Lighting for Dining Area

Joe did our taxes the other night and I'm excited to say that we're getting a decent return! I'm really hoping to convince him that new lighting for the kitchen and dining room is a must. There have been times that I've almost busted out the headlamp so I could see what I was stirring (I've only made the mistake of using cumin rather than cinnamon one time...ya learn to check labels real quick after something like that).

Anyway, I'm going to consider us to have a lighting budget of $500, even though I doubt that I will be able to pass Go. And by Go I mean Joe.


First, we really need a chandelier to hang over the dining room table. Which do we go with?


1. Mia Chandelier, $170:

2. Eden Pendant Lamp, $50:

Once I decide on this, I'll be able to pick the rest of the lighting. Yes! No more cumin in my oatmeal! 


What do you think- #1 or #2? I'm leaning toward #1. At first I was worried that it would be too busy, but now I think that a regular drum shade would detract from the style that seems to have fallen in place. 


The other thing is that the upstairs main floor (ah! i keep calling it the upstairs. it's the two-story-house-love girl in me, *sigh*) has a more feminine style than masculine, and while the drum shade can easily lean either way, I figure I should just embrace the chandelier. 


The basement will be more masculine and I think I'd like a few drum shades down there when we start remodeling.