Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Brass Candle Sconce



I came across a brass candle sconce at an antique store several weeks ago and thought, hmmm, that's nice... It was exactly $3.50 so I thought I'd just see what I could do with it. As you can see from the photo above, it was quite brassy.

I dug into my basement cabinet where I keep all of my magic potions and found some "brass ager." That's right, it makes shiny brass look old and dingy in seconds!



I hung the sconce on the small wall next to our kitchen sink. I was thinking that I'd leave that wall bare because it seemed that all of the art work I'd hung there in the past looked crowded and heavy. But leaving the wall bare didn't look quite right either. So I thought the sconce would add a nice element of detail. It fits proportionately, and has a nice aesthetic from the side as well as from the front.


I took these photos at dusk as the fog was rolling in. The forboding weather made lighting the candle all the more alluring.

So that's my $3.50 purchase. I think it was money well spent because when I light the candle, I find myself standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, sipping my tea...unable to walk away from (yes, a fire hazard, but mostly...) its warm flickering glow.

45 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous find - it looks perfect beside the sink! Leigh

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  2. Money well spent absolutely! Gorgeous! perfect ~lulu

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  3. It looks perfct, what a great find.

    Leeann

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  4. It does look perfect there -- and don't you love a "steal"!

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  5. What a noce juxtaposition with the brass and the worn bread boards. Lovely.

    Chania

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  6. lovely find! you have quite the eye for treasures. thank you for sharing!

    Blair

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  7. love it! And, your collection of wooden bread boards (that is what they are called, right?) has rubbed off on me. I'm on the lookout! I call this Positive Peer Pressure!

    Hope you're having a fabulous week!

    T

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  8. Great find. Brass ager ... I'll have to look for that. I have boxes of Baldwin brass which is not "in" at the moement .. the ager gives a beautiful finish.

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  9. I love your kitchen!! Especially the sink! :)

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  10. It's the perfect addition to your beautiful kitchen. I am envious of all of your bread boards....love them!

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  11. It is a perfect accessory for your kitchen. I like it where you hung it!

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  12. I just discovered your blog :-) and I am happy to say that I am now an avid blog stalker. I think I've looked through every post three or four times. I really love the candle, its so simple and pretty!

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  13. Who knew $3 can brings so much beauty and happiness. Sometimes it's the smallest and simplest things that make the difference.
    I'll have to get some brass ager-I find so many brass things that I love but never buy because I don't like the shiny heavy gold look. So pretty ~
    Sarah

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  14. It looks great and you will love it even when it's not lit! Wondering if your "brass ager" is good for cleaning the oven too? ;) BTW, I am in love your house. All of the renovations are so thoughtful and beautifully executed. Your favorite antler image is one of mine and would be so perfect for your house.

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  15. This tip is good to know. We moved into StoneGable 15 years ago. It too is a farmhouse, and I have so much brass! I actually love it, but it is looking quite dated. I am going to try the antique look on my wall switches.
    Your sconce look beautiful on the wall in your kitchen!
    Thanks for the inspiration.
    Yvonne

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  16. What a great idea to age it. I love the look and it is just perfect for the space. Hugs, Marty

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  17. Isn't is amazing how much beauty and pleasure $3 can bring us! It fits the space perfectly - understated but sooo pretty. Most often, it's the simple things that make the biggest impact.
    I'll have to get some brass ager - I see so many pretty brass things that I would love to buy but don't because I don't because I don't like the heavy bright gold look of it.
    So lovely ~
    Sarah

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  18. I've just discovered your blog (via Eddie Ross) and love it! I'm a bit bleary eyed this morning since I stayed up late last night reading older posts. We too, (my husband and I) have been renovating an old farmhouse in Southwestern Wisconsin and I found so many shared experiences with your renovation! Our kitchen had indoor/outdoor carpeting installed throughout while the rest of the first floor had yellow shag carpeting from the 70's glued directly onto the hardwood floors! Thank you for the lovely photos and terrific commentary! Janet

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  19. We installed teak counters in our kitchen and I do not regret it. I do have to oil them every few months, but five years later I feel that they are only getting richer with age. You have great style!
    Cynthia

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  20. i can't recall how i came across your blog, but your home is beautiful.... so thank you. i love looking at it thru your fabulous blog! have a great day!

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  21. This is so romantic! I love that you aged the brass. I'm wondering what you used. One time I came home to discover my painter and polished all the brass doorknobs, etc in our old house. I almost had a coronary! This sconce looks fantastic on that wall in the kitchen.

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  22. Hi Trina,

    Simplicity and beauty. A killer combination.

    ~janet

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  23. Very pretty.

    -FringeGirl

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  24. I love candlelight...the sconce is very pretty and I like the aged look. Adds character and charm. I wouldn't want to leave my kitchen either! :)

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  25. Brass Ager? Didn't even know something like that existed, love what it can do though.

    Your newly hung candle sconce is a beautiful addition to your kitchen, great find!

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  26. I love the look of your kitchen:) It's so clean and efficient looking! Great addition with the sconce

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  27. I love how the little things make the biggest difference!

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  28. This is out of a storybook...how serene and tranquil. I love the simplicity of it. It adds some depth to the space. Lovely!

    Cheers~
    e

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  29. Just beautiful, sometimes its the smallest touches that make all the difference
    alicia
    www.time-worn-style.com

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  30. This looks like a great find! I actually like brass. Hubby and I choose antique brass for hour door hardware on our new house. I think it has a lot of charm. Your blog is lovely! I am glad I found it.

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  31. Love that little scrolly part on the side view!

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  32. It's so simple and adds to the old feel of your kitchen. Only you can make a brass candlestick look good.

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  33. Have only just discovered your blog and your beautiful home, love your style and your generosity in sharing it with us all! I've never heard of brass ager, having just removed so much of it after a major renovation I'm now off to the garage to see what I can rescue!

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  34. Don't you just love those aging potions! I am new to your blog and I am enjoying your journey of fixing up your home.

    Tootles,

    Judy

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  35. I stumbled upon your blog this morning and i am speechless. You and your husband have done a wonderful job of refurbishing your home. Our family is on the same path...at the very beginning though, searching for our perfect country home here in Western WA.

    Thanks for the inspiration and continued success to you.

    Sincerely, Whit

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  36. Hey Trina! You MUST tell me the name of the magic "brass ager"... I need that product. Will you divulge?

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  37. Hi Kelly, I got my brass ager from a store in Portland called Rejuvenation. (www.rejuvenation.com) I just got off the phone with them because I know they don't sell it online but was wondering if they'd sell and ship it from their retail store. Unfortunately, they can't ship it for legal reasons (its acidic nature). But they said it's something you can find in jewelry supply stores and hardware stores. If not, I can pick you up a bottle and ship you one myself! I'll e-mail you...Trina

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  38. Hi Trina, I have soooo much brass in the colonial revival house we're living in here in Virginia. I'm a huge fan of decorator Daryl Carter's aged brass that looks almost black in his houses. Most brass seems to be lacquered and I've shied away from brass ager because the instructions always say to remove the lacquer first. Did you do that or did you use the brass ager right over the lacquer?

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  39. Hi Fairfax, Your right, it won't work on lacquerd brass (unless you remove the lacquer). I actually didn't know if the sconce was laquered or not - it didn't look like it because it had tarnished some. I've used the brass ager on lots of new brass screws for our antiuqe door hardware! Also, we've used it a lot to dull down new brass hardware so that it matches the antique ones. And when I aged the sconce, it got a little too tarnished so I actually polished it back a little! So that's something I should have perhaps mentioned in my post, you can shine it back up with polish! The ager isn't permanent. Thanks for writing! Trina

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  40. I have noticed many comment asking about the brass ager. Here is a link for a company that ships it. The price starts at $3.45 for an 8oz. bottle which is the lowest price I have found on the web.
    http://www.kennedyhardware.com/brass-ager-darkening-solution-m-3.html

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  41. Hi! I have to say that my wife is a superb decorator, she tried redecorating our living room and most of the fixtures in there are made of brass. The minute my wife saw the brass candle sconce in your blog, she fell in love with it. Well, I’m sure that brass manufacturers and sheet brass suppliers in the country would be pleased to know that there are still people who love brass. Well, thanks for sharing your inspiring design ideas. Great blog post!

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