Best Farmhouse Lighting Tips

Farmhouse style is gaining popularity in the decorating world because of its easy, relaxed style and simple lines. This style reuses old materials, has antique finishes, and interesting bulbs. But, not everyone uses these decor elements correctly. Farmhouse lighting fixtures are one example. These 5 simple tips will help homeowners use this type of lighting to best advantage in their homes.

What is Farmhouse Lighting?

Farmhouse Lighting is a style of lighting that goes well with several styles of decor including cottage, vintage style, country style, or industrial modern style. These lights are often hand-crafted to bring a sense of warmth, character, and sensibility to the interior they are used in. They take the form of pendants, wall sconces, chandeliers, and flush mount lighting fixtures. They can take their inspiration from 1930s barn lights, industrial lights, table lamps, and stovepipes. They use galvanized metal, painted metal, and interesting shades. They may also have exposed wiring or glass shades made of mason jars or hand-blown glass.

 5 Tips For matching Farmhouse Lighting to   the Home Decor

1. Decide What the Purpose of the Lighting Is. It is important to decide what you want from a lighting fixture before purchasing one. Is this fixture for the atmosphere? Is it going to be the main light for a room? A homeowner must choose different lighting fixtures for a bathroom or bedroom than for kitchen lighting or the light in a hallway. If a person is planning on hanging farmhouse lights in a group of three, they will need to be smaller than a light hanging alone. A dining room chandelier will need to provide pleasant light for people all around a table eating without being harsh.
2. Match the lighting fixtures to the Room size because a tiny hanging pendant light will not provide enough light for a whole living room. Large spaces need more light to reach every corner, so a larger light or a group of lights may be needed. A long hallway or an outside porch wall may do well with multiple sconce lights placed equidistant from each other for an even wash of light. Areas like kitchen islands may do well with a group of pendants hung in a row or from a common long wood box. There are charts that show how much light is needed for a given number of square feet in a room.
3. Choose the best location for the light. The middle of the ceiling is not always the best location for a ceiling hung fixture. There are farmhouse light fixtures to provide light wherever it is needed so lighting can be located on a ceiling, on a wall, or as a table lamp. Some lights need to face down on work surfaces while others are better with lights facing up like with a chandelier in a dining room. There are rooms that should have more than one ceiling light.
4. Match the light fixture to the room decor and color scheme. As with any type of lighting, farmhouse style lights must coordinate with the other decor features in a room,
5. Farmhouse lights have several features in common and that is what makes them farmhouse style. Look for repurposed materials, antique finishes, bell-shaped pendants, ring chandeliers, Edison bulbs, and simple shades.

Affordable Decor Item

Farmhouse style lighting is an affordable way to add a comfortable style to a home's decor. With a little effort and research, anyone can find the correct lighting to integrate farmhouse style into their home.