One Change...

...Big Difference!

*Before I jump into this post, I want to say a BIG FAT thank you to all of you who participated in my Inspiration Friday Party as well as those of you who left such sweet comments and encouragement on our first Sister Saturday Post! I am always overwhelmed at the graciousness that is out there and it does this girl's heart good! You guys Rock!*

We have been working our way through this house and slowly but surely updating every faucet, light fixture, cabinet knob, etc.

We have a few more to go, but now there is one less light fixture to worry about!

This is the light fixture that I looked at for MONTHS on the Pottery Barn Website and in the catalog...

It is the Depot Ceiling Light and as a mom with a boy who loves trains, it was the name that first grabbed me and made me want to put it in my son's room. But the price, while not horrible, also grabbed me but in that painful way! When you have to replace, repaint, repair, redo as much as we have, and are, and will be in this house, every penny counts!

So, I held myself back and kept on searching, all the while with this perfect light in the back of my mind.

Then one day, while shopping at Fred Meyer (do you have these in the South?) I stumbled across this...

That looks an awful lot like the Pottery Barn one doesn't it?

But...one BIG difference...it was on sale and ended up costing HALF as much as the one from Pottery Barn!
I love those moments, don't you?!

Here is the light in the room before...

Just your basic, builder grade, circa late 80's

early 90's light fixture.

Here is the new one!

Not an exact match to the PB one but at that price, I think I like it even better than the original!
Here is another look at it all lit up...

I love how the middle section also lights up.
I would show you a picture of his room and how the light now looks hanging in it, but honestly, his room was a DISASTER at the time of these photos! I mean, it looked like a Lego shaped tornado swept through it and scattered everything in it's path!
So, you will have to take my word for it that it looks
AWESOME!
Now, I need your opinions on this next room...what a cool feature of this Blogging thing that I can get the advice of all of you talented folks at the click of a mouse!

This is a little glimpse at our playroom and I did not
try and pick up any toys for
 these photos so you'll all just have to step around them!

The green carpet doesn't bother me so much until I see it in pictures and then...sigh...green carpet. What's a girl to do? Anyway...

You see this room straight ahead as soon as you come up the stairs and turn towards the rascals bedrooms. So, needless to say, any light fixture is going to be VERY visible right away!

Ahhh...they are so creative when building these homes aren't they? Here is yet another one of those lovely little brass numbers!
But, this gives you an idea of how the light situation is currently.
Notice that it is really close to the skylight.
So, I need HELP! What should I do in here? I want it to be fun but I also want it to not be too little kid-specific since this room will evolve over the years.
 Should I do another flush-mount light? Like this...

Or maybe something a little more interesting like this...

Or really have more fun with something like this...

(All of these lights are from Ballard Designs)

What do you think? Flex those decorating muscles and bring on some opinions! I'm stuck!
I can't wait to hear what you all will have to say!
Thanks for being there!
 *I'm joining Susan for Metamorphosis Monday ,Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick, and Terrell at Frou Frou Decor! Stop by and see all of the other wonderful transformations.*