Should I Switch Out My Dining Room Light Fixture?
by Katy on April 4, 2025 · 30 comments
There’s a house in my neighborhood that’s undergoing a massive remodel and recently set these dirty light fixtures out on the lawn. At first I though they were Rejuvenation Lighting, which would’ve been amazing as their version are priced at $949 apiece! Unfortunately they’re knockoffs, but I still brought them home to mull things over.
Here’s the Rejuvenation version:
My husband and I bought our fixer upper in 1996 when we had no financial cushion to spend even a single penny on cute aesthetics for the house. We did need to buy new light fixtures for every room in the house and did so with a stack of $3 lights from a home improvement store that was going out of business. There’s just the single one left in our daughter’s old bedroom.
Behold the wheat!
We slowly replaced the wheaties through the years, mostly by thrifting or the Rejuvenation clearance section. I later bought a pair of vintage light fixtures for the living room and dining room off eBay in 2005 or so, which my husband rewired and reconfigured to hold glass shades. (Thrifted, of course!) I think I paid around $65 before we fixed them up. I liked them fine, but the scale of the fixture is too small for the size of the rooms.
But these curb picked light fixtures are making me think it’s time for a change. They’d be a better style for my 1914 craftsman, even though they’re fake old, not actual-old. Plus they were free, so there’s no downside to giving them a try.
My husband will have time this weekend to install one in the dining room, which we can always switch back should we change our minds. We’ll keep the Buy Nothing ceiling fan light for the living room, as climate change has been unkind to Portland’s formerly temperate summer months.
What do you think? Should we keep the actually vintage light fixture or should we switch to the fake vintage light fixture? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Swap them out and I’ll take your old ones!
The old ones are the right size for your dining room!
Go for it! I’m of the opinion that” changes is as good as a holiday” school of thought as long as the price is right , and this is looking good!
I think your current fixture is nice, but those two faux fixtures would go really well with the style of your home. If they are solid, good quality reproductions, I would go with them.
The new fixtures would be a better Craftsman match I think. Great find!
I’m on team Change Out. As you said, can always put the other back if it looks out of proportion. (Or you give it to Jessica!)
I’m with Kym on this one.
Right . . . because mailing a light fixture from Portland to NYC is super frugal. 😉
Change them out. If you don’t like the look then can put the old one back. Will the old fixtures fit in a different room in your house? Change is good!
I have been trash picking lighting for the house we will move into. I found 2 lights to go over the double sink vanity, pendant lights for over the island and a ceiling fan. All these items would retail at 500$.
You could take the old fixture to your sister when you visit!
I think it funny how everyone’s suddenly on my sister’s side. Suspicious. 😉
If you want them to look more like the Rejuvenation Lighting ones, you can take the glass off and spray paint them. I say try the new ones!
I vote to switch them.
I say switch them up. They look like they’ll be right at home in a craftsman house.
I like the genuinely old better buuuuuuut it migjt be too small for the space. Hard to tell with the pictures provided. Maybe install the new and keep the old for another room.
actually, if I were you, I’d just splurge on a nicer, more interesting Rejuvenation fixture. I had those vaguely craftsman esque but super dull lighting fixtures you’re considering in my old bathroom which I installed in 2000. Yawn.
Are the “new to you” lights (height-length) adjustable? It is difficult to tell from the picture. If you have the time and energy to switch them out, give it a try. Chances are they will be fine, and you won’t want to switch them back.
The new lights are too tall, but we’re going to remove one of the length pieces.
The “found” light fixtures seem truer to your Craftsman home. I’m so glad that you were quick to pick them up.
Another vote for team Switch-them-out. Let the vintage ones back into the world, and use the ones that fit your space better, regardless of age. Then when you find the truly old, you can update again.
Those new fixtures are nice! I’d switch them out for sure.
Both look nice, but I think size/proportion is the key. Use whichever looks most appropriate for the dimensions of the room.
I think the new to you light fixtures seem perfect for your home. They look great in the pictures. If they don’t look inexpensive in person, I’d use them. Everything doesn’t have to have the perfect provenance to be nice!
Both are nice. I’d change them out and live with it for a while. You can always switch them back.
Do it, but keep the old ones just in case!
I like the the real vintage better. Sell the ones that you just picked. Less is more.
I love the ones you found on the lawn.Switch ‘em out!! Then, double bonus! You can sell the vintage light fixture for a profit? Or at least a break even?
I think the style of the found light fixtures is perfect for your home,Katy!!
I am a big fan of a good knock off!!!
I like the ones you found better, and agree they would look better in the space. But, I’m not known for a great eye for decorating, so I’d keep the old ones as a backup plan, in case you change your mind/prefer to keep the old ones up after you try them both out.
Could you use the old fixture in your daughter’s old bedroom? If so, methinks you might be able to solve two problems at once.
That would be a great idea, except that our bungalow house has pretty low ceilings on the second floor.
I like both but since your sister wants the old ones I will go team sister…. Lol
She’ll need to come to Portland to get it!