wanted: buffet lamps

I was out in Annapolis the other day, meeting a friend for lunch. She was running a few minutes late so I popped into a couple of home stores, natch. And I saw some buffet lamps. They were very much like these from Circa Lighting:

Of course, they're also $378 each. At the store (whose name I cannot remember), they were $310. Cheaper, but still not exactly in my price range. But wouldn't they be pretty flanking my TV? I've long wanted sconces, but am moving away from that idea because it would involve hard wiring and considering I keep putting off even switching out the stupid automatic light switches the previous owner installed in the kitchen & bedroom, well, I don't see this happening anytime soon. I have looked for ones that you can just plug in, but they're either ugly or swing-arm. And for my location, neither is a good option.

I had thought about buffet lamps, but in my head they're always these dainty, spindly things. I'm not a dainty person and neither is my decorating style. But these lamps? They are quite substantial while not being overpowering. They'll add plenty of light to that side of the room but not be oppressive.

So what do you think the likelihood is of me finding $600 on the sidewalk? I'd say "when I win the lottery," but as the ads say, you can't win if you don't play.

If I...bought this fab townhouse in Manhattan

I found this townhouse in one of my visits to Brown Harris Stevens. I just love their site and all the floorplans.

This house was recently renovated and the floorplan rocks. Garage (!) and kitchen on the first floor leading to the garden. Dining and living rooms on the second floor. A home gym (and I'm assuming the floor has been extra supported). Lots of really large bedrooms. Master bedroom on the top floor that has a balcony with Central Park views. And no worries if you're tired after a long day and don't feel like climbing 5 flights of stairs - there's an elevator.

I actually really like the way the house is decorated and would take it fully furnished. Well, I'd replace the table in the dining room - but wouldn't have to immediately. Here are some shots from the website

 
The main thing I would change is the kitchen. It just screams early 2000s. The color of the cabinets and of the granite counters. The ginormous pot rack in the middle of the room. The layout is fine - I probably wouldn't change that - and I'm sure the appliances are still great, but everything else is getting ripped out.

 
* I'd make the back and side cabinets white - possibly ever so slightly off white - and have the majority of them with glass fronts to add some light to this space.
* Then I'd have an island made out of reclaimed wood - nice and rustic.

* I'll have a hood hanging down - I think it's a mistake to remove it when you have a professional-grade stove (which I will, natch) - but mine will be brass or maybe aged copper to go with the lights.

* Because I"m replacing the lights with these Hicks egg-shaped pendants from Circa Lighting. Love them! I'll have two gigantic ones on either side of the hood and then two (not sure big or little) above the kitchen table. And all four will be evenly spaced as though they were on the same axis.

* Then I'll have a couple of porthole-style flush mounts on the far edges of the room. No recessed lighting for me! But I also don't want 50 bajillion eggs hanging from the ceiling.

* Finally, I'll paint the walls and ceiling Ralph Lauren Impressionist - a lovely and bright greyish blue. The ceilings on this floor ar 8'6" - nothing to sniff at, but the ceilings in the rest of the house are 10-12' high. So I'll try some tricks to make this floor seem as high as the others, including painting the ceiling the same as the walls.

I also like that they have a real couch as seating for the kitchen table - definitely recreating that. I'll also have a TV somewhere in here that I can view from the table or the stove. Because while this room will look like all kitchen, it really will be half family room.
Anyone have an extra $26 million lying around? Plus a bit more for the renovations...
 
 
Side note: this is part of a new series, related to What Would Debbie Do, but I'm liking the If I... title better.  This whole blog is just me playing around so WWDD could make a comeback someday.