Colorful Lighting Choices Add Personality to Renovated Barn Home
When we started our tour of Brooke’s Vermont home three weeks ago, we were smitten with her renovation efforts that brought color and updated style to the converted barn. If you missed that post, be sure to check it out here.
Today, we’re continuing our walk through the interior which starts at the front door where the entryway soars all the way to the third level. Brooke needed lighting that could illuminate the large space and bring color to the dark wood walls and ceiling.
“The original chandelier in the house was a wagon wheel light which I thought looked more western than farmhouse,” Brooke says. “It was also made from wood so it just blended into the surrounding barn board.” She chose our classic Original™ Warehouse Pendant Light to add the farmhouse style she loves. Brooke customized three of these pendants in the largest shade size available — a generous 28″ — then added our creamy Jadite porcelain enamel finish and black cloth cords.
“As I was walking across the bridge one day, I looked down and realized we could do a row of three warehouse pendants that would fill the space perfectly,” she explains. “You can see them from all three levels and the color and texture is beautiful.”
In another area of the living space, Brooke created an office for her kids who, like so many, adapted to remote learning last year. She highlighted the desk with two playful Pollock No. 2 Pendants. These pendants are truly one-of-a-kind thanks to the hand-dripped porcelain enamel glass on the shade.
“When I saw these Pollock Pendants on the website, I knew I had to have them,” Brooke notes. “The 10″ shades are just the right size for the space, and I really love the look of the black cords. To me, the color and design suggest this is an area for creative thinking.”
The nearby guest bedroom also gets a dose of farmhouse style from a Primary Schoolhouse Flush Mount Light. Brooke customized this fixture with a large opaque glass and a Charcoal Granite fitter.
“I was looking for something simple, yet elegant, with good clearance and farmhouse style. This checked all the boxes,” she says. “I like the vintage look of the glass, and the Charcoal Granite fitter seemed softer than Black.”
Heading up the stairs, the walk is highlighted by a Union Pendant Light which replaced what Brooke describes as a “boring recessed light.” The fixture is customized with a 14″ shade, Navy finish, and Black cotton cord.
“We removed the carpet from the stairs, refinished them, and painted the treads,” Brooke explains. “We painted them Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. The finish on the shade and the gray walls look great with the treads. And I like the vintage look of the cotton cord.”
One of the family’s favorite spaces in the house is the game room on the third floor. But the lighting was inadequate so Brooke searched for an appropriate fixture to illuminate their colorful pool table. She picked out the Original 3-Light Stem Mount Pendant and customized the shades with a Sherbet Orange finish and 48″ stem.
“Curt and I went back and forth on the color of the pool table and the light for a long time!” Brooke says. “The table needed to be re-felted and the walls and floor were all wood tones. We wanted something playful so the best way to add color was in the pool table and the lighting.”
While Brooke’s renovation of the old barn into an updated yet still charming farmhouse has taken many months of work, the family enjoys all of the functional spaces they have created. Be sure to check in later this spring as we finish our tour with a look at the exterior of Brooke’s beautiful home!
Photos courtesy of the homeowner
