Well.... You are talking materials + labor. And your Artisan is surely factoring in their time as well. And that labor/skill will be highly specialized, very meticulous. *And you will want that to look right (and be right!) * ...Meaning in that application, for aesthetics and safety, no room for error when all is all finished. I didn't mean to give you the idea that you wouldn't get what you paid for, nor did i intend to diminish the Artisan's work or skill in any way. Artisan's and those who create are very talented people whose imaginations and skills I deeply respect. But, it is a craft like any other: mural painters, knitters, glass mosiac makers, potters, dress makers, you get the idea. If it is something that you are really interested in, it is possible that you could learn yourself (& save some $$), but on the other hand, if the craftsmanship of it doesn't do it for you, then you probly are better off paying someone with the skill. I operate on the principle of 3 bids per job. Perhaps talk to a welder. Sorry I am not any more help. I hope this helps and good luck either a) learning a new craft or b) finding someone who can help you at the price point you want. And btw, the post above was supposed to read "buy a welder" not but a welder. Autocorrect got me again!

I have an uncanny ability to fall for the most expensive materials - recently I fell in love with bar pulls from Rocky Mountain Hardware - then I found out the cost. It seems to me there ought to be something out there that gives a similar look but doesn't cost nearly $100 per pull! Any ideas? I also love some made to order pulls by a San Francisco artist - they are slightly more affordable and I may use some of them in a feature cabinet wall.

Amazing- I had no idea that they had stores. So of course I checked the website and it looked like just the middle of the country but lo and behold NJ is there as well. It's not a part I go to, but it sure is doable. (probably a little over an hour). It would be nice to see some of the stuff in real life. and the rug is really lovely. gotta love this forum

This one by Thomas is a little smaller (11.24 in) but only $45 at Lighting Direct This one is a little larger at 16" and $108 This one is 14" and $107. The ones I saw with detail that would make them more similar were similarly priced or even more. Keep in mind that lighting is generally something that is easy to replace or upgrade later, especially if you don't need to run new wiring. You can go plainer and change it out later if you find something worth the price difference or you are better able to spend more later. But you may find that you don't looko at a laundry room fixture often enough to care how it looks as much as how well it lights the room.