1980's Brass with 2011 PB Teen look!

Remember the 80's?  Parachute pants,  earrings the size of hubcaps, Aqua-Net hairspray by the gallons...I graduated from high school in the 80's, and I remember them fondly!  For home design in the 80's, the builder/designers choice was most often oak cabinetry and trim with brass fixtures and trim.  Ah, brass... garish, ostentatious brass decor... we had a house full of it, did you?

Recently, my parents updated some light fixtures in their 80's era home. (finally!).  The fixture that had hung over the kitchen table was put in a box and added to the "needs to go to Goodwill pile" that mom had gathering in the garage.  I saw it sitting there, and decided it was too nice to just give away.  It had great, classic lines, and was solid brass, not just brass-toned, so it was a quality fixture.  I moved it to my "I'll get to that one day pile".  Please tell me you have one too?

During this time, I was giving my son's (who is grown and moved out) former bedroom a facelift, so that Princess #2 could call it home now.  We had painted the walls to her request, but there was one huge hurdle hanging right in the center of the room... A huge ceiling fan that we had purchased for her brother.  Well, a ceiling fan is not so bad, but a rustic dark wood and black iron fan with silhouettes of pine trees, and moose...

Wait... what's the plural of moose?  Mooses?  Moosi?  Moosen?  

Hang in there, y'all will get used to me!

Anyhoo... it didn't really go with her lavender, shabby chic theme, so no doubt about it, the ceiling fan had to go.  Princess liked this light fixture from our favorite, PB Teen, (with a different color trim on the shades), but at $169 for the fixture, and another $59 for a set of shades (not to mention shipping fees) it was just more than I was willing to spend.  

I considered trying to remake the ceiling fan, but with the wilderness scene around the body of the fixture, that just wasn't an option.  Enter "lightbulb" moment, and the thought of the old brass fixture from Mom's dining area.  I had nothing to lose, so a transformation began.

First, after taking it apart as much as possible, I cleaned the fixture good with soap and water and dried it well. Next came the yucky part... sanding.  I used some fine grit sand paper, and gave the entire thing a good going-over.  There were lots of turns and rounded edges, so this took a while. As much as I dislike it, sanding is the key to a finished project with good results.
Then all the parts and the body of the fixture were given a coat of primer. I used Rust-oleum's American Accents.  You can buy this at most craft stores, like AC Moore or Michael's

After a coat of primer, and some drying time, I then spray painted everything with a white lacquer paint.  We wanted a bright, high gloss look, so we choose lacquer.

Next I removed the metal bands that were designed to hold the glass globes in place.  I had gotten away with not removing them for the painting process, but in order to successfully add my decorative touch, I needed them to come off, but I should have done that to start with.

We chose a 7/8 inch grosgrain ribbon that complemented the color scheme of the room, and I carefully hot glued the ribbon around each of the four metal bands.

Don't use too much glue when working with grosgrain, or it will pucker like this did... 

I had to take this ribbon off, and redo.  That puckering just didn't suit me.

Yes, that's better...

 I'm pleased as punch with our PB Teen knock-off,  and Princess #2 is as well.  The grosgrain ribbon and classic lines helps give it the look we wanted... in style, but not too trendy.

Total cost for this project:

Primer: $5.93

Spray Laquer: $8.99  - used my weekly 40% coupon in the Sunday paper, so $5.39

Ribbon: $3.75

Total costs:  $15.07

Savings:  $212.93 (+shipping, of course!)

Not too shabby!  Get creative, and look around. you may have just what you need to transform your space into a place you LOVE!  I'll share some more projects from this room re-do with you soon!

Keep Shining!

The Woo-Hoo Gal

 Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.