if a house has no particular style, then you are free to put your own stamp on it.

The fixture looks appropriate to me (but I'm not an expert nor a designer). Pay no attention to the people behind the curtain, um . . 'hating" RH. If you like it, that's what counts.

The unfortunate side effect of discussions of "appropriateness" --which is my personal dead horse that I beat--is that it paralyzes people, and makes them afraid to pick something after they read the threads.

I apologize for that.

Here are some questions:

Does the house have a particular style reference on the exterior? If so, do you like it or think it's worth referencing?

Is the inside pretty much a series of contemporary rooms? I see some angles and what looks to be high ceiling, so I am assuming yes.

The answer is, that the bathroom is pretty much a blank slate, and I think you can do something like introduce a light fixture like that and it would be appropriate. Its a contemporary, edgy version of "early electric" , a little industrial, but not really a copy of a historical style. Your sink is Victorian-inspired, so this references the same period in a contemporary way.

I think that houses should be allowed to evolve, with new trends introduced, particularly when they are relatively new and there is no strong historical identity to preserve. If this was a 1990s post modernist with strong architecture, I might advise differently. Or if you were coming up with an extremely specific historical style as a renovation, I would probably suggest scaling back.

But yours is an eclectic house and you can be pretty flexible, particularly when it comes to updating individual elements while retaining others.

You realize that those are bare lightbulbs whose replacements will likely have to be special ordered when the time comes?

Yeah, they're "Squirrel Cage" bulbs, and $18 a pop on places like Rejuvenation Lighting.

I have some carbon filament bulbs that are over ten years old, I don't think I have ever had one actually burn out, BUT they are in lamps and don't have the same level of usage and on/off cycle as a powder room. People talk about having bulbs like this in their basements or garages for Decades though.

Practically, they may not give enough light for the powder room unless you are okay with the environment permanently set on "romantic".

However, I don't think that fixture would look bad with regular bulbs in it either.

I saw similar bulbs at Lowe's. Yay for trends, eh?

Is it important to you that the faucet, toilet paper holder and towel ring coordinate with the light fixture? If so, are you able to find what you like?

ML

My house is a standard tract colonial, but I don't like colonial or traditional styles. I like contemporary/transitional and that is what is in my house. Get what appeals to you and don't worry about it. You won't be happy with a room that "goes" with the house but isn't your taste.

I thought they were called Edison Style Light Bulbs.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.amazon.com/40-Watt-Vintage-Tungsten-Filament/dp/B008I3QH4O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376953690&sr=8-2&keywords=40+watt+edison+bulb

I also sometimes stress over appropriateness to my home's architecture, so it's good to see questions about contemporary homes. I'm not an expert, but I like the fixture for your bathroom.

Joanie, as a tract colonial does it really have any colonial identity on the inside, or is it mostly a house that is contemporary to the time it was built?

Nan53: if you want to have similar finishes for the hardware, I would recommend looking at Hardware Hut, where you can search by style and finish across multiple manufacturer's lines.

Nan, don't worry about getting sucked into a trend if you like the style. Trends will come and go and your taste may change but a person will usually find that they either love or hate something even if it is trendy.

I hate grey walls and I will never willingly use grey paint on my walls. I did fall in love with a beautiful warm grey painted finish for new chairs that I ordered. I don't consider grey to be a soothing color in large doses so no to walls and yes to chairs.

I like the light you chose. It isn't my style but I do like it. I love to see drum lights in someone else's home but would never use them in my own.

Pick what you love and don't worry about anyone else's opinion.

Thanks everyone. This house is a bit of a mish-mash which is why I've pretty much been stuck for the last 7 years. I believe it was designed for the Florida market but modified for this build in a PNW forest. It's cedar sided, has transom windows, columns in living room and a river rock fireplace in the family room. No room is a box, every room has at least one crazy angle.
Out of season photo sorry

So the house is a stylized craftsman bungalow. Attractive.

I like the light fixture you selected in general, and it might actually be a good complement to your home, but before I made that choice, I would replace the builders grade mirror with a mirror adds something special to the powder room for your guests. Here are before and after pics of the guest bath for one of my clients. The first thing we found was the mirror and worked all the selections in the bath around it. Not suggesting this style is right for you, but you could push the envelope a bit.

Thanks Beverly. I guess I can see there is a nod to the Craftsman style in our house. Craftsman style homes are very popular here. Our house actually lives more like a ranch with a walk out basement.
Rear:

I was thinking I might get away with adding a frame to the existing mirror. I think it may be attached to the wall in a way that will damage the wall if I try to pry it off? The bathroom you posted is lovely but a little too dramatic for my family. Nan

I really like the back elevation of your house with the large bands of glass, and the shingles.

You could frame the mirror in place rather than taking it down.

Thanks Pal. My favorite part of the house is the covered entryway (rainy climate) and the way you can see straight through to the back through the front door. There is a strategic break in the covered area that allows light into the front ofthe house.

Yes, you're right. They took a walk out ranch and added some Craftsman details, but it's charming.

I looked up your paint color and IMO the light fixture you selected, will be better showcased, as will all your plumbing fixtures, in front a a color with a bit more depth to it. Just a suggestion.

Here is your color on the left, and one of the other coordinating colors from BM. I tried to superimpose the light fixture in front of the paint colors, and I think more contrast might be a better backdrop for your selections.

Also, you might want to mimic the shape of those lovely eye brow arches in the front of your home, somehow into your home interiors.

OP: your house is very pretty!* I love the entryway, too.

Is it hard to remove a builders grade mirror? That "after" pic of Beverly's is so much better!

*(If it were me, I'd remove those bushes that obscure the front for curb appeal, but you probably want them for privacy inside the house. Totally off topic, and rude, I know, but it's what really struck me when I saw the photo).

Beverly, thanks for your input on the color! DH would probably freak of I did that as he thinks everything should be painted white. I actually felt like my choice was pretty bold for him lol. But I absolutely see your point! I have a handyman coming this week for another project so I'll ask him about the mirror coming down. Because of sink placement the widest mirror I could do is about 28". The current one is 24" wide. Any suggestions? Also if I stick with the RH light, what is the best metal finish to go with it? This is brushed bronze

Is Devonshire the faucet you have settled on?

I think with the light fixture you might need something a little more "functional" looking. I like the brushed bronze with the fixture, I think, although I might get the light first and then decide.

Unfortunately the prices of the Kohler brushed bronze faucets jump up rapidly, probably based on lower sales volume.

I love the brushed bronze. I have the brushed bronze sink drainer in my Whitehaven and it is a beautiful finish.

Hmm... So what's more functional looking? This from hardware hut?

I admit I do not have a great eye for putting things together so I really appreciate everyone's help!

Also rue la la has a great price on this "Ethan" mirror but not sure it is a good fit. yay or nay?

This post was edited by nan53 on Tue, Aug 20, 13 at 13:03

Pal, the brushed bronze wasn't any more expensive than the ss, orb, and polished and brushed nickel Kohler finishes but the Brazen Bronze was over 40% more than they were and I could only find the Brazen Bronze through Amazon. I wasn't willing to pay that much more for it so went with the Brushed Bronze and I am very pleased with it.

I am finding the brushed bronze to be a bit more in the faucets I've looked at.
Is this too modern? Called "purist":

Keeping with the Craftsman theme, here are some possible selections for 8" wide lavatory faucets. I just grabbed items off the Home Depot site so they would be available near you.

I searched for oil rubbed bronze or satin nickel to coordinate with the light fixture. There might be some restrictions with your sink or spacing that would cancel out some of these options. You'll have to check dimensions.

Since the available space is so limited, I don't think I would go with a thick frame on the mirror. Here are two options, in oil rubbed bronze,one from Wayfair and the other from HD that might work in your powder room.

They might not be mounted quite as high as I've shown in the illustration, but you get the idea.

Thanks again Beverly! I think the shape of the first mirror is interesting. I'm hoping to put the small demilune (not Craftsman ! ) back in there to keep extra guest towels and TP handy. The mirror echoes the shape. Of the faucets suggested I like the second to the last one (maybe in a different finish). I don't want to go too far in the Craftsman direction, just a slight reference is ok with me. I appreciate your help!

Beverly, you have some mad design skills. I may hit you up for guidance when my house starts to take shape.

Nan, love your shingle house. Do you know whether they are red or white, and how did you stain them? Can you post a pic of the stained result? I am shingling my house in Maine but am not clear on all the different shingle possibilities. I like a stained look but a lot of people thing that is counter to the purpose of using cedar shingles to begin with. But I think I am drawn to a brighter cleaner look....?