Period-Appropriate Barn Lighting for Vermont Restoration Project
If you’re like most people, one look at a barn conjures up images of horses, storage space for yard tools, or perhaps a rustic man cave. Interior designers, however, have an eye to see beyond the ordinary to envision all of the possibilities that a space could be.
In the southwestern corner of Vermont, tucked away in the small town of Dorset, an antique barn and farmhouse recently underwent a dramatic transformation thanks to the talented eye of Mary Jo Gourd, principal designer at MJG Interiors.
“This was a gut renovation of the farmhouse as well as a complete renovation of the barn into a guest house,” Mary Jo says. “We focused on family-friendly materials with a traditional, rustic farmhouse style.”
As Mary Jo specified lighting for the barn project, she considered not only the style of the fixtures, but also looked for finishes and colors that worked with the color scheme of each room. As a long-time customer of Barn Light Electric, she knew where to find quality, American-made lighting to fit perfectly in the renovated building.
Over the entryway, Mary Jo chose the classic Original™ Warehouse Gooseneck Light. She customized this handspun wall light with a 16″ shade, Black finish, and G15 gooseneck arm.
“This fixture works well with the barn and the color plays off the sliding barn doors,” she notes. “The fixture is also large enough to provide a ton of light on dark nights.”
Inside, Mary Jo converted the former loft upstairs into a bunk room. A Laramie Pendant Light, hung from the rafters above, brings illumination into the stairwell and is paired with a Chestnut Wall Sconce installed on the wall above the stairs. The Laramie Pendant is customized with a 16″ shade, Bronze finish, and brown-and-beige chevron twist cord.
“I felt the Laramie Pendant worked well with the new wire we used on the stairs and accented the beams,” Mary Jo explains. “The chevron twist cord is a nod to the modern wire on the stairs.”
The Chestnut Wall Sconce shares the same shape as the Laramie but without the decorative arms on the neck. This wall light is customized with a 12″ shade and a matching Bronze finish.
“The sconce is over the doorway which is a bit tight, but the 12″ shade is the perfect size for this space,” she adds. “I think these two fixtures pair well!”
The cozy bunkroom also boasts a long window seat topped with cushions crafted from Swiss Army blankets. Mary Jo opted for two Primary Schoolhouse Sconces to flank the window seat and provide soft lighting for nighttime reading. These wall sconces are customized with an Oil-Rubbed Bronze finish and double painted bands of Barn Red.
“The oil-rubbed bronze finish works well with all of the natural wood in this space,” Mary Jo says. “The red bands are the pop of color we need to tie in with the bedding and other décor items. The red stripes complement each other in my humble opinion!”
Over the nearby dresser, a compact Bowie Wall Sconce adds just the right touch of light and style. Customized with an 8″ shade and Bronze finish, Mary Jo notes that this fixture works well with all of the other elements in the room.
“We like to mix things up, but still have the fixtures complement each other,” she says. “We love how seamlessly they work with the architecture and design of the space.”
Photos courtesy of MJG Interiors
