Our house is inundated with brass/gold fixtures, and I really don’t care much for that look. One of the biggest offenders was our chandelier in the dining room. The same one in which water came pouring out when we had our major bathroom leak. With all that said, and the fact we had bought a new chandelier when we bought the house and never installed it, it was time for it to go.
I should also mention that I was purposely waiting until the table was done to put up the new one, because I hit my head on this so many times and broke a few things on it. With the table done, I gladly moved it out of the way and pulled this monster down. Then, I dusted off the box that has been sitting in our basement since February, and got to work.
Here is a note to anyone looking to replace a light fixture, do it early in the day. I started this project around 2:30 in the afternoon, thinking it would take me all of about 30 minutes. I actually had to put it and take it down twice because I forgot to put the little screw on the chain to hold up the mount. Brilliant. By the time I finally had everything ready to go, the sun had gone down, and all the lights on that floor are on the same circuit, hence why there is a flashlight aimed at the ceiling in the second photo. Needless to say, it’s up there now, and that’s what matters.
Ultimately I wanted to add a dimmer switch, but I had to wait another day to attempt that, because I had no light. When that time rolled around, I pulled the switch off the wall (with the power off) and much to my surprise, found that there were more wires than I had anticipated. I called my dad, who is good with electrical, and asked him to talk me through it. The funny thing is that neither of us could figure it out. Dad, I told you I’d send you a picture, so here it is:
My confusion is the wire that is in the screw. I unhooked it, capped it, and turned on the power. The chandelier worked, but all the remaining lights on the floor didn’t, so I guess it’s a relay. No idea, again, I am no electrician. I’m open to suggestions though, and even IF I can add a dimmer or not. Anywho, that’s the new light, and we like it so much more than the brass ugliness that hung in our dining room for so long. Next to replace, the brass “boob” lights that are all over our house.
About Matt and MC
We just recently bought our first home, and we decided to share our story of our adventures with you. The ups and downs of home ownership, and all the fun we'll have in between. Ignore the typos and just have fun, that's what we're here for. 
