Let’s talk more about things that were too tiny. But instead of yesterday’s mini-mirror, this time we’re taking things outside. To the carport to be exact. See that tiny little lantern hanging from the ceiling?
Yeah…. she’s not looking so hot. Rust? Check. Cracked glass? Check. Teeny tiny dollhouse-ish scale? Check.
So we’ve been keeping an eye out for a larger light since we moved in back in late 2010. You name it, and we’ve looked there (at stores like Home Depot, online, on Craigslist, at local outlets and secondhand stores like The Habitat For Humanity ReStore, etc). Ideally we wanted a big chunky clean lined lantern in a rich dark oil-rubbed bronze finish and a price tag that didn’t knock us over (we saw a few that we loved, but for the jumbo size that we wanted, they were two hundred big ones). And it had to be made to be outside since we wanted it to hold up and not get all rusty or be unsafe (things outside have different UL listings for that sort of use, so using an indoor fixture outside can be a fire hazard).
But finally, as if by some miracle, after over a year of looking we came across this guy at a local lighting outlet (The Decorating Outlet) which is one of about ten places that we had been dropping in on every month or two, just to see what popped up.
And by some even larger miracle, this lantern was majorly marked down. Yup, the original price of $295 was slashed and then $159 was written and then that was slashed and a giant $19 price was drawn on in marker. Now we’re talking, right? That’s over 90% off! The reason? It was missing the ceiling canopy. No biggie, those are $6 at Home Depot or Lowe’s in the same dark oil-rubbed finish, so that definitely wasn’t a deterrent.
The other defect? The outside of the lantern has four panes of glass, and one of those four panes was actually missing. The funny thing is that we didn’t notice the entire time we checked it out (and we were holding it about a foot away from our faces). So we knew once it was hung over seven feet from the ground no one would ever be able to tell. Especially if we hung it so that missing pane faced the side of the carport with the wall of bushes (you approach the space from the front, and there’s a door on one side and a gate off the back, but no one ever walks towards the carport from that wall of bushes). And if it ever really bothers us we can get a new pane cut for it at a local glass store (if we have issues with bugs & birds trying to nest) for under $15, which is still way cheaper than the full price. The bottom of the lantern also slides out so we can keep that part removed so bugs don’t collect in there. Such a convenient feature!
As for hoisting that baby up, it definitely was a two person job (I held it up with both hands while standing on a ladder and John connected the wires – with the power off of course). Here’s a terrible photo I snapped while holding the lantern with one hand and the camera with the other while teetering on the ladder because I love you guys.
Oh and before we settled on our hanging height, we measured our friend’s big SUV (just to be sure we left enough clearance room for taller cars and not just our short little Altima). Thankfully the carport is super high (over nine feet), so it can still have a bit of drop to it for that fancy schmancy lantern feeling (we didn’t want the top grinding up against the ceiling or anything) with loads of room even for tall trucks/SUVs to pull in under it.
So much better, right? We’re digging him. In person he just feels so much more in proportion to the wide open carport and the rest of the house in general. As a source of comparison, here’s the old guy…
And here’s the new lantern, holding things down…
Don’t mind that pile of wood on the right. Blame it on the de-eh-eh-eh-eh-eck-pro-ject. That doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?
Old guy from further away…
And the new guy…
Purty cute. Not exactly easy to see from the curb since our house is set so far back… but no longer invisible! Woot!
It’s just one of those proportion things. A giant high-ceilinged space with a tiny child-sized lantern can leave a bit to be desired (seriously, it was the size of one of these little metal tea-light holders that Ikea sells for $3.99). So nineteen bucks later ($25 if you factor in the canopy we added) we ended up with something that’s not only an upgrade from inside of the carport, but it’s actually a nice crisp and updated look from the driveway and even from the curb (now that it’s to scale with the house and you can actually see it). Huzzah!
Oh and although I pointed out how doubly-miraculous it was to finally find this lantern, which was thankfully the right size and the right price, the true lesson is probably that if you look long enough for something (over a year!) and resist settling for something cheap but not pretty enough (or pretty but not affordable enough) you’re probably likely to come across something sooner or later (and I guess over a year definitely falls into that later category). So don’t give up. Also, eat Oreo’s. They fill the hole in your heart until you find the ambiguous item you’re searching for.
Even though we eventually have plans to convert the carport into a garage, we think we’ll still definitely appreciate having a light that we control with a switch that feels nice and stately.
Oh and here it is with our car back in there, just for comparison (and to show you guys there are still over two feet of space for a taller cars like SUVs – I promise we measured and all is good).
Doesn’t it just feel more substantial and balanced than this old picture with the car in it from the same angle? And you can see from here that although the new lantern is a lot larger, it only hangs about 4″ lower than the last one did (use the ceiling line in each pic for comparison). So it’s not like it’s danging a foot and a half lower or anything.
So that’s our little lighting/carport upgrade. Any other light switch outs going on? Have you been hunting for something for over a year that you finally got your mitts on? Was there a funny reason why it was on sale? Did hanging it involve two of you teetering on a ladder, silently cursing the day you found it until you got it up and permasmiled with relief?
Laura says
I see I’m not the only one that thought you were talking about your car! Haha. Not that your car is too small, but in the first picture I didn’t even notice the lantern! Good think you upgraded!!
Annemarie L says
Great find! I’ve been searching on Craigslist for a dresser for over a month now. I am trying to be patient and find the perfect one– It can sort of feel hopeless at times, but hearing your advice to wait encourages me!
Jessica says
Looks terrific! Might I suggest changing to a clear bulb? The white one interrupts the view through all that glass…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, just working with the old bulb from the old lantern. We’d love a new clear LED one when it’s time to replace that!
xo,
s
Katie says
It looks amazing! I’ve been looking for a similar lantern for our entryway. Hopefully I can find something at an equally great price!
Alison says
Love it! Looks so much better, not that it looked bad before of course! Also, I was surprised not to to see a “Psst- we weren’t paid or perked by Nabisco…” comment at the end about the Oreos! HAHA, JK!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahha- maybe we’ll have to add that!
xo,
s
Sarah C. says
Do I spy a birdbath project in the distance? I can’t really tell because it might just be the sunlight but I believe on the last house tour it was covered in beach towels because it might be a secret book project?
YoungHouseLove says
Ahh- you’re too good! You caught us.
Just photoshopped it out of the picture. Shhh, don’t tell our publisher that it slipped in there, ok? Haha. Thanks for the heads up!
xo,
s
Sarah C says
Yes, sucsess! I finally found I secret book project; I’ve been trying for ages :) And your being super sneaky even editing my comment to not give anything away!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- you’re an eagle eye for sure!
xo,
s
Kate says
This doesn’t have a thing to do about this post, but I stumbled upon this Etsy shop today and couldn’t help but think of you. They aren’t cheap, but totally drool-worthy
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiteFauxTaxidermy
YoungHouseLove says
Love love love!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Love it. Maybe try a filament light bulb to up the cool factor. I personally love carports. They’re so old Hollywood :)
Erin says
“Also, eat Oreo’s. They fill the hole in your heart until you find the ambiguous item you’re searching for.”
Definitely my quote of the day :)
Lindsay L. says
i lurve it. y’all are always on the lookout for a million different things, i don’t know how you remember everything! and i love your pretty blue altima but does john ever dream about getting a truck to make hauling things around easier?
YoungHouseLove says
Our neighbor has a truck, so I have totally thought about working out a deal where we pay him to borrow it! It would be handy but a lot cheaper than a second car/insurance/etc!
xo,
s
katalina says
I have to say I have never seen a hanging light in a carport. my parents carport has a light near the door.
how2home says
Very cute! Looks much better :)
Chana says
I like it very much! Looks great. Also, I know this has nothing to do with the new light fixture, but I thought I’d let you guys know that I ordered (or rather, pre-ordered) your book this morning! Can’t wait ’til it gets here! (Three months and counting?)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Chana! You’re so sweet!
xo,
s
Kim says
Not related, but I Just found a collection of owls at goodwill! I’m ready to spray paint!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Love the lantern, I wish we could have something like that in our garage, but the ceiling is too low. Is it up high enough that you don’t have to worry about hitting your head on it when the cars not in there?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, John’s six feet tall and the bottom of the lantern is over 7 feet from the ground!
xo,
s
Mamaw says
Looks great! Love the fixture. At that price I would have bought it even if I didn’t need it. LOL
julia says
$19 down from $259 ?!! Best.Deal.Ever. Congrats! Doesn’t all that waiting just feel so good now ?!
xo julesinflats.com
Tia says
HUGE Difference! I love it
Jeff says
Love the new lamp and what a deal!! Have you thought of changing the shape of the lightbulb to one of those more oval shaped lights or candleabra type ones? Everytime I see one of those old bare incandescent lightbulbs hanging free I think of a basement. The fixture looks great though!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, just using the old bulb up and once he’s done we think we’ll try for a clear LED one!
xo,
s
Kate says
At first when I saw the title and the first picture, I got all excited because I thought you were talking about buying a new car. Not that there’s anything wrong with your car, but there is something wrong with mine (it’s over 12 years old with a few different problems and it’s only a two door, which will be annoying once our baby comes in January) and I was hoping to see some suggestions for cars/car shopping.
But the lantern is an awesome update as well, lol. :)
Mekenzie @ Interiorsbykenz.com says
Lighting – jewelry for the home!
LOVE THE RAD-ACTION UPDATE!
Dave says
lantern looks great. I have never been a huge fan of painted brick. it’s natural color is beautiful, however I would have to agree there are exceptions to the rule.
Matt says
Know what would look cool in that? One of those (overpriced) old-timey Edison lightbulbs they make these days. Or one of those twisted-up CFLs. They’re for sale on Fab every few weeks or so.
YoungHouseLove says
Love those!
xo,
s
Christy Niebaum says
Just out of curiosity, do you guys ever use CFLs? Or are you guys traditional incandescent folks?
Love the new lantern!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, they’re all over inside – maybe in about 95% of our lights. Usually our rule is that all things with shades or a cover gets those and all things with clear glass deserve LEDs (but they’re expensive so we save up and get them slowly over time). We’re just reusing the bulb from the old outside light until we can get a clear LED once it dies.
xo,
s
Erin says
That makes such a difference. I think it’s something other homeowners might get used to and over look. I was wondering if you still have plans to build a garage? I thought there was garage money from the seller when you bought the place. Just wondering if plans have changed…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, still on the agenda! Check out the bottom few paragraphs!
xo,
s
Elisa Simpson says
just a thought for the place where the glass is missing, maybe use a clear piece of plastic, from the stationery store, like the sort you’d use with a binding machine.
Hillary says
Oh! looks good!! I’d love to see a pic of the light on at night! Also, are you planning on enlarging it when you convert the carport to a garage or are you going to convert it to a one stall garage? Keep up the good work!
YoungHouseLove says
Our property line is right next to the carport, so we can’t convert to a two car garage without going onto the neighbor’s yard, so it’ll be a one car garage, but it’s nice and deep (for storage along the back wall and lots of room for the car in front of that).
xo,
s
mp says
Question: what prompted y’all to put a clock outside? I think it’s a great idea, but I’d never have thought of it.
The light looks great!
YoungHouseLove says
It had been in our sunroom in our last house (on a brick wall) so when we moved here and there was already a nail in the wall it seemed like it was meant to be! Plus it’s always nice to bring a bit of “indoor decor” to outside spaces when you can.
-John
Kelly says
I can’t belueve you make a living from milking hanging a light in your carport. And are all the pictures necessary? It is seriously not a big deal.
YoungHouseLove says
We feel very blessed to be able to do what we do. And yep, we do get a bit shutter happy sometimes – even for little upgrades.
-John
Angela says
I like all the pictures because it makes it very thorough. In their other posts, all the pictures are great because it helps when you’re trying to DIY something and the instructions on the box are somewhat vague. It also reinforces how much small things can change it up.
It might seem like changing a light is small potatoes but I come here cause it’s helped change my mentality towards upgrading a house. It reminds me that it’s the little things that can keep you chugging along when you’re running out of steam saving up for the big stuff.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Angela!
xo,
s
mp says
Well, to some of us YHL readers, putting a new light bulb in a lamp is a big deal. There’s no way on earth I could ever see myself replacing a light fixture, but I’m glad John & Sherry show us how they do it.
It doesn’t cost anything to be nice. I suggest you give it a whirl.
Cynd says
Very nice deal! Want to keep the bugs and critters out, AND save $$? Purchase a 12×12″ piece of plexiglass at HD or Lowe’s for a couple of bucks and cut with utility knife to size. It won’t be noticeable as you say with the bad side facing back of garage, but will secure your lantern from “invaders”.
Cyndi
Leanette says
Guys, I really love your little carport. In fact, I wish we had one (and we have a garage)! It is so cute!
S says
I don’t think I ever remember that little seating area to the right of the carport, what a great idea, you guys can sit out there while Clara plays on the driveway. Fun!
There is nothing worse than standing there with your arms over your head holding up a light fixture. Well, maybe standing with your arms over your head holding up a piece of sheetrock! That light looks great!
Cortney says
Hi! I’m a regular, but mostly quiet reader. You guys give me so much imspiration. Love this veeerrryyyy affordable change-up. And I know you guys are energy-considerate when it comes to light bulbs; but maybe a BIG globe bulb in that thing? Proportions and all…. Thanks for all the superb advice & ideas! ~ cortney in San Francisco
sarah picking says
Oh man! What a steal! Good job! I once found THE EXACT pottery barn rug I’d been pining for for months at homegoods by regularly stopping by, saved $600! I felt like I had won the lottery! We live in Virginia Beach and have only made it to the decorating outlet once :( definitely seemed like the type of place that would be good to continually stop in at. We have shades of light here, its inspiring but pricey. :)
Jan says
Now you’ve done one thing for the carport. I like the light.
Alice C says
How about sharing some pictures of your new lantern at night? Would love to see how well it lights the space. Nice upgrade!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that idea! Will have to shoot an update for ya!
xo,
s
lee says
hi Sherrie and John…when do you think you’ll start the carport conversion to garage? Anxiously waiting here, in a similar circumstance down below ya’ll in NC. We have 3 windows from kitchen and dining room overlooking the carport, tall ceiling.
There are about 3 steps in thru the back door ( under the carport )AND we have a funky 1 ft brick “wall” at the rear so you step UP one step to go from carport to get to back yard. And we have one of those corner funky old “utility rooms” under the carport. Structurally we want to leave it but spruce it up inside maybe drywall and insulate add cedar to turn it into a closet. The house was built in 1960 and everything is original.
I heard it’s less expensive to convert to a garage than to a room because a room conversion would require pouring more concrete and bringing the floor up.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes we have heard that too, although I think a garage conversion is still a big project (have to brick things in, add windows and a door, etc). The hardest part for us is that we don’t believe in starting projects when we’re not quite sure what we want (we like to wait to know that for sure before we start spending money and potentially doing something we regret) and we still have so many questions about what we want- so we’re definitely months off from starting. The main issue is that we don’t want to lost the windows/light that we get into the office and laundry room from the carport so we want to add a ton of windows to the garage to keep it light but we’re not even sure if we’re allowed to keep those windows into those rooms anyway for code/fire/fume-safety reasons. So if we can’t keep those windows everything might change. Ack! So much to think about! I promise to report back when we’re more sure about the project and actually make some decisions!
xo,
s
lee says
wow! what an awesome response!
same here we mull things over it seems forever :)
yep those fumes. We want the garage for our kitties, extra storage and resell.
Re: the light, same here hate to lose it so do want a remote door with lots of windows and the back wall/door as much glass as we can afford.
Our situation is complicated, we don’t live there yet so fixing up our home to sell and fixing up the 1960s house to move to ( downsizing only 1240 sf! ) Yikes on the budget!
I really love your blog and hope to snag the book when it comes out!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Lee!
xo,
s
HeatherM says
Looks great! Do you think that you might have to move it or change it out to make room for a garage door once you convert the space to a garage? On the plus side though, at least you already have electrical up there for when you will need to put a garage door opener in that vicinity.
YoungHouseLove says
I think it’ll be cool to stay when we convert! Will keep you posted for sure!
xo,
s
Meg says
Love the new lighting! As for the missing glass pane, if it happens to be a standard picture frame size (like 8×10, or 8.5×11), you can pick up pre-cut glass replacements at Michael’s (or similar crafty store) on the cheap.
Janice says
I know this is an older post but I meant to ask before. I too have a carport. I’m in MD, just a hop skip and a jump up the road from you all. . . . what about weather? High winds etc. Will it swing? Break? (if you mentioned it previously, I apologize!)
YoungHouseLove says
The old one was lighter and on a longer chain (and also made of glass) but was fine! It appeared to be original to the house, so it really held up! Haha.
xo,
s
Holly says
Just so you know too, you can get glass cut at hobby lobby for dirt cheap! I used to work in the frame shop there. You could buy a piece of pre-cut stuff if it was the right size (I don’t know the size of the glass), or just get the precut and have them trim it to what you need – seriously would take 2 seconds for them to do!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip!
xo
s