After 3 months of searching for just the right light fixture to replace the totally gross 1950s fixture in the entry foyer, I found one that had the right proportions and fit into my whimiscal, robin's egg blue, bird-themed decor. This is a terrible photo due to the harsh light cast by the current fixture. We haven't hung this yet because I have thought about painting all or parts of it, the bird specifically. It's cast iron, in what they call a Tawny Port finish. It looks bronzier here in the photo and even more so in the mfg photo below. In reality, it's almost black with just a hint of gold edging around the rear plate and leaf edges.
The entryway it will hang in gets barely any light (the main drawback to this house – lack of natural light). So I plan to have it on more often than not. And if it's on, the glow from the light will look more like the photo below. But I still think the fixture is overall too dark for my liking.
So my question to you, dear readers is: Do I paint? What color/colors? Whitewash? There are also some white chandelier shades with appliques birds @ Anthropologie – not online to show you though, but it got me to thinking I could get some white shades and decorate them to add more life/color instead of or in addition to painting.
So what you you think? Remember, the walls are this color
  
   
  
   
   
 
what about trying just gold lined shades before doing anything to the metal?
Lesley, what did you decide to do with this, or are you still thinking?
I think white wash would stand out beautifully on your wall, though I would paint the bird a different color so that it stands out against everything else. You must let us know what you do. It is a beautiful ecletic fixture.
I’d put a verdigris finish on it, but only a small amount. I would be tempted to put copper leaf on the bird, and I would change out the lampshades to a warm copper color. I love the fixture! Very cool!
Definitely only highlight or paint the bird and highlight the rest. You could make your own lampshades with vellum or lutradur and print your own art on them to complement the bird. Maybe photo it and replicate the scene on the lampshades.
Personally, I like the idea of using rub-on color (I think Michael’s sells it)in maybe a bronze/antique gold to the bird and then bring a little added color with silk greenery (or something similar) in a color of your choice. Then if you wanted to add seasonal color you could just change out the silks. Customizing the shades soulds like a fantasic idea!
Until later,
Judy N
Minnesota
Not white!
I’d highlight–goldish or maybe more coppery/rust color–with Shiva aticks, rub ‘n’ buff or something similar. Have you thought of rubbing on some Lumiere paint? Not sure I’ve tried it on metal, but it works on just abt everything else. You could mix a bronzy or coppery/greeny color, rub on, let dry, wipe high points if you like, heat set with a hair dryer or heat gun if you think it matters.
Oh yikes! don’t paint it!
Er–well, it is your fixture to paint if you want, but it will make me cry if you do. It is so perfect as it is.
Lesley.. I would NOT paint the fixture… HOWEVER, I would consider using a soft rag and highlighting it with metallic rub-on’s either in gold or silver depending on what type of other metals you have been accessorizing (sp?) your home with.
By highlighting you will retain the mostly natural look of the fixture while drawing out the details of the ornamentation.
I see a lot for white washing.
I say leave it! Maybe add a rubbed bronze to the bird to highlight, but I think the shades from Anthropologie sound great. You can’t go wrong with anything from that store. It will look great!
It’s supposed to be rustic and bird themed. I’d leave the color alone, but you might think about taking it to a metal worker and having the brown berries and possibly the leaves removed. They’re scimpy and badly placed. The bird could use a subtle color pickup. Possibly more rustic shades. Maybe you have to decide between rustic and modern.
I’m a fan a rusty stuff…if you have some of that patina solution-test it on the back. I think rust would look great on the robin’s egg blue wall.
I think a wash of specific parts, i.e. the leaves in green, the bird in blue, the sun(?)in a golden, and the branches a lighter brown. Just a wash though so that it is not solid. From looking at your style, a softer look. BTW, I have seen those shades you mentioned – perfect!
Some good suggestions here already. I’m wondering too if the round wall mount piece is suppose to represent a sun? Perhaps if you painted only that part, the bird/branch/berries would stand out better.
jan in ohio
The off-white. A soft cream. Think white would be too harsh. I really like the piece.Can’t wait to see what you do.
Nancy
Most definitely a whitewash! or simply an off-white with some of the original color showing through here and there!
I love the black, and I think I would want to ad some color only to the bird.
The next issue would be finding what kind of medium would work well on metal. Personally I would want to rub color on it in such a way that the black from the recessed areas did not get paint, to show the lovely details.
i do not know if shiva paint sticks would work or not but you might try some on the back of the plaque part to see if they would work. I also just received some paints from a company in CA that is supposed to work on metal but I haven’t had a chance to try them out yet. (I do not think the company has a working website yet.) If you are not in a rush I could let you know how they work when i have had a chance to experiment.
I’m looking at the logo here on page for TAP and I think I like the black against the robin’s egg blue. You could put some robin’s eggs on the white shades. 🙂
i would paint. i do not like black metal. so, white? or brown? it, and your walls, are lovely….x
I think the only thing I would paint would be the little birdie, to set him off against the contrast of the metal. I’d do him something like this the little birdie painted here: http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k187/squashedtoad/bluebird_7.jpg
to bring in the color of your walls and the berries on the sconce.
It’s a gorgeous sconce, btw! Nice pickin’. lol
Peace & Love,
~Barb~
what a beautiful light fitting, it does need something thought doesn’t it. I was thinking that some Gold rub n buff (not sure if it is called that in the US) just to highlight it a bit all over. The bird especially needs something as it just disappears into the background too much. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with it.
I LOVE it and I want to know where you got it!!!!