Bold Lighting Brightens Condo Remodel in Maine
The condo located at the Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, was all original — straight out of 1982. Ashley took one look at the dark, closed-off spaces with pictures of lions and elephants hanging on the wall and was sold.
“As soon as I walked in, I knew it was the one for us,” she says. “Some might be turned off by it, but I knew exactly how I would remodel the condo to work for our family of seven.”
She and her husband took down walls, rerouted plumbing, and opened the floor plan to have a large, eat-in kitchen, dining, and living area. Ample lighting was a priority.
“The lighting in our previous condo was very limited and it always seemed dark,” Ashley notes. “I always tell my electrician, the more the merrier when it comes to lighting!” And when it comes to lighting, one of her favorite places to shop is Barn Light Electric.
“I am obsessed with Barn Light!” she says. “I love the look and also how rugged the fixtures are. The downlighting really highlights spaces well.” Ashley chose two different fixtures for her renovated kitchen — the Seaside Gooseneck Light to highlight the counter and the Union Pendant Light for over the island.
“This is my second project using Seaside Goosenecks over the counters,” she explains. “I feel like the Seaside adds a slight feminine touch to the kitchen.” These gooseneck lights are customized with 12″ shades, a Delphite Blue porcelain enamel finish, and a contrasting brushed aluminum finish on the G1 straight arm.
As the kitchen was being gutted, the couple found a structural support over the window that could not be removed. But Ashley wanted a light over the sink, so she cut the gooseneck arm into a stem and, voila! A matching Seaside Pendant!
The island is topped by three Union Pendant Lights customized with 12″ shades and the same Delphite Blue finish. With low ceilings in the condo, Ashley chose white cords for her pendants so they would be less prominent.
“I love the rounded lines on the Union,” she notes. “I painted the tongue-and-groove pine ceilings a color called Windy from Benjamin Moore which is super light blue. It really complements the Delphite Blue of the fixtures.”
Every renovation has its trouble spots and, for Ashley, that turned out to be the dining area. It took three tries to find the right table and two tries with different lights.
“I tried a Union 3-Light Stem Mount Pendant, but I knew the second we put it up that, while it was beautiful, it was too long,” she explains. “I couldn’t center the table under the light, and that drove me bonkers!” She turned to one of Barn Light’s newest styles — the Loma Pendant. Ashley customized this deep-bowl pendant with a generous 20″ shade, Delphite Blue finish, and standard white cord.
“I ordered the Loma and hoped for the best,” she says. “The Loma arrived and it is perfect. I wanted a statement light that hangs lower over the table and the Loma is definitely that. It provides lovely intimate light over the table and is perfect for dining or playing a game of cribbage!”
In the nearby living room, Ashley turned to another one of her favorite Barn Light fixtures to accent the wall which is made of exterior clapboards. Two Bowie Wall Sconces, customized with 8″ Galvanized shades, perfectly highlight the wall and show off the texture of the clapboards.
“Since this condo is an open concept, I knew I had to be conscious about what I picked so it would feel cohesive and pulled together,” Ashley says. “The galvanized finish coordinates nicely with the brushed aluminum arms on the goosenecks and stem mount in the kitchen and also with my cabinet and open shelving hardware.”
Ashley notes that her bold and bright lighting brings plenty of comments from neighbors, friends, and family who visit.
“I love how the color gives my condo more personality and sets it apart from other condos here,” Ashley says. “I love the Delphite Blue and would use it again in a second. We are at Sugarloaf every weekend in the winter, and when the sun goes down at 4pm, I never feel like I’m living in the dark!”
Photos courtesy of the homeowner
