Some people have seen these pictures ad nauseum, so I apologize, but I am a big supporter of both honoring the historic fabric of the structure while furnishing the house for your own aesthetic, for comfort, for whatever. My apt is 1838 so most of the units never had any kind of ceiling fixture at all, and the first floors at some point had a chandelier mounted at the medallion. Only the Gentleman's Chest and the Japanned cabinet on stretchers would be vaguely "period" in this room, all the rest is modern. (The wing chair is the wrong period, too). But when I bought this place I actually emphasized the 1838 by stripping anything off the perimeter that wasn't period. In the hall I did put a fixture that was at least "more" period appropriate, although modern fixture would be okay too. The public hallways mostly have fixtures like this: And I think something like this could work in your LR if you did not want another large drum shade. I would consider putting the current LR fixture in place of the small bell at the vestibule door, if you don't store it away. Personally I like the tension between historic elements attached to the house vs modern contents.

Check out lightingdirect.com (another build.com website) and filter with your preferences. Also, check out photos on houzz to find a style you like so you have a starting point. Things to consider: finish, shape, number of lights, style (you already know it'll be modern/contemporary), size and budget. If you know what the pendant lights will be, that could be your starting point. Without having anything other than style to go on, it's hard for us to offer specific suggestions. Oh, another tip. I used Pinterest to collect all my favorite "samples" in one place. Then weeded out from there as I narrowed down my choices. Good luck! This is the fun part.

I am open to suggestions for redecorating our dining room space, or a different light fixture. We are slowly redoing our home decor. Would like to get rid of the wallpaper and repaint. Change out the furniture in there etc. keep the suggestions coming. Tsk a bunch.

There are a few tricks to use to bring make more light (appear) in the room. Lighting is crucial, so don't treat it as an afterthought. Before you do or get anything, have a plan. Measure twice, buy once. In the living room, put the ceiling light on a dimmer. A ceiling light in the living room does not make for an intimate living room experience. I prefer no ceiling light there, and instead - a tale lamp or wall sconce at chest height. I love a well lit room, so I go a bit nuts with the lighting! Other things you can do: put a mirror on the wall - only if there is a nice reflection. Put glass or mirror table tops - only if that goes along with your decor. Other places you can put mirrors are on lamp bases. Don't overdo it, but you are on the right track with bright colors. I have a dark living room also, and I have a lot of color in my oversized wall art (go big or go home!) I can't tell from the pictures, but some of them look like the walls are a cool color and some look warm. Be very careful if you plan on repainting the walls. It makes a lot of difference. I really like Nick Lewis on youtube on that topic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KDnuPfuro0&t=61s Please no gray couch. How about a medium brown? Gray is a cool color and has been overdone in the past five years.