Don't be sad...we all second guess ourselves. I know you said your lights were too small and were umber....you CAN get globes from Amazon that are white or clear and not too expensive. That may help color-wise. Maybe use more floor lamps and table lamps in your rooms. As for your pendent light....go to the big box stores (Lowes, Menards, Home Depot) and see if they have longer rods or have advice for you. Not sure any of this will help you but I do sympathize with you.,

It is usually possible to buy new glass for your lights - HD and Lowes have many choices. So you could get whiter glass that might go better with your walls. Which do you like better - the warm tones of the lights, or the cool color of the wall? Maybe it is the paint that needs to change.

If you just a little bit handy, you can change out your own light fixtures - it's not something you need an electrician or permit to do. Just make sure the fixture wires are compatible with your house wiring - some new fixtures come with aluminum wire which does not play nice with copper house wire - a UL logo on a Chinese product is not to be relied on.

As you furnish the room, the fixed lights will become background elements and much less noticeable and you can always add floor and table lights to make it brighter.

As mentioned above, you should be able to replace the umber globes, and as for the 2 small rooms, consider the ceiling light as just a backup light since table and floor lamps will become your main lighting source.
I agree that installing fixtures is an easy DIY, but if you have 2 or 3-way switches, it can get a little confusing. Just make notes of the wiring (or mark the wires with tape) when you remove a fixture and you should be able to install a new one without problems.

In the future, don't think that you need a designer to pick out your lighting. Any lighting store (not big box) will gladly help you choose the right lighting for each room. You'll find the little extra you pay to buy locally, in addition to the design advice, can be better than any savings you find online.

Oh, I really feel your pain! My husband is half the world away and I'm trying to fix up a run down bungalow in the middle of nowhere by myself. I bought the wrong track lighting and now the LR is so bright you could conduct an interrogation in there!

Birdgardner really knows her (or his) stuff 'tho--and it WILL look better once you have furniture in the room.

And after I left my living room "High Beams" for the weekend they didn't seem nearly as bright when I got home last night. Which is good, because I bought a (cringe!) red leather sectional sofa on the weekend and it'll light up the living room all by itself.
So leave the basement, shut the door and go do something else for a while. Preferably something involving chocolate. If it isn't better when you get back, follow Birdgardner's advice!

Thanks all... I'm afraid to do anything electric myself (and MH is less handy than I) so we'll have to find someone to do it for us...I think I'll switch out the flush mounts b/c they were inexpensive & I don't really think we'll be using lamps in either room (one will be like an exercise room & the other doesn't really have a purpose yet but the little flush just looks dumb.) I will call the manufacturer of the other to see if I can just purchase new glass, that would be awesome.
Thanks again....

Oh, I know what you mean. It's so hard to visualize things and then when you're trying to make dozens of choices all at once, it's crazy making.

Honestly, you CAN change out a light fixture yourself. BE SURE THE ELECTRICITY IS OFF!!! Look at youtube, you can learn to do anything! I just learned how to change the light bulb in my car's turn signal by looking at youtube and I'm a 65 y old widow! With you and your partner as a team, I just know you can.
What material is the hanging rod? Figure out the length you want and get a little hacksaw and chop it off (if it's metal - plastic might not work) the length you need. You may need to get a little paint at Michael's to touch up the cut ends, but you may be able to put that part to the ceiling and it won't show. If it doesn't work to do it that way, you're out nothing but the cost of a hacksaw (you can probably borrow one from a neighbor).

If you have a Habitat for Humanity store, check out their lighting section for a few weeks. The perfect thing might pop up there or on Craigslist. You can often find new fixtures both places at a fraction of the cost of new.

Oh don't be sad.. it is very much fixable. I was sick to my stomach as the expensive foyer lights I bought several months ago had a bent rod and a missing screw. Could not return to Homecenter. But my electrician was able to fix it and I can't see it now. Changing glass is also easy as others have suggested. Can you post pictutres of what you have so that people can provide more specific feedback? That usually helps in this forum.

Please post photos.
I too changed out glass from my pendants -- purchased new ones from Lowes.

You sound so upset -- try to calm down. The situation probably isn't nearly as bad as it seems right now, and even if it is, there are always ways to make things better. And don't beat yourself up about making the wrong choices. Everyone -- including design professionals -- makes decorating mistakes.

Before you do anything, give it some time. The lighting may grow on you when the remodel is finished and the rooms are furnished.

Assuming that you still hate your lighting after living with it for a few weeks, decide what bothers you the most (it sounds like it's the fixture with the umber glass) and tackle that first. There lots of ways to ways to fix it without breaking the bank. Does the manufacturer make this fixture in other finishes? Would you be able to purchase a white or clear replacement glass from the manufacturer to replace the umber? Could you sell the fixture on Craigslist or eBay, and put the money toward something you like better? (You'd take a loss, but at least it would be a start.) Could you find an inexpensive replacement that you like better at a big box store, Craigslist, eBay, or a consignment shop? Would you be willing to repaint the room so that it works better with the fixture you have?

For the smaller rooms with the flush mount lights, could you use bulbs with a higher wattage, or use more energy-efficient bulbs that give out more light for the same or lower wattage? (Make sure that you don't exceed the maximum wattage for the fixtures -- the last thing you need is a fire.) Could you supplement the overhead light by adding table or floor lamps or wall sconces? Most people would prefer to have lighting from several sources, rather than from a single fixture, because multiple light sources reduce shadows and provide more flexibility.

If you decide to replace the fixtures, remember that you don't have to replace them all at once. Take your time and watch for deals. Don't worry about the cost of hiring an electrician because replacing fixtures (when the wiring is already in place) is not at all difficult. You or your husband could easily manage it, with help of a good book. Just remember to kill the power at the breaker box first.

Finally, if your husband has no interest in decorating, it's unlikely that you'll be able to change him, so find yourself a shopping buddy to help you make design decisions. If you've just moved and don't have any friends in your new neighborhood, join a Newcomer's Club or other organization and meet some new people. Even if your friends aren't great designers, they'll act as a sounding board and help you decide what you like and narrow your choices. Unless you expect to sell your home in a couple of years, decorate for your own taste and don't worry too much about what future buyers will want. Most design choices will seem dated in 10 years.

P.S. Hope the link below helps you put your problems in perspective and make your laugh.

Here is a link that might be useful: Top 100 First World Problems

I agree with the others about trying to change the glass. What about trying to sell the flushmounts on Craigslist and then use the money to buy something else? I think going to Lowe's or HD for help with the pendant length is also a good idea. Don't worry! Post here and we'll help you!! :-)

I'm sure I have felt exactly the way you are feeling. Most of the time, the initial feeling of horror at what I've done greatly recedes, and I end up okay with whatever it is.
If it really is that bad, I have found that, amazingly, a solution WILL arise.
Don't give up hope! You will figure this out.

Baroo2u, "...conduct an interrogation in there," that's hilarious!

All good advice. Installing lights is a little bit more difficult than plugging in the vacuum cleaner. You need a screwdriver and a ladder and a brand new fixture will need a wirestripping gizmo. Youtube will show you how to do the deed. Usually the down tube on a pendant can be cut to the length you want with a hacksaw.

I have donated several unfortunate lighting choices to Habitat for Humanity. You might look around there for something "new".

After living with it for a little longer, and you still don't like it, would you consider repainting the room? Maybe a lighter shade would better help reflect what light there is. Paint is usually an inexpensive fix-it! Also, for the 2 smaller rooms, is there room for a floor lamp somewhere in each? An inexpensive one from, say, Target could help balance the lighting.

I'm so glad your feeling better and already figured out something that sounds great. As my dad use to say" take it slow everything will work out".

I felt that way about my kitchen granite counter tops within a day or two after installing. I knew it could not be redone. Now I don't even think about it. There are far more important things and absolute black is a big pain all the time but especially with cooking. But it is beautiful for about 5 minutes after it is cleaned thoroughly.

i lived with a ceiling fan that had an umber shade streaked with darker swirls of umber. it looked great in the roomn in daylight. two walls were floor to ceiling, one half wall that went into a well lit kitchen, and one solid wall painted a very light green that went well with the umber. the room was used in the day more than night. but when we did use it at night, i joked that we were having dinner by candle light. We did this for nine years until finally we had a party on Christmas eve and we were using that room to stage the food.

We went to Lowe's and picked out a nice white frosted globe. it was literally like night and day with the new shade. However, I am keeping the old shade because i still like it, although I'm not sure what it will be used for or turned into.