Big find, y’all, big find.  If you know what’s good for you, you’ll read on.

I’ve had a slow burn of an obsession to do something with the “antique” chandelier in our breakfast room. Here she is.  What a beaut.

I think this little room is adorable (the built-in china cabinet practically sold me on our house) and merits equally adorable lighting.  But I’ve quickly learned that adorable lighting will break the bank faster than you can say “honey, the light bulb needs changing!”  Since I hope that one day we’ll renovate our house and expand our kitchen into that space, I don’t want to spend a bunch of money.  After seeing a couple of these hanging in my friend Eleanor’s house, I thought to myself that a drum shade pendant would absolutely do the trick.  Here is one of Eleanor’s shades:

I mean it’s a shade and a wire, it can’t be that expensive, right??  WRONG.  Those suckers can be pricey!  Well, I should say that most drum shade pendants with any measure of style can be pricey.  Like $200ish.  And that price is definitely true of those with substantial size.  I’m trying to make a statement here, folks, not any drum shade pendant will do.

So just when I was about to throw in the towel on this quest and put a coat of paint on my “treasured antique” just so I don’t cringe every time I look at it, I came across this little gem:

It may not look like much to you but to me it is a world of possibilities.  May I introduce you to the Shade Pendant Hardware Kit from ShadesofLight.com.  For a whopping $45, you can convert any standard shade with a washer ring adapter into a hanging fixture.  Yes that’s right, any standard shade.

Let the shopping begin!  There are some cuties on the ShadeofLight website that I’m mulling over …

16″ Geometric Textured Fabric Drum Shade in Aqua for $79 can be found here.

16″ Crewel Fabric Drum Shade in Brown Multi for $119 can be found here.  I’m pretty sure Ballard Designs or Pottery Barn was selling a curtain in this same crewel pattern earlier this year.  Not that I’d match them but I just think it’s interesting how fabrics can show up in different places like that.  Don’t you?

… but before I commit, I’m going to stew on this purchase for a bit.  Why?  Well for one, that’s what I do.  And for another, armed with this new tool in my decorating arsenal I can shop with an all new lens on the world.  There is NO TELLING where I might find an inexpensive shade that will be just perfect for my sweet little breakfast room.

This is super exciting and has me on a whole new shopping mission.  Best-friend-Eleanor rip off in the making!!  Stay tuned!