I think the first one is much too modern.

I think the Riley is better but I would consider getting in in the darker finish. You are still contending with a colonial stair rail and the chrome may be too much.

What do you think about doing something modern but more stylistically "neutral" like the "Round Shade Pendant" or "Pearson" pendant, which has a tiny crystal on it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Round Shade Pendant

(Beautiful kitchen, by the way.)

Definitely like option 2 the best.

I like one better. I think it pulls the best from the two I see in your photos, the barrel shape from the DR and the crystal from the kitchen.

I love #1. #2 is nice but there is nothing different about it. The gray paint on your ceiling and walls will bring more of a contemporary look into your foyer and help the traditional take second stage. You can make #1 Work. I think the brightness of the chrome is what the doctor ordered.

Your railing is similar to mine. I used an oversized drum shade pendant above our landing from Quoizel's Luxe line which is not traditonal. It works fine. I used the smaller one for the entry into our townhouse.

I would be interested in knowing if you are planning on painting your railing. I would love to do something with mine. Just can't figure out what.

Lovely home.

This link might help you determine the size of the chandy that you need.

how to measure

I think the first light is lovely, but will be lost in the two-story foyer, and the sides, which are the interesting part, won�t be seen from the first floor.

The second light is nicer in the sense that more detail will be seen from the floor, but I think it still looks more like a dining room fixture than a foyer fixture.

How about this one?

manhattan chrome chandy

I like the first one. I think it will go nicely with your other decor. The second is nice too--but nothing special about it.

I love your kitchen and living area! Would you mind sharing the specifics about your countertops and the paint colors?

thanks so much, Kristine

I like #1 better. It is modern, but could be a vintage modern as well. What diameter is it?

#2 is too ordinary and similar to many popular current offerings.

The Manhattan link is a pretty one too... not sure for the foyer, but pretty nonetheless....

I like #1 better also with what you've already updated.
I could sit and look at your kitchen all day long!! :)

When I saw your foyer, I did not connect that kitchen/family room to it. My goodness, whatever you choose will be magnificent. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

I'd vote no on the first one -- too modern and it reminds me too much of a car's air filter. Sorry! The second one is better, but it seems to fit more with your updated/transitional kitchen and dining room than it does with your more traditional foyer. Even if your foyer is painted light & dark gray as you plan, the entire stair rail is very traditional, and I'm just thinking the modern fixture might clash.

I saw this one on ebay; what do you think?

Here is a link that might be useful: modern chandy

I will check back in shortly, so much good feedback and a few questions to answer, I just realized that the photo posted twice, this one was supposed to be part of choice #1. I'm swamped at the moment, but will be back later to answer questions.

{{!gwi}}

(and this one is on ebay too at the moment, well, so is the Riley quite frankly, the 1st one is 28" wide and the 2nd is 33"?)

Foyer is great. There are lots of designer who invented more foyers because it seems that really applicable at home. Meanwhile, designs can be also decorated whenever you want it. This really work, there is no such things to make you confuse.

Here is a link that might be useful: craftmatic

oh miaochi you really nailed it

Thanks for all the help. I knew I could count you on you guys. That chandy #1 is on eBay and ending soon. And as if that is not enough pressure, we are leaving for vacation in a couple of days, so I've been crazy packing. I'm in the upstairs hallway ironing and looking at the existing light, then I get out the measuring tape, take some measurements, go back to ironing, ask my dh for his opinion and he nearly freaks out because apparantly men cannot multi task and think of home decorating at the same time as trying to pack for a 16 day trip. Go figure.

Ok, my answers:
"I would be interested in knowing if you are planning on painting your railing. I would love to do something with mine. Just can't figure out what. " Jerseygirl.

I really would like to have the railing darker, however after much discussion with others, it really is a dark stain that would give me what I want and this wood is not the right wood to stain dark. Someone suggested if I painted it a dark brown it could end up looking cheap. The railings will be a brighter white.

"I think the first light is lovely, but will be lost in the two-story foyer, and the sides, which are the interesting part, won�t be seen from the first floor. " les917

You know, I hadn't thought about this. But I wonder if you are right. And I'm not happy that you might be right. ;-)

I like that Manhattan chrome chandy, I was also looking at something like that.

"Would you mind sharing the specifics about your countertops and the paint colors? " kristinekr

Thanks for the nice comments, the counter is Bianco Antico. It was love at first sight, and inspired the entire kitchen. The wall color is a Valspar color, Siene. The darker color behind the range and fireplace wall is Italian Leather, from the same paint chip.

"I like #1 better. It is modern, but could be a vintage modern as well. What diameter is it? " dianalo

#1 is 28" in diameter.

"I could sit and look at your kitchen all day long!!" loribee

Thanks!

"too modern and it reminds me too much of a car's air filter.", folkvictorian

No need to apologize, the RH guy said the same thing when I called him about extending the length!

I really like #1, but I also think the height of the fixture might be too short for the scale of your very tall foyer. I do not particularly like #2, though there is nothing really wrong with it. I just do not find it very interesting.

Have you looked at the Victorian Hotel Pendant fixture from RH? I love it. To me it reads somewhat traditional and somewhat modern. (Unfortunately my foyer is not tall enough for even the small one.)

You could paint the hand rails in Fine Paints of Europe in the "bright" or ultra high gloss finish in black. That would be painted without looking cheap. (although I don't think painted railings necessarily look cheap).

If you do something to make the railing more contemporary like this, I think you will be able to get away with a more contemporary fixture as well. You choices both look great with the context of the kitchen--the entryhall is currently less contemporary, but it sounds like you are taking it in that direction.

i love the victorian hotel pendant. i have this troy maidstone chandy in my 2 story foyer.
http://www.1800lighting.com/Troy-Lighting/advancedsearch.cfm?brandid=668&fixturetypes=O

they have a lot of transitional style chandeliers.

i also have the smaller version of this in my powder room but it might be good for your foyer in this bigger size...
http://www.1800lighting.com/Troy-Lighting/Collins/item.cfm?itemsku=F1926PN

Is the light going to go where that tiny light is in the second floor or is there a different location?

I just received the Victorian Hotel pendant and I ordered the small and I will tell you it's BIG! I'll have pics by next week of it up but it's going in front hall foyer which is 11 ft. high where the fixture is going. It is even more stunning in person and I drool over it everyday and can't wait til it goes up!

htnspz, no, that light is actually not there any longer, we will be installing some recessed lighting along the hallway. The chandelier is centered in the stairwell, and there is a window, on the front of the house, opposite wall of where you see the photos upstairs. (still not showing existing chandy-but you can see the light rays coming from it)

{{!gwi}}

I think I am going to pass on this particular chandelier, although I know it would look amazing in my dining room. I think that as it was discussed above, the beautiful part of it is the sides, and you really can't see the sides from downstairs. I'm sad, because this thing is going to be sold for a steal and I do like it, but it just won't work in my foyer. And if I mention to my dh that we are going to start switching stuff in the dining room right now (and we really should), he might just come back from our cruise alone, (so keep your ears posted to the news about a woman falling overboard in the mediterranean!)

srg, I will check out those lights.

Thanks!

Seriously BKW - you have such amazing taste! When ARE you coming to my house?! :O)

I like #1 best.

Now I'm going to re-design your house for a moment so let us dream:

Gone is the current banister and railings and in it's place (to go w/ the soon to be great smokey walls and ceiling!) is a glass panel and stainless creation.

#1 chandy

Deep espresso wood floors.

Thanks for letting me play in your place!

You should centsationalgirl your stairway! Her's started out looking a lot like yours and now the frump is gone and the fab is in.

www.centsationalgirl.com

Here is a link that might be useful:

Wow! I need to get the directions for that! I doubt I can get the stairs done before the painter gets there, so maybe after the walls are painted...

Also, I decided against the chandys above. This is what I ordered:

{{!gwi}}