Classic Outdoor Gooseneck Lighting for a Modern NY Farmhouse
When you buy an old house, you just never know what lies beneath the layers of renovations these homes often undergo. After all, styles change as do homeowners’ tastes. The home that Steven and Travis purchased in Ulster County, New York, was built in 1897 and in their efforts to create a more modern farmhouse look, the pair discovered some structural treasures.
Q: When did you purchase this home?
A: We closed on the house in November 2004. The original structure was built in 1897 and received a series of additions through the years. When we were having work done, we came across many original vertical tree trunk beams and original sawmill-cut wide boards. It was really cool to see that there is an old house behind some of the newer structural work.
Q: What attracted you to this home?
A: We were looking for a weekend retreat near New York City and the area in Ulster County features a great, eclectic mix of creatives and professionals from the city, local farm-to-table agriculture, antiques, swimming holes, hiking and outdoor activities. It’s also very convenient to New Paltz, High Falls, Woodstock, and Rhinebeck.
Q: Describe your remodeling efforts.
A: The house has been a 10-year labor of love. We’ve completely redone the kitchen, mudroom, upgraded most of the infrastructure, screened the porches, added an outdoor shower, and done a great deal of landscaping and work on the 17-acre property.
Q: What was your design direction with the lighting? What feel were you going for?
A: We wanted to remain true to the semi-rural aesthetic that’s experienced throughout the local hamlets. Most homes are either stone or traditional farmstead style architecture. The house is somewhat “modern farmhouse” and Barn Light Electric offered a deep selection of options for the exterior lighting.
Q: Why did you choose the Marathon Gooseneck Light and the Union Gooseneck Light for each space?
A: The Maritime Yard Light on the garage is very similar to lights we’ve seen on local barns and its projection from the house provides a great light source. The Universal Gooseneck Lights were great for the porches because they came with the option for a very short arm and the same black powder coat finish as the garage light. The styles work together and the down light they provide achieves good illumination without being overpowering.
Q: Now that your lights are up, what do you like best about them?
A: The quality and care that went into making them is obvious and they are an exact match to our design aesthetic. We installed them ourselves and that was a piece of cake.
Photos courtesy of the homeowner
Cute place. Looks really thoughtful and welcoming. My friends and I are going to explore that area of New York, we heard on the radio that there is an upcoming jazz festival at the Mohonk Mountain House hotel that is featuring some important jazz artists.
Great work! It’s great to have usable, structural treasures like you described. We were lucky in that regard as well. Most of our work ended up taking place outdoors. We sourced many of our items from our local garden center and lumberyard.