Found the hardware for $55 at the ReBuilding Center. Spray painted and added glass bulb covers.
It has been 13 years since I moved to Portland. For 13 years I have had what can only be described as a love affair with my house, a 100+ year old bungalow that I want to do right by at every DIY opportunity. Friends and neighbors have sung the praises of the ReBuilding Center for as long back as I can remember. And I have visited, too many times to count over the years, only to leave empty-handed, dejected, and wondering what is wrong with me. Do I lack the eye necessary to locate just the right tile, or replacement molding, or front door? Am I so void of vision that I fail to see what is right in front of me?
But this winter, it all changed. While on a quick tour of the lighting department, and to my utter amazement, I spotted it. There it was, in its full, wretched yellow brass glory – my future dining room light fixture. There were some minor deviations from what I would consider perfect, but when you’re talking about spending $55 rather than $1,500, you learn really quickly to accept “perfection adjacent” and focus on the deal, the find, the victory!
After some elbow grease and scrubbing, a can of flat chestnut spray paint, and some frosted glass shades, the new-to-me light fixture was ready for its dining room debut. Funny how 13 years of failure are immediately erased with one victorious lap through lighting. I will now join the ranks of those who came before me, and I will tell everyone who will listen that they really need to go check out the ReBuilding Center. You owe to your house. And yourself. And if you’re lucky, it’ll take you fewer than 13 years to get on board.
The Portland ReBuilding Center is located at 3625 N Mississippi Avenue in Portland, OR.