Farm House Friday: Lights

A while back I did a post about lights.  I believe lights are often forgotten about in design until you realize you need something to light up the work that's been done.  Often it's the last thing that is addressed in a design, but I believe it should be one of the first things that should be planned out.

I've gained a lot of inspiration from Candice Olsen, she is great at creating lighting plans, and follows the same philosophy about light that I do, "light follows function".  Figure out what functions will take place in your space and design a lighting plan.

Like I said, I discussed the use of light in a design in my previous post about lights, so today I wanted to share some of the lights I have chosen for our little farm house.  I have to share my favorite first, the chandelier that will hang above the dining room table.  I am so excited about this light, it's actually one of the items my husband and I agreed I could splurge on!   Drum roll please…

{Dining Room Chandelier}

Calais Chandelier-Aquamarine

Is it SPECTACULAR or what?  The aquamarine color will compliment the turquoise accents in the kitchen and dining room.  I will also incorporate hues of turquoise in the living room, resulting in a design that is cohesive and flows throughout the house.

A little side bar from lights:

If you are unsure about how to incorporate color into your home design, don't fear there are lots of resources out there.  For some it comes natural, you are able to look at color and know how to incorporate and compliment your designs.  For others, color is scary so you stick to neutrals.  I'm not saying neutrals are bad, because a neutral color scheme is actually very beautiful, but you might want to branch out and try colors, only you don't know where to start.  I've found a great book by Sabrina Soto,  you've seen her on HGTV, Home Design.  Her book walks you through with a layer-by-layer approach to home design and one of the layers is choosing color.  It's a great resource to learn and walk yourself through choosing colors for your home.

{Kitchen Island Light Fixture}

Now, on to more lights for the farm house.  In the kitchen I am just drooling over this fixture that I found online.  It looks like it would cost a pretty penny, but instead of turning away from it, I am motivated to create one for myself for less!  This light fixture will not be installed until my husband has built the kitchen island, but it's always good to plan ahead, especially with electricity.  I'll post how we make it when the time comes, until then salivate over this beautiful, vintage, yet modern light fixture. It's almost like art!

{Master Bedroom}

My next favorite light for the farmhouse will be installed in the master bedroom.  There will be two, each flanking the bed, hanging over the bed side tables.  Typically you will see table lamps for task light beside a bed however, I want to capitalize on surface space and will install sconces.  This will also be a DIY project, if you want to give it a go here is the tutorial I found.  I, somehow, want to incorporate wood into this design.

{Second Bath Pendants}

Next up, second bathroom pendant lights.  That's right, pendant lights in the bathroom. Remember my lighting plan layers light, and accompanying the pendants with recessed lights provides a layering effect which enables you to turn off and on lights as you need them.  One pendant will flank each side of the vanity.

Allen + Roth 7 inch Mini Pendant Light

This is how they will be installed.

{Master Bathroom}

It feels that my luck has run out when I started searching for master bathroom lights.  There is a certain look I like and all the lights are so expensive.  In addition, I haven't found a DIY sconce tutorial that would help solve this problem.

Here is what I am looking for: Four sconces with a chrome finish, fairly large in height, since we have 10 foot ceilings, vintage or retro style all for about $30-$40 each.  My budget might be a little low, but that's what I have to work with and if I can't find them, my second option (one I don't like) will be your typical overhead vanity light.

Like this:

This is the style I like:

So, the jury is still out on what we will install in the master bathroom.

{Entryway light}

I've gone back and forth on what to do here.  Whether or not to put a light fixture in at all or what type of light fixture it should be.  I was torn because honestly nothing popped out at me as this has to be the entryway fixture unless it was expensive.  Then I found this metal globe at a flea market and ding (light bulb lights up over my head) I had an idea for a lighting project.  It would cost 1/3 of what the design retails for and it will be exactly what I want.

Here is what you will need:

Mini Pendant light kit from lowes found here- $38
Metal Globe, I found mine at a flea market- $20
Socket Cover found here.  (This is optional.  I would use it if I opted not to use a light shade)- $5
Light Shade (Can be found at your local home improvement store.  I found one here, its a clear seeded glass shade.) -$10.00

Total: $73

I have not put it together because the house has not been wired, but I will post pictures as I do it.   The pictures below were my inspiration.  Each one costing almost $200!

{Exterior Lights}

The exterior lights were the first fixture I picked.  I found them here and they instantly jumped out at me.  What was even better...the price!  $20 each!  Can't beat that.  I love the style, the finish and they are dark sky lights, meaning they cast light down instead of up in the air therefore the night sky is not littered with artificial light and you can see the stars.

We will have nine of these fixtures on the exterior of the house.

That wraps up the special light fixtures for the house.  They will be layered in with 4 inch and 6 inch recessed lights, along with task lamps, side lamps and floor lamps.

What's your favorite fixture I picked out?  Have any lighting information or favorite light you want to share?

Happy Friday

xoxo,

Alissa