new light fixture + black walls

Hello and happy Tuesday abode lovers! Shall we discuss Ashley again (aka the bachelorette?) Well, I am glad she is down to two guys... but it sure makes for a boring rose ceremony when they leave early! So, aside from President Obama interrupting my Monday night trash tv, it was a pretty good night in tv land. I also watched Design Star of course, and am always pleased with the entertainment value. I thought the rooms were a vast improvement and I could tell that the home owners loved it! I loved the planked wood wall in the dining room with the arched doorways.... it brought that space up to another level!

Yesterday, aside from tv watching, I received this in the mail. Gorgeous, right? And it was only $15.17 at CSNLighting! The only problem with this cheapy little number is that the gold is a little darker than I had expected, and the glass globe is a smoky gray (But is was $15!) So, I am going today to Lowes to see if I can find a clear globe this size to see if I like it better, and I already took a can of gold spray paint to this beauty to brighten it up a little (just a super light misting).... I'll keep you updated on my progress!

So, where is this baby going? It will be replacing the skank sconce that is currently going up my stairs. (I would show you a photo, but to be honest, there is a reason I have not shown you this embarrassing detail.) So- I will post one soon. I also need to paint the walls leading up my stairs, which I have literally been putting off for years. It will be a scary undertaking unless I hire someone-- creating make shift scaffolding does not sound like a good idea to me, so we will see what I end up doing. Is it possible to paint everything I can reach and then hire someone to finish up the "high" parts of the stairwell??? Has anyone done this?

Here is an image of my foyer now... and with a little photoshop magic, this is what it could look like in black.... That's right, black. The other side of the wall that leads to the hallway are the horizontal stripes. I would like for this wall to recede- I also don't want to add another color into the mix-- and all of my interior doors are now black, so I feel like this would work. (If not, it's just paint!) Isn't it dramatic? I love what it does for the mirror and antique candelabra sconces.

Here is another angle of the wall that leads up the stairs... it is so blah. I hate builder-beige. I am also thinking that I will paint the wall to the left black as well. The gray that it is right now is the gray metallic from the stripes. I think eliminating this solid gray will be good for the space.

Here is some of my deep, dark inspiration:

This is such a crisp look. I love gold against the black backdrop.

This is an awesome little nook. I love the shallow ledges, the possibilities of displaying special artwork and photos is endless. I also am in love with the brass library sconce... I want these all over my abode.

a deep navy blue was also in the mix of ideas for the foyer/stairwell... but as I mentioned before, I don't think I want to add another color to this area.

Black frames against a dark peacock blue-- so rich and gorgeous!

plum. wow.

Again, I love the gold against the black... and the white looks so crisp and clean. I love this look.

Incredible display of trophies... I love all of the neutral and natural elements in this deep and dark space.

This panelling is SO gorgeous. I love how much this detail elevates the space. All of the natural elements in this room are so striking against the stark black walls.

I love the mod lighting and the creamy botanical prints over this bed. All of the neutrals in this room really work well with the black walls. I am also loving the unexpected splash of pink on the bed.