Brighter Homes recently went above and beyond to solve my lighting issue, so I'm here to give them the praise they deserve. If you don't have time to read the full review, here are the highlights:
Pros:
* Great selection of electrical fixtures, bulbs, and parts
* REALLY helpful and knowledgeable staff
* Beautiful range of lighting fixtures and lamps, from everyday $8 ceiling fixtures to cut-crystal chandeliers worth hundreds of dollars
* Great prices
Cons:
* Only open until 5pm some days
Recently, I needed to replace a light fixture in my kitchen. The kitchen and dining area are one big room, and in the dining area, we have an older brass and crystal chandelier. Although a bit dated, it's a nice midcentury piece and I had no plans to replace it, nor did I want to have the trouble and expense of getting rid of a perfectly functional piece. (Besides, it's just the sort of late 60's kitsch that's a little fun, even if it reminds one of something your dear old Aunt Maude would have.)
That meant that I needed to find a kitchen lighting option that wouldn't clash horribly with the chandelier in the dining room. Apparently, brass fixtures are very out of style at the moment, so we weren't having any luck finding something. Finally, I found a super-cheap fixture at Home Depot that oddly enough matched so perfectly it was almost as if it had been designed with my chandelier in mind. Although I was a bit nervous about using super-cheap stuff where electricity is concerned, I bought it anyway.
BAD IDEA. It shorted out within a month. Thinking that perhaps we just got a dud, we returned it and got another identical unit. My husband installed it, turned the lights on, and with an audible "SNAP!", it shorted again, this time so badly that it melted the base of one of the light bulbs. My husband, being a rational and sensible individual, informed me that he would not be installing a third fixture, as they were "a G--d-mn piece of sh%#." (Since he had just had it literally almost blow up in his hands, I believe we can all forgive him for his lapse in language.) (He also used a multimeter to check the wiring, so we know for a fact that these were defective lighting fixtures, and not issues with our wiring.)
I then visited two more lighting stores with no luck in finding anything, and finally went to Brighter Homes. Within moments, I was approached by a friendly salesman to whom I explained my mission. He sadly informed me that it would be really tough to find a good match, as a lot of brass fixtures have simply been discontinued.
(It's good to note here that Brighter Homes did, in fact, have plenty of truly lovely fixtures that would have matched--in the $250 to $400 range. If you want an absolutely exquisite cut-crystal and brass light fixture, they've got you covered. But for mere mortals like me looking for something in the $100 range, most manufacturers are following trends and making chrome or bronze stuff.)
Sensing my dismay, he suggested that we might be able to replace the "guts" of the cheap fixture with higher-quality components, preserving its appearance but getting rid of the alarming tendency to short out and melt light bulbs. The next day, I brought in a new (the third!) cheap Home Depot fixture, and the same salesman was kind enough to completely disassemble it, ensure that the newer, safer sockets would fit, and showed me how to re-assemble it so that when I got it home we'd be able to safely install it ourselves. The cost for the time, labor, and parts? A mere $15. He probably spent at least half an hour helping me. I was almost embarrassed that I was charged so little!
While he was doing all this, we also had a lovely chat about LED light bulbs, and he was helpful and informative about that, too. We have been a fan of LED bulbs in my home for years, and we try to keep up on new stuff on the market since LED technology is changing so rapidly. He was able to give me some solid advice on the bulbs he recommended, and I can say that I have never seen such a wide selection of LED bulbs anywhere. I've ordered them online in the past, and this was clearly a mistake--next time I'll be going to Brighter Homes and just getting what I need without the hassle and wait of shipment.
The new fixture installed just as he said it would, and works like a charm.
In short, I highly recommend Brighter Homes and won't hesitate to return there in the future. read more
