Dueling Price Tags.

I've noticed the same merchandise in different stores or catalogs for vastly different prices. For instance, this table appears in the Source Perrier catalog for $675 ;


and in the Room Service Home catalog for $349.


Now, these appear to be the exact same table, but if one was a copy, would you care?

For instance, Poul Henningsen's artichoke lamp, with a pricetag of $16,900 is available at Design Within Reach.


Here is a replica from Matt Blatt in Australia for $995 (made of aluminum rather than stainless steel):


Here is a light fixture from Federico Martinez for $650.


A replica can be found at Shades of Light for $295 (also available in rustic rust finish).


And then there is the Saarinen tulip table - at Design Within Reach for $1,400 - $3,450.


Ikea has the Docksta for $269.


Finally, Jonathon Adler's Chinese Chippendale chair (armless) for $550.


Here, Ballard Designs version (with arms) for $279.


Can you tell the difference? Or is it like cubic zirconium - you would just know?

Enlighten me.

I have lived in my current house for three years. Late last fall, I removed several recessed lights from the dining room and added a box for a chandelier. I have been looking for a chandelier ever since.

I have plenty of photos of chandeliers I think are perfect:

from dining by design

Mary MacDonald's house

estate in Wilmington, DE; still for sale here, reduced to $6 million

So, at least I'm consistent; but I couldn't find anything like them. So I turned to eBay and in a drunken enthusiastic bidding frenzy ended up with this:

It turns out that my measurements weren't exactly accurate and it's too small. Also, the wiring is such that it hangs about 6 feet too high from the table. Instead of getting it rewired (because it would still be too small and it is much too old-fashioned and dreary), I decided to replace it. So...

I looked at this fixture from Currey & Co.:


I considered this beauty from Waterford:

But they seemed a little froofy. And since our house is 100 years old, thinking it needed a little modern glam, I finally decided on this light from Williams-Sonoma Home:

I ordered it with brown silk and also ivory silk shades (the walls are brown so I'm not sure which color will work) and it is gorge. Well, in theory it is gorge. It came yesterday and was all scratched up. It seems to have been previously installed and the glass tubes were not only scratched up but had some kind of moisture on the inside, so I am having another delivered and hopefully that one will work out.

I also ordered a matching sconce for the wall going up the stairs to the second floor (also with brown shades). It arrived and is beauteous:

Now I just need to replace the bare bulb hanging in the entryway (an eBay delivery disaster left me without a light as I had already removed the old lantern) and two lights for the upstairs hallway (one currently fake-Tiffany and one bare, newly installed bulb).

I find lighting the most difficult thing about decorating. And I have scoured every lighting source I can find on the internet. Because Delaware isn't exactly a home design mecca, but more on that later...