My Aunt Fay gifted me an appreciation for all things vintage. Her bespoke midcentury modern mahogany sideboards, stacked stone fireplace, and velvet sofa had me dreaming of one day furnishing my own home just like she had. The piece that mesmerized me most was her 1970s multicolored hanging swag light.
Now living in Hawai'i, and trying to decorate my lanai and home on the earnings that a small macadamia nut farm will allow, I spend many days scouring the local antique and vintage shops. Browsing through one of my favorite stores, I looked up one day to find a piece that paid Aunt Fay's swag light homage whilst keeping with the earthy, islandy Hawai'ian tradition.
But he just shrugged and said "I don't think the brass would look good on the lanai".
I let it go. I thought. But I found myself stopping by the next day, just enquiring about the price. $125. That would make the lamp the most expensive purchase so far.
It never left my mind and I would check up on the lamp each time I drove by to make sure it was still there. I began speaking with the owner, Peter, about how I loved the lamp but my husband didn't. He told me I was welcome to visit it anytime I liked (unless of course, someone bought it).
A few weeks after discovering the lamp, my in-laws from England came to visit. Not one to let this go, I made a deal with my husband. We would take them to the antique store to see the lamp and and tell them one of us loves it and the other doesn't. If they too appreciate the vintage beauty of it, we will buy the lamp and hang it on the lanai.
I told Peter the owner about our little bet and he seemed almost as happy as I was that is lamp was going to a good home! I asked if he could do anything better with the price to make the loss of the bet easier for my husband.
He said I could have the lamp for $75! My brother-in-law and husband hung it up that evening and it remains hanging stoically in the front of the lanai.
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