SHADES OF LIGHT PULLMAN BATH LIGHT - TRIED + TRUE TUESDAY

Today's product review for our TRIED + TRUE TUESDAY series is the Shades of Light Pullman Bath Light. This light has been such a favorite of mine and client's that I've used it in 2 projects!

THE STATS: Very reasonably priced @ $169 + shipping (my shipping total to UT was $30). Comes in 2 finishes - polished nickel and bronze. Available in a 2 and 4 light version as well. Fixture is 11.25" tall.

Pictures of the Pullman Bath Light installed...

Parley's Creek Dental bathroom

N Street main bathroom

(please excuse the less than fantastic photos)
As you can see, the light in person is exactly as expected! I like the light fixture best in the first picture just because the mirror is better with it and the scale is more appropriate, but I was happy with it in both projects.

OUR REVIEW: + + out of + + +  (pluses are our version of stars). Here's why I only give it 2 pluses instead of 3 - the company. I have been less than thrilled with the customer service of Shades of Light. BOTH times I ordered this light they made me aware at least a week after ordering that the light is BACKORDERED! Seriously? The light was supposed to be in my hands in a week, which in my business deadlines are extremely important, and now they are telling me it won't be here for a month?!! They need to be more aware of their stock and alerting customers BEFORE they buy.

To top it all off, when my light finally arrived for my Parley's Creek Dental office project it was missing a piece that was necessary for installation. When I looked at my receipt in the box I realized they had sent me a returned light without inspecting it first! The receipt in the box wasn't even my receipt - they had just forwarded on a returned Pullman Bath Light. AND when I asked for them to remedy the situation ASAP the best they did for me was to ship the piece UPS Ground, yes Ground, not RUSH. Tsk, tsk Shades of Light. Can you tell how annoyed I am with them?

So, yes, I have loved the light fixture because it's a cute alternative to the typical overhead bath light, but I cannot recommend Shades of Light because of my experience with them. I have yet to find another company who sells the same light, so if you have seen it elsewhere, please let me know!

**UPDATE**
Shades of Light contacted me after seeing this post and not only apologized to me for the less-than-stellar service, but also assured me that they are making changes to their practices to ensure the mistakes and inconveniences that I experienced will no longer happen. I believe they will make these changes, and believe they are worth ordering through. Because of these changes and their very nice email, they have not lost a customer in me.

I hope this review was helpful! And remember, if you are curious about something we have used in a project, send me an email and I will review it for you!

WHAT'S UP - 10.1.12

This post was meant for Friday but that's the kind of week I've been having - I'm behind on everything! Sometimes I feel a little burned out and I don't want anything to do with work when I'm not working. But after my weekend of no blogs, design magazines, work, and (almost) no Pinterest I am excited to be back.

+ Last week Jamie and I worked on the N Street project quite a bit. We narrowed down our exterior paint colors for this historical home to two colors...

Benjamin Moore's Amherst Gray 

OR

Benjamin Moore Whale Gray

Exterior paint colors are tricky because when you are dealing with paint on this large of scale it is hard to imagine the paint on the whole house. It's way easier to work off of pictures so you can see what it looks like on a grand scale. I'll be picking up samples of the paint today and trying it on the house. ALWAYS paint samples!! That is a very expensive lesson I have definitely learned!

+ I've been looking for really cool black + white tile patterns for a client who is redoing their master bathroom. We have been inspired by these photos...

We are loving this tile from Ann Sacks (but don't love the price :)

This tile from Ann Sacks is also very fabulous.

This bathroom is so amazing and expensive (marble slabs on the walls!!) I love the floor!

+ Jamie has been searching for another client who is looking for rugs. I'm the biggest fan of Madeline Weinrib but she also found some other fantastic rugs that would look amazing in her home.

Madeline Weinrib

But I also love these beauties as well!

I could do a very long (Tolstoy long) blog post on rugs. But I would love to hear from you if you have a rug you recently bought and love. Especially if you got a great deal on it and it looks like you paid a lot more :) 

+  And it's this little girl's birthday in one week and I'm trying to throw together a game plan for her birthday party. Turning 4 is a big deal! 

You have to see this kitchen we bought for her birthday. I wanted the Pottery Barn one, but it wasn't a $700 want. I mostly wanted the PB one because it came in white. All of the other kitchens are so gender specific and we are hoping to one day have a boy and I don't want him to feel like he lives in a sea of pink. So, when I found this KidKraft all-wood turquoise kitchen it was an instant buy. 

Someone is going to have a very happy birthday!

Hope you all had a fantastic week.
And that's what's up!

WHAT'S UP - 8.16.12

The past few weeks have been busy, yet very manageable. I like being a little bit busy. It keeps me motivated without the stress.

I have been looking for fabric for pillows, for clients and myself. This is my personal favorite from Designer's Guild. I want to make lumbar pillows out of this for my couch, but I'm not sure it's the right fabric for that space.

I have some other fabric that I am loving for various projects.

This paisley fabric with the dot background is another favorite. Wouldn't it look great with the wavy stripe and gold fabric? I love the gold fabric for an accent pillow.

I've also been sketching out my plans for N Street. (This is a very rough drawing I did quickly - still in the idea phase)

I was thinking of painting stripes in the main floor half bath, but then I thought that might look a little too young for who might be buying the home. I still want to do something different with the paint so I might paint one very large stripe around the room in a dark navy blue or black. Here are some other striped painting ideas I gathered from Pinterest...

I've also been looking at fireplace and built-ins on Pinterest for the N Street project. Here are my current favorites.

If you have a definite favorite of the 3 fireplaces, please let me know. Your help is SO appreciated.

I've also been trying to keep this messy kid from destroying my house! She is so cute right now and super funny, but seriously the messiest kid I know!! (Doesn't she look amazing?! Just trying to keep it real. This is what we all look like in the morning at my house).

And that's what's up!

MIRRORS OVER WINDOWS

We've all seen this done in bathrooms, but what do you really think about installing a mirror over a window?

I personally love how the light shines in behind the mirror and I'm guessing it's great light to apply make-up, etc. since it's natural light. It might not be as flattering, but you know how it is - you think you look great before you leave the house and then you check the rear-view mirror when you're driving and you look totally different.

It sometimes also allows for a better layout of a bathroom. Instead of trying to lay it out to avoid the window, you can use the window area as part of the bathroom.

Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts on this....would you do it in your own home?

AND it has to be done right, I don't love this application of the mirror over the window...it looks like there is too much going on with the shade behind it and the oval shape with the dark wood.

But this is an interesting and very cool way to do this style - they did both the vanity + the mirror! So creative...

Loving all of these as well.

Have any of you tried this in your own home? If so, please send me a pic or comment, or both! But yes, opinions please...

MY NEW PROJECT

I am really excited about this new project I am starting on. It's another home in the Avenues and as all homes in the Aves it has a lot of character, which makes my job a lot easier. We are doing a complete remodel + addition so it's a big project.

This is what the home looks like now.

What do you think about the wood on the fireplace? It's the only original wood that is still showing, but that's why I kind of want to paint it white to match the rest of the home. Is that a horrible thing to do to beautiful original wood?

Torn down to the studs - or stick framing in this case. We are raising the ceilings so the upstairs is going to be beautiful!

This is going to be the master bathroom. We are putting a stand-alone tub next to the windows. Super excited about the bathroom...

I am imagining a nice, classic home with a little cape cod/back east style to it. I would like the 3/4 bath to look something like this...

We won't have money in the budget to do the amazing subway tile all around the room, but hopefully I can do it half way at least.

And I want the upstairs hallway to look something like this...

We have the hanging lights planned for over the stairway as of right now, but do you like the pendants in the center better?

I would like the entrance to be somewhat grand since it's really open right there and a perfect spot for a hanging lantern. Love the checkerboard flooring as well, but not sure how that would look with the faux fireplace I showed in the first pic.

I am still working on what I want the kitchen and master to look like. Follow my "N Street" board on Pinterest to see my inspiration for this home. You will also notice another pinner, Ashley Tingey, who is working with me as an intern for this project. She has great ideas and is really great to work with.

Should be a fun project! Keep in touch and I will post updates as they come. Right now we are tied up with the city waiting for permits, but soon we will be back working like madwomen and men :)

ANOTHER PEEK...MY MASTER BATH

Here is another little peek at my photo shoot - my master bathroom. I love my bathroom, but I am still looking for bathmats for under the sinks. I want to add some color, but I can't find anything I like for less than $100 each. If you know of any great classic bathmats, please share!!

TILE: Calcutta Gold Marble

SCONCES: Visual Comfort Empire Single Sconce (buy here)

MEDICINE CABINETS: Restoration Hardware

WALL COLOR: BM Intense White