We have a deep back porch as well. We live in a climate where we would get little use from a porch or patio if it weren't covered. The roof of the porch is the main roof; the floor is part of the main foundation. The living room windows look out onto the porch and beyond that to a nice view of our yard, the birds,etc. But we had to plan more lighting in the LR due to the porch, even with large windows. One thing that helps us is that we bumped the dining portion of our kitchen out beyond the porch and gave it six windows. We gave up a formal DR in order to have the one large eating area with great light and windows. One option.

Nobody here but us chickens... Well, another good day behind me. I'm finally getting to know what it feels like to be a little hungry - I almost never have that feeling, 'cause I'm always eating!!!! lol. Dropped off DH's car at the garage to get new tires ths morning and WALKED across town to work. Granted, this IS a SMALL town, but I thoroughly enjoyed the walk! Crisp air, blue skies! And I meandered, looking in shop windows, etc. Great way to start the day. Weight is down a tad and super-tight, sprayed-on jeans I ordered are fitting a little better. I wonder how I let myself get this way (unhealthy & out of shape), but I know. I think I look fine most of the time. LOOK fine is NOT feel FINE! Does anyone have a mirror in their house that they like better than all the rest? haha... YAY and a CHEER to all the Chileans that are being rescued. I think it's amazing to see. Can you imagine being a family member? ...VERY emotional.... Check in, girls - this thread ain't gonna write itself!

How high are your ceilings? You need at least 12' to pull off this lamp hanging. Other than that I think the all over size will work. IF you ceiling is 9-10' I would go with a shorter fixture like your first choice. What do your other fixtures look like??? The ones in the photos above?

David Cary: I don't know if you're referring to my post with the "bass ackwards" reference but just for the record I used the word "backwards" which is the correct word to describe what appears to be happening. And if I was talking to the OP face to face, I'd say "Great start but I think you're going about this backwards." Since you had it in quotes I'll conclude your reference was accurate and it was somewhere else, but upon a cursory review I couldn't find it. But I do agree with you that the home crit responses on the forum could certainly be nicer without compromising the message. Some of the crits are just plain demeaning for no reasons that I can see. I’ve only been looking at poor designs folks have been bringing/sending me for 45 years so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about but I've found there’s always a positive way to deliver bad news that the owner may not want to hear with the result a reminder to me of the value of honey when catching flies. Some appear to be intentionally written to put the poster on the defensive which generally results in a "us vs. them" mentality typically going nowhere. ETA: Please don’t interpret this as the OP’s in these threads like this one are sinless either because most aren’t but maybe for different reasons.