Vacuum packed

I read an article the other day which asked "Why Vintage Lighting?" The answer was obviously from an online form where you just plug in a title and a couple keywords and out pops a meaningless jumble of ver(gar)bage. I guess it helps to fill some void, much like all the "designer" home decor, found now even at Safeway, where your eye may look at it once then you will never see it again, even if you look right at it. Proof that it must be true that Nature abhors a vacuum.

Now that I have vented a bit, there is no time here to answer "Why Vintage Lighting", which was my original thought. sorry, next time.

Maybe I should wait until after I had my coffee...

Listen to Your Eyes. PB

http://VintageLights.com

Proper Vintage Bathroom Lighting

Another recent query we received and one we often field is "What is the best lighting solution for a vintage bathroom, specifically around the mirror?"

This question is pretty vague so lets try to narrow down some answers for a couple of the most common scenarios. If you have a medicine cabinet or just a mirror over the sink or counter and if room on each side permits, a vintage wall sconce on each side of the mirror at (the woman's) eye level gives the best illumination for detailing the face. Sconces with shades or using inside frost light bulbs help to minimize shadows. Another sconce above the mirror or a small pendant drop close to the wall will also help balance the light.

Sometimes the mirror is the width of the wall above the counter and usually here you find the typical light bar with 6 round bare bulbs (or worse, a fluorescent light bar). Recently a local customer came to us with this dilemma, the mirror the length of the wall. We provided him with 3 matching pendant drops of opaque milk glass which he had mounted into 3 new ceiling boxes. A bit more costly but a solution he was grateful for.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

www.VintageLights.com

Patience and Planning

With the California Poppies popping up, it is a sure sign of Spring, even though last Friday morning there was 1/2 inch of snow on the deck. And today, Monday, it is going to hit 80 degrees. We are loving it.

Now is the time to start planning those outside projects that are on this summer's list. I mention this because it seems all too often we are hit with requests for a specific type of vintage lighting fixture (in this case vintage porch lights), and the electrician is coming out next week to install it.

When you know that vintage lighting is what you desire there are two things to remember: the first is patience and planning and the second is, if you find something you like, purchase it on the spot. We have a good track record of finding specific vintage fixtures if given enough time. But the "electrician is coming out next week" is one of the surest ways to end up with dandelions instead of golden California Poppies.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

http://vintagelights.com/

Bring Back the Magic

Some call it beauty, some call it a felt emotional responce, and some just refer to it as magical. That inexpicible sense of self and emotion when in the presence of something that stirs us in a positive way.
The old lighting fixtures have it, the old buildings have it, Nature has it.
Maybe we all need a little more magic in our lives.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

www.VintageLights.com

Too bad we can't go fishin'

As I kid my father would cut me out of school on Friday for a long weekend of fishing in Eastern Washington. We would meet up with Carl "Curly" Gleason and his son Carl Jr. for the trip over highway 2. Camp out Thursday night in the riverside park in Wenatchee and hit the lakes Friday. Specticle, Wannacut, Alta, and Twin lakes all gave up their treasured trout to us. God, it was just beautiful in the Methow and Okanogon Valleys. Still is.
One thing I remember though was the talks Dad and Curly had about politics. Their respecive views were as divergent as the water spilling from the broken aquaduct high above Specticle Lake. They would sometimes talk the whole drive over and back as well as late into the night. At that age I had no idea exactly what they were talking about, but I knew they had opposite views. But I also saw the respect they had for each others views and how they could put it all behind when another lunker hit the orange Flat Fish we were slowly trolling behind a Ford Fender. They were life long friends despite of, or because of, their different points of view.
Maybe that is why I am troubled by the tone of today's politicial rheteric; I learned a bit about mutual respect rowing that wooden boat around Alta with 3 lines in the water.
Too bad we can't all go fishin'

p.s. Curly was bald.
p.s.s. An old fishing buddy Joseph Demeo in image.

www.VintageLights.com

Port of Indecision

In previous posts I asked why so many people are afraid or VERY cautious when it comes to making decisions concerning design elements in their home (or anything else). It occurred to me that "Politically Correct" could be partially to blame. PC is nothing more than the McDonalds Mentality in a political dress. The least common denominator, acceptable mediocrity, etc etc. And yes I chow down a Big Mac every now and then.
The danger of PC is that it is a form of a lie, an innocuous partial truth or a lie of reserve. PC is another example of giving the illusion that one never needs to venture out of the port of indecision, one never needs to set their own sail, to discover their own strengths and weakness and to see the setting sun from another point of view.
PC obscures the truth, waters it down like the new beers from St. Louis.

There is nothing like a warm summer day, standing with your own two feet planted firmly on the deck of a sailboat under way, with a nice cold micro-brew in hand.

Listen to your eyes. PB

Yep, that's me.

www.vintagelights.com/

A "Great Truth" from the 20s

One of the things I like about cruising the old lighting catalogues is the stark contrast of purpose between  early electric fixtures and today's.  Here is an excerpt from a 1920's Lightolier catolog:
"Throughout the length and breath of the land builders of modern homes have learned the great truth that nothing is more essential to real home beauty and comfort than correct lighting fixtures."

Listen To Your Eyes.  PB

www.vintagelights.com/

Authentic Original

In a recent, respected, periodical we found the following descriptors of different contemporary products, all trying to invoke a sense of the past. Some do a fair job, most fail miserably. None can actually deliver on what the underlying marketing promise is: Comfort or Beauty from an Authentic Original.

period...
historic...
antique...
arts & crafts inspired...
historically inspired...
in the style of ...
vintage...
from the arts & crafts movement
in the Arts & Crafts tradition
old fashioned quality
in the Craftsman style
in arts & crafts style
in the spirit of ....
Greene & Greene inspired...
built in the craftsman tradition
period inspired...
original arts & crafts designs (contemporary)
in the craftsman style...
in the traditions of .....
authentic arts & crafts...(contemporary)
in the arts & crafts tradition

Listen to your eyes.  PB

www.vintagelights.com

No really, Vintage Lights Addiction

Yesterday we received an order from a returning customer who confessed to a Vintage Lights fetish. Afraid of what exactly that meant (but assuming it was meant as: "something which has spiritual or magical powers"), we left that confession lying there.

So over the past few days we have had 2 addictions, one disease, and one fetish in the Vintage Lights arena (and a "powerless" decision to purchase, although in decision there is power).

So leave it to VintageLights.com to come to the aid of those addicted, diseased, powerless and fixated with Vintage Lighting. We will be soon be launching the DailyElixr.com and/or the Daily Elixr on Facebook, where those individuals in need of a Vintage Lights fix will be welcomed with the lights on. We share your passion!

www.vintagelights.com

Vintage lights addiction

Yesterday in an email conversation with a customer she called her passion for a certain type of vintage lighting a "disease." Then again yesterday I read a blog in which two people referred to their passion for vintage lighting as an "addiction."

It is clear to me some sort of intervention and remedy is necessary.

Stay tuned...

www.vintagelights.com

Is Better Than New even Possible?

I have often seen claims of pre-owned merchandise being touted as "Better Than New". I have never given any credence to these outlandish marketing claims, in fact most of the time I would dismiss the ad outright as only a poorly conceived ploy. Well, I now have a change of head about this. I was touching up the above fixture yesterday with a dremmel and suddenly realized that it was indeed possible for a used item to actually be "Better Than New". But more importantly I also realized it was not the finished product that made it better than new, but the commitment behind it.

Listen To Your Eyes. PB

www.vintagelights.com

The lead of Apollo

In the days of the Apollo flights to the moon, computers were very limited. One thing the computers were able to do was to compute the percentage of time the spacecraft was on target. Turns out the ship was on target 7% of the time, that's right only 7% of the time! What this means is 93% of the time it was off target!
What we can gleen from this is this: We can be off target 93% of the time and still reach our goal, IF certain qualities are in place.
First; know your target
Second, continually assess and reassess your progress against a quantifiable benchmark
Third; Make adjustments as necessary
If you repeat #2 and #3 chances are pretty good you will reach your target. If we landed a man on the moon being on target only 7% of the time you can pretty much do anything you set your sights on, if you follow the lead of Apollo.

This process of action, assessment, and adjustment is how we came to the array of proprietary finishes we apply to our vintage fixtures. There were literally hundreds (if not a thousand) of trials and tests to arrive at finishes we apply with the color, depth and sheen needed for vintage fixtures to look absolutely appropriate.

Listen to your eyes. PB

www.vintagelights.com

Play All Your Hunches

I just realized that it should be no surprise that I found my niche in the vintage lighting business. Growing up in Western Washington where there is about 8 months of gloomy dismal weather, I always felt drawn to the sun. I felt its warmth, its power, and even as a child, recognized it as the source of life on this planet. As I grew older I noticed my Seasonal Affective Disorder grew a bit more noticable each year until it was so bad I had to get out of there. So I moved to the mountains of Arizona where the sun shines year around, topping off at a pleasent mid 80s through the summer. My SAD has been replaced by a mild case of allergies, but the mild depression is gone. I'll take that trade.
Play all your hunches, and always;

Listen to your eyes. PB

www.vintagelights.com