One of the first things we did in the new house was purchase and install new and slightly more modern lighting fixtures. We didn’t want to spend our entire decor budget so we opted for a few affordable lighting options that added so much more character and personality to the space. We get so many compliments on the new lighting and it’s one of the things I love most about the house now.
The goal was to use affordable lighting fixtures that didn’t break the bank, added a modern vibe and still felt fun and quirky enough.
A few tips for picking out your affordable modern lighting fixtures…
Okay, so before you buy that next great lighting fixture, you gotta make sure it’s the right one for you. Truth be told, we bought a few that ended up having to be returned and nobody has time for a day spent at UPS.
Tip Number 1: Check the measurements
I cannot stress this enough. Measure your space first and make sure you check the measurements of the lighting mixture itself. Some objects appear larger in the photos online (or smaller) and you definitely don’t want a huge pendant when all you need is something small or vice-versa.
Tip Number 2: Don’t be afraid to mix it up
Remember when your mom used to tell you not to wear black and navy together or silver and gold? Gone are the days of matchy-matchy. We now get to have fun with mixed metals and textures and colors. We have a few black iron fixtures with gold accents. We also have a rope/braided fixture in my office, a silver and wooden fixture in the living room and a gold fixture in our bedroom. The theme is consistent – modern, minimal and simple. But they don’t all have to look the same!
Tip Number 3: Check the bulb details
In addition to ordering new lighting fixtures, I ordered a ton of cool light bulbs. Maybe I’m just an idiot but it didn’t even cross my mind to double-check the wattage and other specs for each fixture – they’re not all the same. oops! I also really wanted those old timey looking bulbs and not all of my fixtures would work with them so make sure you’re cross-checking the blub and fixtures specs so you don’t get a blowout.
Check out some of my favorite Affordable lighting fixtures under $200 below
