I was lucky to have my mom travel with me from South Florida to Bloomington, Indiana to help me move into my college dorm at Indiana University years ago. It was a week where everything went wrong. UPS went on strike so nothing could be shipped, a broken refrigerator had to be moved uphill, there was a hit and run on our rental car, the airline broke my stereo, my well-meaning mom inviting my 5th year senior male RA to go to Target with us (just embarrassing at the time to an 18-year-old who was trying to be cool, but he was really happy to come along), and instead of living in the castle-like dorm, I was assigned to the former barracks up the hill. I also experienced my first time without air conditioning, which this Floridian had never heard of.
It all worked out exactly as it should, and my mom and I laugh hysterically when we recall this hellish trip. The broken fridge mishap with newly purchased milk led me to my best friend. The Target run helped me become fast friends with the greatest RA, and the barracks ended up being the best place imaginable with the exception of catching on fire later that year.
One of the best parts of that crazy week the $10 Haeger Pottery lamp my mom found at Good Will for my room. This and a spray painted silver block would be in heavy rotation for the next 13 years. Years later, I still love my lamp, and recently re-wired it after it broke. It has this really pretty brass harp decoration on top, and I need to get a new shade that will fit this detail and look better on the lamp. The shade should be a tad shorter in height in my opinion.
The only floor lamp I have must be retired, since it is the poster child of a fire hazard. (Don't worry, it is not plugged in).
Needless to say, we need new lamps. But, I'm going to hold off until I find one that I really like or can refurbish, possibly spray paint and rewire. In the meantime, I sketched up some ideas that caught my eye.
I also sketched some pendant lamps for the future, since I am not installing hanging lamps in my rental.
One day I would love a crazy chandelier (or two or three).
I really liked the fabricated metal pendant lamp that Julianne Moore designed for her assistant's home.
Lastly, if I won the lottery and would not have guilt of spending thousands of dollars on a chandelier, I'd purchase the 24" diameter Schonbek DaVinci Chandelier which is made of thousands of Swarovski crystals and is apparently dishwasher safe. Note to self, also purchase a dishwasher and a ballroom to place said chandelier.
Sadly, Schonbek's website is no longer working, but here's a picture in my inspiration books in all of its glory.
Where are some of your favorite lamps from?