Coming Out of the Dark

Have a little vintage Gloria Estefan action.  You're welcome.

I've managed to kill two lighting-related birds with one Ikea stone. The corner by the TV has been chronically dark. It makes that end of the room seem smaller and makes reading sheet music pretty tricky. Also, I am soooo ready to start decorating the top of my gorgeous craigslist piano.

 A pretty lamp was in order, and Ikea filled that order like a dream. Although I considered getting a lamp with a green base, I decided that I'd rather go for something color-less, so that it'd be more likely to still "go" with whatever ends up on top of the piano across many seasons. Enter the Jonsbo Barby.

I like that it has a dimmer switch, which will come in handy if we want to watch TV but still want some light in that corner of the room. I also like that its shape contrasts with the mercury glass table lamps we have next to the couch. Best of all, the base was not only narrow enough to fit on top of the piano, but it's actually open at the bottom and felted, which means I can a) put decorative things *inside* the lamp if I'm feeling like an overachiever, and b) strategically set the lamp on top of the stopper knobs on top of the piano without damaging the finish.

Cameo!

 There was only one problem....

I didn't like the shade that Ikea sells to go with this lamp. I was really jonesing for a lamp with a drum shade. The less taper, the better. I had searched high and low to find a lamp I liked as well as Ikea's, but with a drum shade, and I came up empty. So I just bought the lamp shade-less and set off to find a shade that would work. What ended up working was Amazon. I purchased this drum shade, which was the cheapest one I could find ($24!) that would work with the existing harp, not be too wide (lampshades and walls were never meant to touch), and look pretty much cylindrical.

Hello, baaaaby.

And...  it's perfect!  I actually let out a little squeal after I attached the shade to the harp.  File that under "Things I Never Thought Would Make Me Squeal With Delight."  I couldn't tell what the trim was from the website- it's grosgrain ribbon, so it gives a little shine and a little contrasting texture.  Love it.  It's just classy enough without being fussy.  And it comes thisclose to touching the wall behind it but doesn't actually touch.

Ain't she pretty?

I think it gives the room a nice balance (especially when I picture the top of the piano decorated up like a mantel).  And it makes it so much easier to play piano after 7 pm because it's finally bright enough to easily read sheet music.

Work it.

Now I just have to wait for my October budget to kick in to start decorating!  Anyone have some good ideas for me?

Psst-  I've heard that several people have found it difficult to leave comments on my blog posts, and I love to hear from ya'll, so here's the quick and dirty how-to for commenting on blog posts.  Click the comments link at the bottom of the post.  Choose to comment as "name/url" from the drop down menu.  Enter your name, you can leave the url part blank.  Type in your comment, and then click "Publish."  Ta-da!  Go forth and comment, friends!