We've lived for quite some time--nearly 9 months--with builder grade brass lighting that wasn't even properly hanging anymore in the dining room area and no lighting in the kitchen! As you can see, they had track lighting in the kitchen and we took that down immediately. When they had a peninsula the track lighting was centered in the middle of the open space, but now since we took the peninsula out, the location of the lighting box doesn't make sense. Once we tore down the wall [that you see below] in the eat-in kitchen the lighting position was no longer over an eating area. I knew I wanted to have an electrician come out and give us a bid on moving the locations of the boxes but I have been slow to contact one. Even when we finally did contact one he never called us back. I finally decided to just get the World Market lantern lights and call it a day. For less than $300 for all three, I thought it was a pretty good deal to have functioning and easy on the eyes lighting once and for all. It's funny because I just saw Young House Love sprung for the same pendants in their hallway, too! I think because the lights are all the same it helps to give some purpose to their current location. My father-in-law did point out that all three are centered over the windows so that made me feel better, too. Silly, I know. And, like I said before, new upper cabinets are high on the priority list and now I'm thinking of moving the microwave to the pantry and getting a hood. We shall see! Of course there's still a chance that we'll get an electrician out here to give us a bid to move the kitchen/dining room lights, but I'd like him to first quote us a bid about putting a ceiling light in Theron's room, the same in the guest room, and two lights in the master bath. Those are more of a priority in my book. All in due time I suppose. It's hard when you have a wish list a mile long and a bank account that doesn't quite match. Haha! Slowly but surely we're making some good progress! Next on our agenda is staining the table my father-in-law made for us! The buyers of our first home negotiated that the first table stay with the house, so my FIL made a bigger and better one for this space. He's pretty amazing, guys. Hope you guys have a happy hump day! xoxo Joi