Swapping Our Builder Grade Lights + The Best Fixtures From Lowe’s
You know what’s crazy? The fact that it has taken us THIS LONG to swap out lots of our ugly, builder-grade light fixtures. Even though we’ve had plenty of projects on our plate, this should’ve been one of the first things we tackled. It’s amazing how swapping builder grade light fixtures for better options can make such a big visual difference in your home. Click through to check out which lights we swapped and my personal favorite fixtures from Lowe’s! I combed through their entire website to find the best of the best that rivals designer fixtures. Get ready for a BIG post packed with multiple roundups that are all pretty budget-friendly…
*This post is sponsored by Lowe’s. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we actually use & enjoy!
To shop or be redirected, use the numbered links at the bottom of each collage.
01: livex lighting classic wall sconce // 02: westmore lighting culmington sconce // 03: quoizel elmdale brass sconce // 04: allen + roth loire antique gold sconce // 05: kichler nickel wall sconce // 06: westmore lighting alina wall sconce // 07: westmore lighting thurmont wall sconce // 08: allen + roth palermo sconce // 09: safavieh jaxson brass wall sconce // 10: progress lighting avana wall sconce // 11: z-lite savannah wall sconce
First up… sconces! I found a lot of beautiful options. Remember the DIY shade upgrade I shared during our guest bathroom renovation? That one also came from Lowe’s (pictured below).
Emmett and I couldn’t wait to see the weird scalloped seashell sconces in our basement go! I actually used a fixture from the flush mount collage (keep scrolling), but installed it as a wall sconce. I love the fun star shape and it’s a quarter of the price of a very similar designer option.
Next up- ceilings fans. You guys know I prefer a white ceiling fan so it blends nicely. If you’re going to have a fan- my motto is “make it disappear”. Keep it simple and sleek for the best look.
01: fanimation studio collection white fan // 02: progress lighting ceiling fan // 03: matthews fan company white ceiling fan // 04: embrace matte white ceiling fan // 05: fanimation all weather white ceiling fan // 06: triaire matte white ceiling fan // 07: fanimation aire drop ceiling fan // 08: fanimation hugh matte white fan // 09: xeno wet matte white fan
We ended up swapping the brown fan in our master bedroom. We needed a fan with a light that wasn’t bulky, but was still bright. I landed on #9 from the roundup and am loving it!
Doesn’t it look a million times better? Despite not having touched this room in terms of renovating or updating, a simple fixture swap makes a huge difference.
Moving right along to flush mount fixtures. We have a bunch of builder-grade “boob lights” scattered throughout our house that had to go.
01: westmore lighting knossos flush mount // 02: maxim lighting fairmont brass flush mount // 03: global electric portland globe flush mount // 04: boston loft furnishings brass flush mount // 05: westmore lighting parker bronze flush mount // 06: portfolio aged bronze flush mount // 07: quoizel black flush mount // 08: westmore lighting modern white flush mount // 09: golden lighting duncan flush mount // 10: elan piazza modern flush mount
See what I mean? I ordered #2, #3, and #5. Our upstairs hallway got an update and we still need to install the other two… stay tuned for that! It has definitely been busy around here, but the effort is worth the updated look.
Semi flush mounts are another fixture I often use. They’re great for those in-between ceilings that are not quite tall enough for a pendant or chandelier, but are too tall for a low profile flush mount.
01: sea gull lighting classic semi flush mount // 02: westmore lighting brass semi flush mount // 03: progress lighting nickel semi flush mount // 04: allen + roth semi flush mount // 05: golden lighting white semi flush mount // 06: decor therapy antique brass semi flush mount // 07: kichler aldean semi flush mount // 08: winslow seeded glass semi flush mount // 09: kichler avery semi flush mount
We used #4 in our guest bathroom renovation and I still think it’s gorgeous and would use it again! I tried to choose classic options that work with multiple aesthetics.
I have a modern table lamp that I get lots of compliments and questions about and you guys can’t believe it’s from Lowe’s (or the price tag!). Any guesses which one?
01: safavieh anders table lamp // 02: safavieh rianon brass table lamp // 03: hailey home harlow brass lamp // 04: cheyenne products milk glass table lamp // 05: safavieh giselle table lamp // 06: safavieh sloane table lamp // 07: safavieh darcy black table lamp // 08: safavieh mckinley table lamp // 09: safavieh alya brass table lamp // 10: safavieh beijing blue table lamp
#5! I have it in white (pictured below). The last time I shared an image of it was after I finished my enamel desk makeover. I also bought #7 and #8, but I have to confess- they’re still sitting in the boxes. I’m hoping to get those out and style them as soon as our One Room Challenge drywall dust settles (aka- once I have time to clean).
My favorite fixture from this entire post came from the floor lamp roundup…
01: decor therapy chloe lamp // 02: safavieh cipriana tripod lamp // 03: safavieh ezekiel brass lamp // 04: cal lighting metal floor lamp // 05: boston loft furnishings floor lamp // 06: westmore lighting caledonia lamp // 07: hailey home estella floor lamp // 08: theia floor lamp // 09: efisio chrome tree floor lamp
I bought #5 and it is stunning in person! I’m actually going to buy another one before they sell out, so I can flank them on each side of a bed or credenza. It’s currently living in our entryway until I order a match! I’m all about that metal shade.
Cruising right along to the chandelier department. Unfortunately, I don’t have a beautiful chandelier installed in our house YET. We’ll eventually need to replace the one in the entryway, and hopefully we can tackle the dining room soon. Some of my favorites include…
01: sea gull lighting driscoll chandelier // 02: safavieh lewis black chandelier // 03: sea gull lighting towner chandelier // 04: designers fountain reeve chandelier // 05: progress lighting nickel chandelier // 06: westmore lighting black modern chandelier // 07: maxim lighting fairmont chandelier
Since I don’t have one installed in my house quite yet, I thought I’d drop an image of one in my bestie’s dining room (#6). Remember Emily’s modern kitchen tour? They’re our neighbors and she’s also a designer.
Next up… pendants! It took me forever to narrow these down because I found so many good ones, so this roundup has a few extras.
01: kichler maclain brass pendant // 02: progress lighting ellyson pendant // 03: safavieh kimball gold pendant // 04: quoizel emery nickel pendant // 05: sea gull lighting pratt pendant // 06: millennium lighting brass lantern pendant // 07: progress lighting kempsey pendant // 08: safavieh archer gold pendant // 09: kichler raffiana coastal pendant // 10: kichler brushed nickel pendant // 11: sea gull lighting modern globe pendant // 12: westmore lighting brass pendant // 13: westmore lighting star pendant // 14: progress lighting holcombe pendant
I’ve always wanted a star pendant (#13), but I ended up buying #7 for one of the guest bedrooms, as well as installing #3 in another guest room (pictured below). Can you believe the builder grade before? HAHA!
Lastly, I wanted to share another lighting component that isn’t necessarily a fixture, but also received a nice upgrade. Do you remember the brass lamps I thrifted over the summer? The existing tapered shades were pretty but were in terrible condition. They were yellowed, dented, and beyond salvaging. I found a great budget-friendly shade from Lowe’s and swapped our bedside lamp shades. They look a lot better and I actually think the square shape better fits the brass base. What do you think?
Whew! I know that was a LOT, but pin away and hopefully this post will be helpful for future renovations- or if your home could also use some light fixture swaps. I feel like the builder-grade lighting throughout my house really gives it the tract home stamp- which isn’t a good thing. It feels more personal and custom having lighting that is representative of our aesthetic.
We still have more lighting to trade, but things are looking a lot better. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below! Any favorite fixtures?