I went to a couple of local stores today, just randomly chosen because they looked like they would carry formal dining furniture (Walter E. Smithe, Thomasville, and Drexel Heritage). As I expected no one had oak (except for mission which stylistically will not go with my china cabinet). So I looked for woods that were the right reddish brown color, which turned out to be, for the most part, mahogany. What I saw in all of these stores seemed to be really nice quality but I did experience sticker shock. (More from the price of the chairs than the tables: is $300 and up per chair normal? ArghÂ) I realize I havenÂt shopped for much furniture; when our kids were small utility ruled, and most of my good pieces are family antiques that I refinished myself. Subtracting the styles that wouldnÂt go and ones with distressing (I donÂt like distressing, at least not on a formal dining table), that left really only 2 tables found in 4 stores, one by Henredon and one by Thomasville. All of the stores said they had few styles on display but could order anything from the manufacturer. However ordering was what I didnÂt want to do, since I want to see the wood and workmanship close up. If I have to order anyway I might as well do it online. I have read about people on these forums ordering online but I have been concerned about getting something that is not the quality I am imagining. Are there any brands or vendors in particular I should look for, so I will not be disappointed? Thanks for any advice you can offer.

https://www.richelieu.com/us/en/category/decorative-hardware/cabinet-hardware-pulls-knobs/pulls/traditional-cast-iron-pull-3741/1004428/sku-3741224908

I HATE Edison bulbs in any fixture and honestly why light the ceiling in a staircase . Look for something you love that lights the whole space . I have no clue as to your style so you need to share that if you want some suggestions . I like this style of lighting in a staircase , it adds drama and allows lighting to light up the whole space as for color that needs to be decided with all your other lighting and accents. Make sure whatever you choose is all LED bulbs in 4000K to keep the hassle of changing bulbs to a min. and also keep all the colors you have already chosen to stay true. .

In CT you don’t need a ceiling fan in every bedroom. You can always get a floor fan or table fan for more air circulation, if you need one - and I would imagine you will have AC in the house. CT is not Florida or the South, etc. You only have have about 2 months of really hot weather. Do you really want to look at an inactive ceiling fan in your master for the rest of the year? Another thing you can look at are fandeliers; they are fans that double as light fixtures - they do not look like typical fans. But if you want a classic chandelier in your master bedroom - you should go for it. I am not really sure what the constraints are with size and everything that you refer to. Consider talking to some local lighting pros.