  • Has multiple bulbs
  • Looks reasonable with a ceiling medallion (which will help it pair with all of the woodwork)
  • Is less than $500

Yes, I know it’s a long list! And, we’ve found a few options that meet all of our needs.

Dense multilight chandelier under $250.

The price point on this dense, 12 light chandelier by ELK was shocking – under $250. I’ve heard great things about the brand, too.

Classic shaded chandelier under $500

I love the modern take on the classic shaded light in this West Elm 4 light chandelier. If I don’t buy it for the office, it’s a major contender for over our breakfast table in the kitchen.

Visual Comfort nine light transitional chandelier for $500

Okay, so this Sea Gull nine light chandelier in midnight black is just a few dollars over budget, but it’s from one of my favorite high-end lighting brands (and a favorite of designers like Studio McGee and Jean Stoffer), Visual Comfort. It’s large with lots of light and looks about ten times more expensive than it actually is! If you want to save even more, the five light version is under $300!

Peggy Guggen Five Light Vintage industrial chandelier

I love the uniqueness of this Peggy Guggen multi-light chandelier – industrial, modern, a little vintage, and comes in several different finishes. It’s also almost 50% off right now, which puts it well within our $500 budget.

Structured six light chandelier by Generation Lighting in matte black - under $250

This is another chandelier by a Visual Comfort brand that I am shocked about the price on. I would have thought at least $1,000, but it’s actually under $250 – and on sale right now for another 25% off!

Classic candelabra chandelier for under $200!

And lastly, a more traditional candelabra-style chandelier from Visual Comfort’s Sea Gull line. I love the fine lines of this and classic style – and it’s under $200!

Now to the hard part – choosing just one. Which one would you pick? Follow along on Instagram to see the final choice!

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