#floor lamp drum shade

[introvertedthinking]

Music Room Living Room Toronto

Mid-sized contemporary open concept living room idea with a light wood floor, gray walls, a standard fireplace, and a media wall.

[erkiengill]

Contemporary Living Room

Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept light wood floor living room design with a music area, gray walls, a standard fireplace and a media wall

[littlelightx]

Contemporary Living Room in Toronto Mid-sized trendy open concept light wood floor living room photo with a music area, gray walls, a standard fireplace and a media wall

[chrislopezportfolio]

Music Room - Living Room Mid-sized trendy open concept light wood floor living room photo with a music area, gray walls, a standard fireplace and a media wall

[los-angeles-county-limousine]

Living Room in Toronto Mid-sized contemporary open concept living room idea with a light wood floor, gray walls, a standard fireplace, and a media wall.

[frenchelshade]

A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Lamp Shades

Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood and functionality of a space. A well-chosen lamp shade not only complements the decor but also enhances the quality of light. In this guide, we’ll explore different types of lamp shades and how to choose the best ones for your needs. Whether you're looking for floor lamp shades, wall lamp shades, drum lamp shades, or table lamp shades, this article will help you find the perfect fit.

Floor Lamp Shades: Elevating Your Space

Floor lamps are versatile and can be used for reading, accent lighting, or general illumination. The choice of floor lamp shade can dramatically affect the ambiance of a room.

Choosing the Right Size and Shape

When selecting a shade for a floor lamp, consider the lamp's height and the size of the room. A larger room may benefit from a bigger shade, which can provide ample light and make a bold statement. Conversely, a smaller room might require a more modest shade to prevent overwhelming the space.

Material and Light Quality

The material of the shade affects the quality of light emitted. For a cozy, warm glow, choose a shade made of fabric or paper. For a more contemporary look with brighter light, consider metal or glass shades. Fenchel Shades offers a variety of high-quality floor lamp shades, allowing you to find the perfect match for your decor.

Wall Lamp Shades: Practical and Stylish

Wall lamps are an excellent choice for saving space and adding a touch of style to any room. The right wall lamp shade can enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of these fixtures.

Fitting and Proportion

Wall lamp shades should be proportionate to the size of the lamp and the wall area. A shade that's too large can look bulky, while one that's too small may not provide adequate light diffusion.

Design and Color Considerations

The design and color of the shade should complement the room's decor. For a minimalist look, choose neutral tones and simple shapes. For a more eclectic style, consider bolder colors and unique patterns. Fenchel Shades offers a range of wall lamp shades in various styles, making it easy to find the perfect option for your home.

Drum Lamp Shades: Modern and Versatile

Drum lamp shades are cylindrical and have become increasingly popular for their clean, modern look. They are versatile and can be used with a variety of lamp types, including floor, table, and pendant lamps.

Advantages of Drum Lamp Shades

One of the main benefits of drum lamp shades is their ability to provide even lighting. The cylindrical shape allows light to be distributed both upward and downward, creating a balanced illumination. This makes them ideal for both task lighting and ambient lighting.

Choosing the Right Fabric and Color

The fabric and color of the drum shade can greatly influence the ambiance of a room. For a soft, diffused light, opt for lighter fabrics like linen or cotton. For a more dramatic effect, darker fabrics or bold patterns can add a touch of sophistication. Fenchel Shades offers an extensive selection of drum lamp shades in various materials and colors.

Table Lamp Shades: Adding Character and Functionality

Table lamp shades are not just functional; they can also serve as decorative accents. The right table lamp shade can enhance the character of a room and provide focused lighting for reading or other tasks.

Finding the Perfect Fit

When choosing a table lamp shade, consider the size of the lamp base and the table it will sit on. A shade that’s too large can be overwhelming, while one that’s too small may not provide sufficient light. A general rule of thumb is that the height of the shade should be about three-quarters the height of the lamp base.

Style and Material Choices

The style of the shade should match the decor of the room. For a traditional look, consider shades with pleats or intricate details. For a more modern or minimalist aesthetic, opt for smooth, clean lines. Fenchel Shades provides a wide range of table lamp shades, ensuring you'll find a style that suits your taste.

Conclusion: Finding Your Perfect Lamp Shade

Choosing the right lamp shade is more than just a functional decision; it's an opportunity to enhance the style and atmosphere of your space. Whether you're looking for floor lamp shades, wall lamp shades, drum lamp shades, or table lamp shades, there's a perfect option out there for you. Fenchel Shades offers a diverse selection of high-quality lamp shades that cater to various styles and needs.

Remember, the right lamp shade can make a significant difference in your home's lighting and overall aesthetic. Take the time to explore different options and find the perfect fit for your space. With the right choice, you'll not only improve your home's lighting but also add a touch of style and personality.

[jovaniclark]

Milwaukee Transitional Home Office An illustration of a mid-sized transitional built-in desk study room with blue walls, a brown floor, and a dark wood floor.

[lovelyyellowdress]

Enclosed in Milwaukee A large transitional enclosed family room design example with black walls, no fireplace, and no television.

[thetrustydwarf]

Scandinavian Home Office Seattle Small danish built-in desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor home studio photo with beige walls and no fireplace

[golly-missmolly]

Miami Front Door Mudroom

[decorbuziers-memorial]

Enclosed in Milwaukee

[hminspired]

Enclosed - Transitional Family Room

[yandere-toons]

I saw one of the anon ask if your write for underverse.

Do you think you could gives a scenario with yandere nightmar sans? Anything really. Just a small drabble is all I ask:)

Warnings: Implied Depression, Blood, Fantasy Violence, Grief.

Word Count: 3125.

───────────────────────────────────────

The cloud cover had swallowed the sky in a veil of fog and torrential darkness, but on nights when the crickets sang no more and the frogs kept to the water, it parted under the patchwork of stars waiting to twinkle at the unconscious countryside.

The moon's eye skirted the ribbons of a tattered curtain and fluttered across the wooden frame set atop a bedside table, which bore the crumpled photograph of a family. Those rising curves of joy on their lips, the same assault of happiness his brother oozed like the sun bled heat, drew a low hiss from deep within Nightmare.

The thrashes of a tentacle or two whipping the air overhead punctuated the rumbling crackle rolling between his gritted teeth. Every second he brooded, the shadows of lamps, bedposts, and a chest of drawers thickened and stretched farther. The room grew dank and instinct with pressure until breathing was akin to having a pair of hands wrap around your neck and squeeze.

That facial atrocity had a name; smiles, he recalled, but even the word repulsed him like the acrid stink of vomit. It conjured up visions of two siblings reclining under the shade of a tree swaying with bountiful leaves, of promises made and then broken, of a schism between brother and brother, light and dark.

You played among the joyful souls in the photograph and shared in their touches and sandwiches, looking a far different person than the heap of sweat and nerves turning over in your bed. Nightmare allowed his gaze to linger for a bemused instant before the pull of that bitter edge lurking in his every thought called him back to the happy little fools and their sepia stares.

The willingness with which they shoved at him a sick buoyancy defied his power and mocked his work. The urge to tear that lightsomeness away from them and plunge them into misery began to burn within him, spurring his tentacles to writhe until one whacked the picture frame off the table.

It flew into a spinning collision course with the wall and caromed off it to crack the peace of a fitful sleep. The battered frame thudded against the hardwood floor, lying face down in a pool of glass shards.

You jumped into a scrambled consciousness at the clamour like a cannonade, and your eyes, encrusted with an awkward mix of bleary and vigilant, swept the room in anticipation of some calamity. Motionless and impregnable darkness, perfect camouflage for any terrors, met your search rather than the feared intruder charging through the door or the tremors of an earthquake.

Howling winds raged past your walls and produced a sustained groan approaching something human, a cruel and grotesque imitation of a lost soul calling out. Each gust tapped the windows like the fingers of someone asking to be invited in from the cold.

This shallow comfort allowed you a moment to peel back the sheets, wherein you noticed and floundered with how tangled about you they had become. With a streak of adrenaline pounding as drums in your head, you fumbled out of bed and made a beeline for the light switch protruding from the adjacent wall.

As your next step pressed down upon a sleek and scattered surface, a crunch popped the silence as a needle would a balloon. Sharp pain sliced the sole of your foot, and in the excruciating jolt up your leg, the skin seemed to catch fire.

You clamped your teeth on your lower lip and sucked in a puff of air, withholding the yelp that had leapt to the roof of your mouth. Opening your eyes from a tight squint, you peered down into the shadows and reached out to something by your foot.

The rigid ends and cool, smooth sides of a wooden rectangle slid against your fingertips. The silvery gleaming of crimson droplets on the clear sheen of fragmented glass was reflected in the coarse surface of a wrinkled photograph, its image spotty and worn away around the edges.

Those who helped form some of your happiest memories looked back at you, and this reminder took the pang from your foot and redirected it to an ache in your heart. A wave of dizzying exhaustion and the urge to slump into bed again washed over you, no matter how much you had slept the previous days away.

Time had faded many of their features into obscurity, but the twist of that old contentment they left with you was a wound forever open. You rubbed your thumb across the bumpy, sandpapery face of someone no longer around, and just for a moment, the distant peal of their laughter echoed from a room you had not touched in months.

How sweet to drink from the bottle of grief until you found it had no bottom. The tower of dirty dishes by the kitchen sink rose higher, and each time you chose a third nap over chores, Nightmare got stronger. He fed on your lethargy and silent aches like a flea on a dog's back, every bite taking a little more out of you.

Sleep, once a beloved respite from the agony of an empty house, now plagued you with hair-raising visions of inhuman faces hovering outside your windows, looking in while you had no voice to deter the eyes moving over your body. As you fought against your sheets as if they were a beast at your throat, something insidious whispered for you to fall into that comfortable trap and let the idea of escaping it, the burden of hope, slip away.

In the centre of the bedroom, a sphere of brilliant starlight glimmered in the image of the heavens. Its rays upon you were like the sun on your skin after a bleak and drizzly winter. This beacon promised a better future as it dimmed into the shape of a golden-eyed face, which chased away the darkling tendrils coiling around your bed.

The nips of biting air, once thick enough to drown in, lifted, and you grew weightless, seeming to float between silk sheets instead of your mangy bundle of loose threads, a mattress of clouds rather than your glorified boulder, and a velvet pillow instead of your flat-as-a-board, handmade one.

Dream walked among the dark and the cold and filled it with your fondest smell from childhood. He had no flesh or muscle, a being of pure bone cloaked in the greens of seafoam, the pinks of twilight, and the yellows of gold.

An eternal warmth flowed from him, calming the shakiest voice and stilling the throbs of your pulse to a steady and relaxed rhythm. He glided to your bedside in golden boots and cast one sympathetic look at the draggled sheets before pulling them back to their rightful place, careful not to disturb you as he did so.

Dream hummed a soft melody with the earnest compassion of a parent soothing their child. It was quiet to keep you asleep but distinct enough to spread the snug blanket of security over your thoughts.

The taut lines of veins bulging along your neck and forehead, the ball of pain swelling in your jaw, and the shaky curls of your fingers bunching handfuls of the sheets all started to wane. When you were sinking into your first minute of genuine rest in ages, the mood in the room dove faster than a flightless bird over the side of a cliff.

It was a plunge so steep and abyssal that you cried out at some ghastly vision while Dream staggered as if one wrong footfall away from falling. He recovered in a moment of resigned understanding of what lay behind him, but many more seconds passed before he found the strength to turn and confront the corrupted shell of his brother.

Dream saw the thrill of malice rush onto Nightmare's face as your sounds of distress rang and tilted his head down, hardening his frown. In the privacy of the gloom, Nightmare glowered at Dream with an eye that blazed against the black sludge streaming o'er him.

“Well, always here to spoil my fun, aren't you, brother?” Temptation and menace intertwined in his voice, honeyed and gravelly at once. It snaked through the crisp air and commanded awe with the booming richness of a king, and it burrowed into the back of the mind as whispers beguiling lost souls into letting loose all vices.

The visceral rage with which he spat the word “brother” so contorted his face that all sleeping mortals who looked upon it would have awoken screaming. Around his pupil expanded a vast sea of black, aglow with a fervour that dulled when Dream marched to the end of the bed and stood between him and you.

Nightmare collapsed his exaggerated snarl into a more subdued look of amusement, as though the idea that Dream could block his path was the peak of wishful thinking.

Dream, his eyes never wavering lest a moment's hesitation allowed Nightmare to slink near, swung his hand to the side and swished his lustrous cape. The threat of a golden bow sparked in his open palm, a sight that twisted the corners of Nightmare's mouth like a gulp of sour milk.

“You poisoned their grief, Nightmare. They need to heal.” Dream uttered this sentiment with unflinching certainty and gave to it a sublime voice meant to lighten the spirit of all who heard it; however, to the blackened soul residing in Nightmare, it only starved him.

He fixed a spiteful grin on Dream and widened his eye until it resembled a pit. “They don't want to heal. They're tired.” The venomous spiel rolled from him as it would a demonic salesman, and had you been awake to listen, you would have believed him. “They want to be told it's okay to give up.”

Dream glanced over his shoulder at your tussle with imaginary tormentors, his narrowed eyes pierced with a gleam of pity. He could have implored his brother to make an exception, but asking Nightmare to leave a cry for help untroubled was like the gazelle begging the lion for mercy.

Instead, he was readying another point of argument when an instinctive sweep of his arm deflected the sharp tip of a slender tentacle hurtling towards his skull.

Nightmare retracted the tentacle through a strip of moonlight, allowing it to glisten and weave before disappearing. The faraway ticktock of a clock stressed the passing of each second, baiting an attack from either brother and counting down to the moment when noise so bloodcurdling would rip the air asunder and forever banish peace from the area.

All at once, you sprung to an upright position and wailed as if you might never have the chance again. Your eyes, open wide but seeing nothing, held a glassiness that contrasted with your mindless thrashing at a hidden assailant. You began to hyperventilate between shouts for someone to get out of your house, and the guardian in Dream took hold as he hurried over to stop you from tumbling out of bed.

Before he could land one final step to reach you, a tentacle swooped down and knocked him into the chest of drawers across the room. It clattered and overturned a lamp atop it, which smacked the wood and threatened to roll off the edge. Dream cracked open one eye before the other and unhooked himself from the metallic handles.

Under the wan cover of night, Nightmare appeared to slide over the floorboards like some amorphous blob of black and blue. He eclipsed the moon on your weeping face, his tentacles bobbing on invisible waters and casting writhing shadows upon the wall behind you.

His head snapped towards Dream's weakened but defiant stance, and as flecks of silver silhouetted much of his body, his teeth were distorted into fangs that shone through the ooze cascading down him. A twinge of fear skittered the length of Dream's spine; the creature before him was his brother in name only, having become drunk on your anguish and consumed by a sort of eldritch savagery.

With each shriek rocketing out of you, Nightmare dispersed further into the darkness and outpoured his evil into every crevice. He propelled himself onto a tentacled throne and towered above Dream, who sensed the cold and aching drain of his presence in all directions and scoured for even a fleeting whiff of positive emotion.

The air stood still when Dream glimpsed the needle-like tentacles poised around him in the dark. They awaited a silent order to volley forward and gore him, an order made imminent by the resonant chime of the clock striking a new hour. Against his collarbone sat the round clasp of his cape, which he clutched with one hand overlaying the other.

Dream shut his eyes, tucked his chin into the back of his hand, and visualised a portal to the nearest spark of happiness. A blinding surge of starlight enveloped him, then vanished moments before a tentacle speared the chest of drawers in a shot that would have run through his rib cage.

Nightmare deflated a bit, disappointment gnawing at him that he did not get to see his brother's golden blood splatter the hardwood floor. He yanked his tentacle free of the unlucky drawer, paying no mind to the sizeable hole it had created, and resumed basking in your sorrow like a lizard in the sun.

* * *

A hulking weight sat on your chest, and with every swell of breath you forced down, it sucked half of it back out of your lungs. You might as well have been a pair of eyes without a body, with the absolute numbness coursing through your limbs begging the question of whether they were still attached.

The darkness crept a little closer, bottomless and braver with each sweep of your eye. Waves of black and splotches of silver melded into a gaunt face dripping wet. Malevolence seeped from the monstrous entity pouring out of the unknown depths of that corner, the kind that threw babies into crying fits and ripped frantic barks from every dog in a neighbourhood.

The snowy radiance of a moon free to dominate the sky glinted across teeth whiter than any dentist could hope. They filled out a lipless mouth as the entity, a living nightmare, engulfed the floor and ceiling in an ever-growing current of blackness. His jaw unhinged far beyond the limits of nature to yield a gaping hole lined with vertical strips of muck, each as dark and slippery as a jagged rock hanging in a damp cavern.

A dozen tentacles snaked out his back and pulsated outward, their slender lengths draped in inky slime. He loomed over your paralyzed state and dredged up all memories of fear and pain until your heart thundered with the desire to burst out of you. The sheets tucked in tighter to the point of constriction, and tears brimmed for the silent scream wrenching around your mind.

The place where his right eye should have been was overflowing with tar, and his left eye glowed like the beam of a lighthouse. Turquoise with a tinge of midnight blue watched your struggle and revelled in it with the passion of a vindictive god.

To peer into his eye was to lose yourself down a tunnel that winded through every facet of despair, hatred and horror, to behold a creature who embodied it all and realise you could do nothing but wait. Such a gaze crushed you, and it never even had to touch you.

Periodic buzzes, beginning as a foghorn but then rising to a metallic trill, came and went every few seconds. They invaded the room with an unquenchable urgency that your brain raced to identify, shrilling louder and louder until your body jolted forward in an abrupt return of control.

You inhaled as if having swum from the deep of a lake, but instead of bouncing your forehead off the warped skull, you passed through nothing but clear space. The instant before your eyes began darting, the flicker of a figure dissolved into a patch of darkness in your peripheral vision.

The first rays of dawn shimmered across the hardwood floor and dappled the shadows with all the colours of fire. A clash of pinkish and gilt swirls subsumed much of the dark, delivering you from the trenches of a receding night to the peach-tinted embrace of a day starting anew.

The jarring call of a telephone poked your ears and vibrated on a round table in the corridor.

Following you to the bedroom doorway was the impulse to ignore that plea for your attention and continue languishing beneath the same old sheets. The ease with which you could lay back down and slip away from everything tapped you on the shoulder and beckoned you to sleep.

Dust bunnies wafted after your feet, which you heaved and then slammed down again a mite closer to the ringing as if wading through the reeds of a billabong. A slew of thoughts on the taxing demands of holding a conversation, on the dreadful risk of exposing how badly you were drowning, tugged at you like an impatient child.

When you picked up the cooling metal of that telephone, the voice of a dear friend hit you as a refreshing breeze on a hot day. They talked to you and listened even if you let out a sombre remark or stumbled over familiar words, a nearly forgotten sound, like a song unheard for years.

Eventually, they said, “How about lunch at your favourite place today? My treat.”

You hugged the cord with each finger of one hand, and with the other hand, you pressed the cradle to your abdomen. A dab of moisture started to blur your vision, enabling you to take a breath without the air of heartsickness that had milled around the home for so long.

Watching you lean into the handset, into that faint voice daring to help, and allow yourself the ghost of a smile was like acid on Nightmare's eye. The frenzy of hunger stabbed him as the intoxicating taste of misery, a minute ago so bountiful, was evaporating.

What rapture it would be, twining one of his tentacles around that interloper's neck and squeezing until they never spoke another word. The vision of their bulgy eyes reddening as they clawed at the tentacle in vain, forced to look him squarely in the face and give every detail of their agony, to entreat his mercy only to be denied, flashed to him.

It kept him in the shadows and replayed before his mind's eye, each time seeming nearer to reality, to soothe the roaring emptiness in his stomach.

[charm-in-spades]

Neon lights at 1.30am

ᴘᴏᴠ: ᴄᴀᴇʟʀɪᴄ ᴊᴇɴ ꜱᴘᴀᴛʜᴀ (18) | ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ, ɢᴀʀʟᴇᴍᴀʟᴅ - 10 ᴛᴜʀɴꜱ ᴀɢᴏ... ꜰʀᴏᴍ: 64 ꜱᴇɴꜱᴏʀʏ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛꜱ | ᴠɪʙᴇꜱ

The distant thumping of electronic drums and synthetic sound drew him in like a moth to the flame. He'd been wandering without direction nearly a malm away, mind at an unrest until he'd heard the music and had seen the brilliant array of lights. Before long, his boots followed a path that had him entering a portion of the city technically forbidden to him as an enlisted soldier in the Imperial army.

Such areas were looked down upon, and yet despite the expectation of his conduct, it was not uncommon for officers to embrace the territory in secret anyways. This for him would be a first. As the street lamps overhead shifted from fluorescent yellows and ceruleum blues, fading into into sinful crimson glows, he knew he had crossed over into a place previously unexplored to him.

Regio de Rubrum Luminaria...

Here was a place where decorum came to die, though it was not entirely the dredges of society. Every building held some form of promise in glowing, neon signs that read 'Open'. Discount alcohol was offered at one place, while the scent of something medicinal and improperly used wafted from the darkness of another.

Artful silhouettes amidst the act of seduction were painted along buildings, while dancing figures in scant clothing beckoned from inside windowed displays. If not to him, then to anyone else that might be wandering by. He stopped by one such building with 'XOXO' along its doorway, bigger than the rest but still small enough to remain discrete if it truly wanted to. (It didn't.)

He decided it was worth his curiosity to check out, and he had no intentions of passing it by. Little else held his interest here. There wasn't a substance on these streets or any other that could conceivably make a dent in his altered biology that wouldn't immediately kill a normal person. Something he imagined might be relatively bad for any business, illicit or otherwise.

He drifted into the glowing building as if on a breeze, nearly stunned by the overwhelming assault upon his senses. The music had been loud outside but in here, it pounded into his skull and thumped against his chest with an absurd intensity. Floral scents in an abundance too heavy to fully differentiate intermingled with that of the flushed, sweaty bodies dancing in the center of the floor, and doing whatever else he could tell was going on in the back rooms just out of sight. Gyroscopic lights painted everything in shades of ruby and magenta- the first time he'd seen so much color in abundance.

Most things he saw in various shades of grey, able to distinguish all but the closest by those differences alone but red had become delightfully prominent after the procedure. The first time its color became a part of his visual cortex, he'd sprinted to the nearest Handler and asked them what it was. The more full the color, the better he could distinguish it, but everything here was bathed in its brilliant glow.

He couldn't focus on anything for too long, including his own thoughts but at this hour that was more blessing than curse. Any thought keeping him up this late was intrusive at best, and better left ignored. Still, he had never been this exposed to such intensity of sight and sound outside a combat zone, and it was likely clear to anyone watching that he was a man out of his depth.

Maybe that was why she took pity on him, a woman who's name he had never asked for and one she had never given. Taking his hand where he had merely stood frozen, and leading him away from the crowd to somewhere private, and isolated. Until all he could really hear was her giggles whenever he told a dumb joke. He'd managed a few by the time she'd closed the door. Not that he remembered anything that he'd said at the time.

He remembered soft lips however, and tender touches drifting lightly over his trimmed scalp. He remembered kinder words than he'd been used to, and the expressed desire to protect whatever innocence hadn't been trained out of him by then. Said she'd seen it in his eyes the moment he'd stepped in. He remembered hating that, citing it a weakness but she dismissed the notion and called them a window instead. He remembered staying fully clothed as she calmed him with reassuring whispers and took him to bed. Such gentleness had lulled him quietly to sleep, as did the soft, red glow���

OOC Note: This ask is from like two years ago but time is a construct of which inspiration does not abide by. Anyways, here's some overdue writing.

[typingatlightspeed]

@dizzyahellfire replied: I just want you to know I'm a huge fan of your work on MI on AO3. I'm the same person with a similar name. I'm interested in seeing engineer with Pyro outside of MI. Be it flirting, petting, or just being adorable in general. I'm a a sucker for Texas toast.

TF2 Fanfic - Thunder

When an oncoming storm makes it too dark to work or craft, Engineer takes Pyro out to see the untamed beauty of nature firsthand. Some fluff! I hope you like it, Dizzy! I went with the adorable in general option, lol. Inspired by a bigass storm that rolled in right as I sat down at my laptop to start drumming up ideas. It was so dark in the apartment, and it got the ball rolling. :D

---------

"Holy shit it's so dark," Pyro mused, looking up from the clay figures he'd been making upon realizing he'd been squinting in progressively lower and lower light. A glance at the clock on the wall shocked him. "It's only one-thirty!"

Engineer chuckled at that and cast a look out the window, where the gathering clouds had long since blotted out the sun, shades of charcoal grey covering the sky as far as he could see. The wind had begun picking up, sweeping across the desert and kicking up dust clouds from the dry, cracked earth. Those wouldn't last long, he thought, as the sky seemed fairly pregnant with rain, fit to burst. "Storm's rollin' in, looks like. Good thing, too. We need this rain."

"We always need rain," Pyro replied, sitting up and giggling a bit at the other man's middle-aged commentary. "We live in a desert, silly. Well. Work in one."

"We live here too, just not full time," Engineer offered with a noncommittal shrug. He tapped his pencil's eraser on the drafting table at which he sat, and reached up to turn on the lamp that was clamped to one side. A heavy growl of thunder rumbled in the middle distance, and he tried to remember when the last time he'd done preventative maintenance on the emergency generator was.

"It's home to me. 'Cause you're here." Pyro pressed his gloved hands flat to the floor and pushed his backside up into the air as he unfolded his legs to stand, then straightened up. He stretched backward, arching his back, working the stiffness out of his lower back. He'd been hunched over that clay for longer than he'd thought. "You think the power's gonna hold?"

"Just what I was wonderin', Darlin." Engineer tapped his pencil a few more times before setting it down. He wasn't getting any more drafting done for a while, it seemed. "Maybe I should go head out to the generator shed 'n' double-check 'er 'fore this rain hits." As if to spite him, the moment he'd finished his sentence, Engineer's plan was quickly dashed as the storm broke and the clouds let loose their payload, a deluge of heavy rain pouring down on the desert below. The sound on the old, metal roof of the BLU base was a cacophony, nearly drowning out the rapidly approaching thunder, which grew louder with each consecutive boom. "Welp, nevermind that, I s'pose."

Pyro giggled at that, trundling over to wrap his arms around Engineer's shoulders. "Absolutely. You're staying right here." He tugged his mask up and pressed a kiss to the his temple. "With me."

"Well shoot, I can think of nicer things to do in a thunderstorm than just sit around the workshop. Come on, Darlin'." Hopping off of his stool, Engineer took Pyro by the hand and led him down the hall, out to the side door of the base, to a concrete porch which sat under a cement overhang, shielding them from the downpour. He took a seat against the exterior wall and motioned for Pyro to sit beside him, which the firebug gladly obliged.

The smell of petrichor hung heavily in the air, a metallic scent that almost had a flavour to it. The brutal heat of the desert was drowned in cool humidity, the rain falling in such heavy, fat drops that they pooled and flooded out every flat surface, the soil too dry, too unaccustomed to the concept of moisture to even think to try and absorb it. The sky was so dark it looked like twilight outside, and the rumble of thunder grew louder still. Pyro pulled his mask all of the way off and took a deep breath, relishing the breeze on his face.

"When I was a boy, whenever there was a thunder storm, me and my granddaddy would sit on the porch and watch the storm roll in," Engineer mused, wrapping his arm around Pyro. "See the lightnin' leap from cloud to cloud, hear the thunder growlin' like a bear in the distance. Then when it got real close, it'd crack so loud, you could feel it in your chest like a punch to the sternum."

The thunder's rumbling turned into roars, and both men could tell the worst of it was approaching. Occasional gusts brought rain to spatter them, but they stayed mostly dry in their little alcove.

Pyro leaned into Engineer, smiling wide. "You never told me that."

"I'm tellin' you now," Engineer replied softly, gently, reaching to scratch at the nape of Pyro's neck.

"Yeah, but you don't talk much about your childhood."

"Weren't a whole lot of it that was good. When you're born with a legacy weighin' you down, there ain't much time for makin' happy memories 'n' gettin' all wistful."

"But your granddaddy made time to watch the storms with you."

Engineer pointed to the sky, lightning beginning to shock between clouds, short purple streaks flashing amid the grey. Pyro giggled excitedly to see it. "That he did. Said he used to watch storms with his mama when he was a boy. On top of that, he wanted to make sure I understood that no matter how much we tame nature, it's still wild 'n' beautiful 'n' more powerful'n we can comprehend. Put the awe of it into me."

"Sort of like fire, that way." Pyro tilted up to press a kiss to Engineer's jaw, lips on stubble.

"I s'pose so." Engineer smiled.

An easy silence fell between them, the patter of the rain and grumbling of thunder soothing both men as they relaxed on the porch, arms around one another. Pyro pressed himself against the shorter man's side so hard he might as well meld into him, half-laying on him, and Engineer couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be.

When lightning streaked out of the sky to strike the ground a ways off, both men let out a quiet, "ooh," at the sight. They broke into grins at their mutual reaction, only to be cowed a bit when the thunder crashed a moment later. They returned to placidly watching the storm, another bolt of lightning in the distance gaining another soft sound of appreciation from Engineer.

Pyro began to shake with gentle laughter.

"What's got you gigglin'?"

"You."

"Me? What for?"

"Mr. Practical Problems over here. Sure, okay."

Engineer lifted an eyebrow, a bit confused by the sudden almost-insult. "And what d'you mean by that?"

"When that guy interviewed you, you said you weren't the guy to answer questions like, 'what is beauty?' And yet here you are, taking me by the hand and leading me out here to bask in the raw power of nature, holding each other in awe of it. Told me a story about one of the rare nice things about your childhood. But you can't answer, 'what is beauty?' Yeah, sure, maybe not with words," Pyro explained, waving the arm not currently squeezing his lover close to him as he spoke, gesticulating vaguely. He looked to Engineer, smiling up at him in a way that made the other man's heart melt. "Instead, you just show me."

"Aw, shoot." Engineer hugged Pyro close, dipping down to kiss him. Their soft, giddy laughter puffed between them even as their lips parted and tongues began to tangle. Until a particularly close bolt of lightning and near-immediate peal of thunder startled them out of it.

Pyro looked to the now-burning post of the perimeter fence that had been struck and back to Engineer. "Should we...?"

"Yeah, we should probably git inside, that's too close even for me."

[affordablelightingusa]

Transform Your Home with Elegant and Affordable Light Fixtures

Lighting boosts the ambiance and functionality of any home. It also lifts mood, underscores décor, and creates a welcoming atmosphere. However, upgrading your home with grand lighting fixtures doesn't have to come with a hefty price tag. Plenty of affordable light fixtures blend style and functionality. Thus, allowing you to transform your living space without overspending. Here's how you can achieve the perfect balance of elegance and affordability when selecting light fixtures for various areas of your home.

1. Living Room Lighting

Family and guests gather in the living room, so lighting should create a cozy yet stylish environment. Floor lamps and chandeliers are popular choices for living room lighting.

You don't need a high-end designer piece to make a decor statement. A well-chosen, affordable chandelier or a sleek modern floor lamp can provide the same level of grace. Look for fixtures that offer dimmable options to set the mood depending on the time of day or occasion.

Try a multi-arm chandelier with vintage bulbs or an LED floor lamp with adaptable brightness for chic and affordable light fixtures. These provide fervor and focus to the room without costing a fortune.

2. Kitchen Lighting

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and proper lighting can enhance its functionality and aesthetic. Pendant or under-cabinet lights above the kitchen island can bring elegance and utility to the room.

Affordable pendant lights from brushed metal or clear glass can add a modern and upscale feel to your kitchen. Under-cabinet LED lights are also a great, energy-efficient option that can highlight your countertops while providing practical task lighting.

Don't underestimate the impact of lighting in your kitchen. Opt for affordable light fixtures that blend well with your overall theme, whether a farmhouse look or a sleek, modern design.

3. Bedroom Lighting

Lighting should create a serene and relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom. Bedside lamps, pendant lights, or wall-mounted sconces can provide soft, calming illumination.

Look for affordable bedside table lamps with fabric. Another good option is linen shades, which diffuse light softly throughout the room. Consider plug-in wall sconces if you're aiming for a modern or minimalistic vibe.

These units can save space and add a refined touch to your bedroom décor. Choose affordable light fixtures with flexible heads or dimmable bulbs to give you control over the lighting, whether you're reading a book or relaxing after a long day.

4. Bathroom Lighting

The bathroom requires a combination of functional and stylish lighting. Vanity lights above or beside the mirror are essential for grooming and applying makeup. While overhead fixtures provide general illumination.

Opt for sleek, chrome-finished vanity lights or retro-style globe lights to create a high-end look on a budget. Reasonable LED vanity fixtures can give your bathroom a lavish feel. Plus, you don’t need to break the bank and save energy.

Additionally, consider incorporating small, recessed, affordable light fixtures in the ceiling. You can also install them above your shower to bring a subtle, spa-like glow to your bathroom.

5. Dining Room Lighting

The dining room is perfect for showcasing an elegant chandelier or statement light fixture. A stylish yet affordable chandelier can serve as the room's centerpiece, drawing attention to the dining table.

For budget-conscious shoppers, drum-style chandeliers or linear pendant lights offer elegance and affordability. These affordable light fixtures come in various materials and designs that match your dining room theme.

You can pick from modern, rustic, or classic. Opt for fixtures that allow dimming to set the right ambiance for intimate dinners or festive gatherings.

6. Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting boosts curb appeal and enhances safety. Affordable light fixtures can transform outdoor spaces into cozy and inviting areas. Wall sconces, string lights, and LED floodlights are popular choices.

For front porch lighting, look for inexpensive lantern-style sconces or LED wall-mounted lights that offer style and durability. Pathway or solar-powered string lights are budget-friendly options for decorating your garden or walkway, adding charm to your outdoor landscape.

7. Energy-Efficient Lighting

LED bulbs and fixtures are cost-effective and environmentally friendly. These fixtures can last significantly longer than traditional bulbs and reduce electricity bills.

For an elegant and affordable option, look for LED ceiling lights or affordable light fixtures with energy-saving bulbs. They come in sleek modern pieces to classic styles, ensuring you don't compromise on aesthetics while staying within budget.

Conclusion

Budget-friendly lighting fixtures provide an easy way to elevate the elegance and functionality of your home. Whether you're updating your living room, bedroom, or outdoor space, countless affordable options offer style and practicality. From sophisticated chandeliers in the dining room to cozy bedside lamps in the bedroom, lighting can transform any room in your home. The key to achieving an elegant look on a budget is to focus on timeless designs, energy-efficient options, and versatile lighting that can adapt to various moods and settings. Complete Lighting Source is the ultimate online store to purchase high-quality and affordable lighting fixtures. Explore and shop now to enhance the beauty and comfort of your home while keeping your wallet happy.