Brass PLUS Chrome!? Not In My Home!
Yes, we lived with bare bulbs in our combination brass/chrome master bathroom vanity light fixtures for the past six months while waiting for the weather here to get warm enough for spray painting. It was really even worse-looking than pictured; the fixture wasn't really attached to the wall. It was just dangling by its wiring (a big no-no, as I'm sure you realize). I didn't have a closeup before photo of the actual light, so I took one of the as-yet-unpainted light from our hall bath so you could see in detail how lovely the shiny chrome-brass combo really was.
Yes, we lived with bare bulbs in our combination brass/chrome master bathroom vanity light fixtures for the past six months while waiting for the weather here to get warm enough for spray painting. It was really even worse-looking than pictured; the fixture wasn't really attached to the wall. It was just dangling by its wiring (a big no-no, as I'm sure you realize). I didn't have a closeup before photo of the actual light, so I took one of the as-yet-unpainted light from our hall bath so you could see in detail how lovely the shiny chrome-brass combo really was.
Brass vs. Brass
Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against brass. I have a sweet little collection of vintage miniature brass bells, for instance. I even considered brass hardware for my kitchen cabinets, and would have used it if I didn't think it would scare future buyers away. I bought a huge amount of ornate custom cast brass light switch plates and outlet covers at an estate sale - I'm hoarding them in my garage just waiting for the perfect place to use them. (Say, like, this li'l old house right here?) But those items would all be nice, real, heavy brass with some age and patina. Not these GOLD brass fixtures that were so popular in days gone fairly recently by.
(Note: I'm pretty sure oil-rubbed bronze is going to face the same fate eventually - we'll all be on to the next thing and scorning ORB as sooooooo 2000s. So be it. For now, it is a pleasant update from shiny brass. I also considered re-doing these fixtures in straight black, but I decided I liked the subtle shimmer and metallic look of the ORB.)
There's a genuine before photo of what they looked like in place. This is our master bathroom as it looked when we moved back from Pennsylvania last September. We've since repainted the walls and trim and put in new flooring. And now the vanity lights. You'll notice the lights also used to have the glass shades pointing down like bells, and when we put the fixtures back up we switched their orientation so the glass shades now point up like goblets. That wasn't really on purpose, FYI, but I think I like the change.
How To Update Brass Light Fixtures With Spray Paint: The Details
The standard recommendation was Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic spray paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze.
From the Rust-Oleum website |
Three Important Tips For Spray Painting
1- Wear socks or shoes that you don't mind getting overspray on.
2- For the best finish (both in looks and durability) do multiple thin, even coats with dry time between coats as directed on the can. Your first coat will look pretty ratty. Avoid the urge to keep spraying for better coverage. Let it dry and then go again.
3- Spray gently back and forth across your item at an even distance, keeping your hand moving. As Sherry from Young House Love once said, "If you're a-sprayin', your arm better be a'swayin'" Now try to ever, ever get that rhyme out of your head! Sorry, it's stuck there forever. But you should thank me, because it's good advice.
I'll add a bonus one: do multiple thin, even coats. Oh, did I already say that? Good. It's very, very important if you want your spray painted item to have a professional-looking finish.
My spray painting results may have been profesh, but my photography skills are not. Oh well, just keep swimming. I'm pretty pleased with the results, especially for the money ($5 bottle of spray paint that will still spray many more items). Speaking of many more items, the rest of the brass to be painted includes the vanity lights from the other two bathrooms, the hardware from the stair banister, the dining and living room light fixtures (if we decide not to buy new ones), and the door hardware throughout the house (if we decide we are that ambitious).
Next on the list, though, is installing the new microwave we just got for over the range, and finally installing the open shelving in our kitchen. I'll show you some of that later this week.
I'll also be back to show you the photos of another house I love. This one doesn't need any explanation and will all be in one post. Tyson doesn't really like to listen to my house-hunting talk, so I'll just blab to you all, okay?
So, I'm curious, what metal finishes do you have in your house, and how do you like them? Any mixed finishes within one room? Anyone else have a good spray-paint transformation story - light fixture or otherwise? Or perhaps a spray paint blooper? Do tell!
You amaze your poor old out-dated grandmom. I hope you have INSPIRED me, as well, enough to make me do some updating! Great job!
ReplyDeleteGrandmom, you have done plenty of lovely updates in your home! And some things I would never, ever want you to change...I love your house and the memories and warm feelings it holds.
ReplyDeleteDo you think I picked up some of your thriftiness gene, though? :)
Thanks for this. I bought a new bath vanity which came with bronze Fossett and towel rack. My light fixture is silver. It clashes with the mirror above the vanity as well as the rest of the hardware in the bathroom. I’m going to get some spray paint today!
ReplyDeleteIf you are searching for the Living Room Lighting Singapore then why won’t you visit Mobili Living. We offer a wide range of lighting in a variety of styles. It is also available in various shapes and sizes, from classic and modern and with great pricing. The modish style of lighting will attract the viewers in your home.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Can I use a paint brush with the rust oleum because my fixture has a teak crystal bowl and bobble hanging down (it is semi flush mount and not a whole lot of chrome showing
ReplyDeleteRobyn
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLiving Room Lighting Singapore
ReplyDeletethank you for the information provided, we are waiting for the next info
ReplyDeleteWomen's Titanium Wedding Band, T-Shirt | Etsy
ReplyDeleteWomen's Titanium Wedding Band, T-Shirt titanium plumbing by Women: T-Shirt | Etsy | T-Shirt | T-Shirt | Women's Titanium Wedding Band, T-Shirt titanium apple watch by Women titanium quartz crystal | T-Shirt | titanium earrings studs Women's T-Shirt by Women | T-Shirt | Women's T-Shirt | Women's T-Shirt | titanium flask Rating: 4.3 · 5,947 votes