A vintage industrial pendant resembling the Altamont Pendant, hangs in a renovated kitchen which was recently featured in a Boston house tour on Apartment Therapy.

Like much of the pendant lighting sold at Barn Light Electric, the Altamont’s style was inspired by traditional, vintage lighting designs of the 1930′s and 40′s. Its stylish functionality aids in any restoration or remodel project.

As you can see in the photos today, the  rustic furniture combines with the vintage lighting and accessories in James and Donna’s kitchen.  Noticable “Million Dollar Red” paint from Benjamin Moore, is as vibrant as the Chelsea art galleries and backwoods Maine cabins that inspired Donna’s designs.

James and Donna have managed no small feat: to make a high-ceilinged loft space feel cozy and inviting. They’ve successfully created intimately-scaled, discrete zones within a large open space. Even though the zones stand strong on their own accord, they also play so well together, united by a perimeter of amazing artwork. – Apartment Therapy

Pricing on the Altamont Pendant begins at $294.00 and is available in three historic finishes: Old Bronze, Polished Nickel, and Satin Nickel. Like many of the our vintage style and barn pendants, The Altamont was designed with the same shade styles and characteristics of General Electric’s original X-Ray Reflectors and Lobay Industrial Reflectors, which were initially produced in the 1940′s. These pendants featured many of the same characteristics as the ones offered today. Distinctive features include: deep bowl shades, ribbed glass, an upper metal neck, and three wire-like pieces connecting the shade base to the neck.

The popularity of vintage style lighting is on the rise, with many of the sought after designs available for purchase at Barn Light Electric. Ceiling lighting is not only for use in kitchens but are also commonly placed within entryways, dining rooms and within commercial/ retail shops and dressing rooms.

Top Photos Courtesy of This Old House
Products Shown Above L to R:
Benjamin Polly 2-Light Porcelain Stem Mount Pendant, White Shades, $375.00
Barn Light OB Shallow Bowl Pendant, Small, Powder Coat Rust, $219.00
Barn Light Saddlebred Pendant, Black, $165.00

The photos today come courtesy of a recent feature on This Old House online. From what started as a stripped down, bare bones (and barely decorated) kitchen, soon received an extreme transformation by its owners in Philadelphia. As with many older Rowhouses, the rooms had been separated by numerous walls, not allowing much open space for entertaining or larger families. Wanting to incorporate as many original and natural elements as they could (like a built in hutch), the owners found matching cabinet doors and utilized reclaimed fir as the center island counter top. Stainless steel appliances pair with patterned cement floor tiles and vintage lighting to complete the room – ultimately providing ‘period charm with contemporary function.

If you’re intrigued by today’s feature, and wish to incorporate similar lighting elements into your kitchen or dining room, be sure to check out the lighting featured above. Most homes have limited ceiling junction boxes, and it’s not always an easy task to install new ones – that’s why the Benjamin Polly 2-Light Porcelain Stem Mount Pendant is perfect for placing above kitchen islands, dining room tables, or other areas where larger chandeliers won’t work. Two porcelain enamel shades branch off from one stem mount, ultimately offering double your overall light without taking up a large amount of overhead space. The clean, crisp white shade brings both industrial and country styles into your home.

Next, in the distance you will notice a small black, flush mount light. For a similar look, consider an OB Shallow Bowl Pendant or a Saddlebred Pendant. The OB Shallow Bowl Pendant stays tight to the ceiling and out of the way, while the Saddlebred Pendant can be cord hung – letting you to adjust the pendant height before installation, or allowing you to swag the fixture when overhead junction boxes are not centered above your table. These charming pendants can be customized in numerous finishes and sizes so that you can bring the perfect light into your home.

Whether you’re looking to update parts of  your kitchen or you’re going for a total demo, try putting together a Style Guide of photos before making purchases. Today you’ll see our version of a simple 1950′s Retro Country Kitchen. You might already have similar cupboards and counters so with a few accessories, this look can be a breeze for you! Have a theme in mind? We went with chickens as you can tell – first inspired by an amazing print we found on Etsy. Turquoise was a very popular color back in the day and to bring in more of that color, we found a DIY project on Decorology that takes ordinary galvanized canisters, and with a little paint, they were able to create these fabulous pieces.

Naturally we were able to tie in a couple of our barn lights for uses above counters or kitchen tables. We chose two of our favorites, the 12″ Barn Light Vented Warehouse Pendant in 97-Red and a 12″ Galvanized Radial Wave Pendant with the Wire Guard and Ribbed Glass option. Both are able to bring in a splash of color with their unique retro country feel. We finished off our Style Guide with some small accents with another wire egg basket from Etsy, and a set of themed dish towels.

Overall our makeover was pretty simple. We tried to not over do it – simple accents with a little country flair can go a long way!

Clockwise:
1.) Turquoise Canisters: DIY Project via Decorology
2.) Barn Light Electric 12″ Vented Warehouse Pendant: $158.00
3.) Etsy Spring Chickens Poster: $13.00
4.) Etsy Vintage Black Wire Basket: $7.99
5.) Barn Light Electric 12″ Radial Wave Pendant: $208.00
6.) Target Room Essentials Rooster Kitchen Towels 5-pc Set: $9.99
7.) Custom Cupboards Sterling Raised Panel in Sheep’s Wool: Price depending on kitchen size
8.) Surface Reproductions Sterling Black Granite:  Price depending on kitchen size

Inspired by Victorian Farmhouse and Coastal Bungalow decorating styles, many kitchens employ the traditional elements of these building styles with a slight industrial twist when it comes to lighting.  This incorporation of styles provide a functional and eclectic take on these turn of the century kitchen designs.  Ideally suited for this incorporation of larger RLM warehouse pendants, the high ceilings of these two building styles allow for the perfect framing for your pendant to stand out as the centerpiece above your kitchen island.

With an increased interest in the incorporation of industrial pendant lighting in the Victorian and Coastal kitchen styles, an emphasis placed on the use of classic Benjamin or Crouse Hinds porcelain RLM warehouse pendants.  As supply shrinks due to this resurgence of this beloved lighting design, other alternatives for vintage pendant lighting has arose.  This increase has caused many home remodelers and interior designers to flex their creative minds and search for more uncommon choices to suit their pendant lighting needs.

As seen in this featured image from the blog of Katy Elliot, this English Country Kitchen maintains its traditional identity with its spacious layout, ample counter space, and simple yet elegant appearance arranged around a center island.  Punctuating this impeccable example of country charm is the use of an uncommon Deep Bowl Pendant with vented spacing above the shade and around the socket.  This modified version of the Deep Bowl was created for functionality, both allowing ample light with an emphasis high performance through its unique vented design that reduced heat and produced additional atmospheric pendant lighting.

Unfortunately this vintage piece of lighting nostalgia is often harder to locate than other RLM porcelain pendants, but if your desire is to recreate this look with a new customizable American made RLM then the Outlaw Pendant will effectively suit your needs.  Borrowing the same traditional shade as the Deep Bowl RLM with a vented space above the shade, the Outlaw Pendant recaptures the performance and unique industrial appearance of this hard to find classic.  Unlike its predecessor, the Outlaw Pendant comes with options for size, finish, and mounting to bring that extra finishing touch to your kitchen project.

Traditional down light pendants provide light through a solid cylindrical shade causing the light to shine straight down, this was a problem for most consumers who were needing more atmospheric lighting.  The solution to this common issue is the Aries Pendant, which turns the traditional Mid-Century shade into a luminous pendant that spreads light throughout the room.  The cylindrical shade will provide a soft glow to light to your kitchen, bar, island, or dining table.  The Aries Pendant is also available in numerous finish options to compliment your traditional or modern style home. This contemporary look remains a popular choice for the discerning consumer who is in the market for a vintage pendant light that has more to offer than generic hanging lamps.

With a name like Barn Light Electric, you wouldn’t think that we would offer a full line of American made sinks and faucets, but we do.  Our Barn Hardware section offers a wide selection of finely crafted kitchen and bath sinks by Rocky Mountain Hardware.  Each sink is available in several finishes with unique designs that set them apart from other sinks on the market.
Complete with a large amount of charm, the Farmhouse Sink is a modern take on a classic farm sink that sits within a notched counter space.  The Farmhouse Sink is a bold solution for an area that is often neglected in the remodeling or new construction of a house.  Drop-in sinks and vessel sinks are a popular choice for consumers that seek a more contemporary look, but desire a high quality alternative to what is offered by the big name home improvement stores.

In rare occasions, lighting designers step outside the box to create a one of a kind light that combines fine art and functionality to produce a standout lighting fixture.  One such light that dares to stretch the limits of traditional lighting is the Domino 5 Light Bar Chandelier.  The modern elements of this chandelier are mixed with vintage styling to offer a unique alternative to ordinary kitchen lighting.  Great attention to detail was paid to the Domino Chandelier, which is evident when you look closely at the smaller elements of this light.  This chandelier is the perfect solution for any kitchen, bar, or dining room that is in need of a focal point to create a modern environment.

History and style go hand-in-hand as the inspiration for the Sugarland Pendant. This pendant is a vintage inspired light with retro style, perfect for your home or restaurant.  With the focus on quality and attention to detail; the Sugarland Pendant showcases multiple finishes, a heavy glass shade, and solid construction.  The classic appearance of the shade allows it to fit any visual setting, regardless if the kitchen setting is traditional or minimalistic.

If your kitchen is lacking abundant light or style than the Sugarland Pendant is a light fixture that will breathe new life into your surroundings.

There are several factors to keep in mind when deciding on a kitchen pendant.  The typical concerns on size, finish, and the overall appearance are very important to consider because the last thing you want is a light that disrupts the visual flow of your kitchen.  These factors considered, the Byron Pendant is one of the best pendants on the market.  This versatile light has a subtle design that does not detract from areas of your kitchen that you might want to showcase more of.  The unmatched quality and attention to detail stands out on the Byron Pendant.  It’s paired with a milk glass shade and light cover, allowing a soft glow to surround the pendant as light projects over your bar or island.  The matching metal ring at the base of the shade adds to the complete feel of the light bringing the pendant together in perfect design harmony.  This vintage light will provide you with that much needed classic look that you have been searching for.

It’s not often that you can take a chandelier, place it in any setting, and have it fit with any décor in your dining room.  The Williamsburg Chandelier’s design is so unique that it easily fits in with a multitude of settings, due in large part to its classic form and borrowed styling cues.  The Williamsburg Chandelier is a standout product from the vintage inspired lighting collection, this product line is devoted to providing genre specific lighting in various finishes and configurations to create a perfect solution for our customers.  Available in three finishes and two sizes, the Williamsburg Chandelier is customizable to adapt to any specific period or room size.  Each arm of the candelabra is topped with a cylindrical shade offering a modern sophistication to its traditional charm.  This is the perfect chandelier if you’re in need of a distinct centerpiece for your dinning room, but can’t find one that bridges the gap between transitional periods.