Nothing says “welcome home” better than farmhouse style. Its earthy color scheme, rustic charm, and warm lighting are quintessential cozy. But the best part? You don’t have to live in rural America to enjoy the comforts of a farmhouse style. The natural simplicity is easy to achieve in any home, especially when you have the right pieces to pull it together. Thankfully, farmhouse lighting does just that.

Serving as the focal point in almost every room, farmhouse lighting sets the tone. Don’t let that overwhelm you, though. Choosing the right farmhouse lighting fixtures for your home is simple when you know what features to look for and how to fit them into your space. Follow these five tips:

1) Determine its Duty

The bathroom is for getting ready, the kitchen is for eating and the living room is for entertaining. Each room has its own unique purpose. That’s why it’s important you choose a farmhouse lighting fixture that fits the function of that particular room. Think about where you need the most visibility, and that will often dictate the type of lighting you need.

Types of Farmhouse Lighting

Farmhouse Pendant – ELK Lighting Farmhouse Pendant

Hang these bell-shaped beauties above the kitchen island for direct and focused lighting. The 100-watt incandescent bulbs will surely provide the light you need to slice, dice and mix. If you need to free up your sight lines, simply adjust how far down the pendant hangs. To make sure it fits into your stylish home, the ELK Lighting Farmhouse Pendant comes with an oiled bronze finish and antique pulley-system to provide the aesthetic appeal of a functional farmhouse.

Farmhouse Chandelier – Savoy House Madeliane Chandelier

This prominent fixture works best in your dining room, where it can be a stand-alone design feature and provide the best mood lighting. The Madeliane Chandelier by Savoy House is 31 inches wide with nine candelabra light bulbs that offer just enough light for dining and entertaining around the dinner table. The intricate details in the distressed white wood and dainty glass pendants are complemented by the tough, iron finish for French-inspired farmhouse lighting.

Farmhouse Sconces – Visual Comfort E.F. Chapman Chelsea Ref Wall Sconce

Sconces in the bedroom give you sufficient reading light and free up space on your nightstand. If you’re worried about harsh lighting, the E.F. Chapman Chelsea Ref Wall Sconce is a great solution. The mirrored backing reflects a 60-watt, frosted candelabra light bulb, so you get a soft glow instead of a piercing shine. After all, there’s nothing worse than losing sleep because of a bright light.

Farmhouse Vanity Lighting – Capital Lighting Oneal Bath Vanity Light

Attach these whimsical multi-bulb lights to your vanity mirror to replace Hollywood-style globe lights. A bronze finish on the Capital Lighting Oneal Bath Vanity Light instantly upgrades your bathroom. Meanwhile, their bell-shaped design and filament bulbs are classic farmhouse lighting features that add character and antique charm.

2) Size up Your Space

With their thick wood features, some farmhouse light fixtures are too bulky for your headspace. If you’re trying to light a dining room, for instance, measure the distance between the ceiling and your dining table. A farmhouse pendant should hang down no more than halfway. Also, measure the length of your table. You don’t need a fixture longer or wider than the object you’re trying to light. The overall scale of your farmhouse lighting should match the rest of your furniture and décor.

3) Pick the Right Positioning

Do you need your light bulbs pointing up, down or out? The direction in which light shines is important for every room. In the kitchen, you’ll want a farmhouse pendant that shines directly on top of your counters, so the food you’re prepping is sufficiently lit. This would require downward-facing bulbs. The dining room or kitchen nook, however, is better served by a farmhouse chandelier that shines light upward and creates a softer glow.

4) Consider Your Color Palette

Farmhouse design is characterized by a neutral color palette. You’ll notice lots of earthy tones, including a range of browns, grays, and greens. There are ample options for farmhouse lighting in bronze, cream, matte black and zinc. On the other hand, if your personal style yearns for a pop of color, let your farmhouse lighting lead the way. You can find a few farmhouse pendants available in rustic red or soft blue. Sometimes, even a contrasting copper is enough to offset a wall of white shiplap.

5) Find Those Farmhouse Features

Farmhouse style was originally built on function. Kitchens were open with large islands for food prep, windows scaled floor to ceiling to flood the house with natural light and reclaimed wood was turned into heavy, weather-resistant barn doors. Like anything, though, the style shifted from functional to more fashionable. As a result, modern farmhouse lighting is a mix of old and new elements, which you can quickly identify by a few common features.

Common Features of Farmhouse Lighting

• • Repurposed material – Because of their abundance on the farm, you’ll often find reclaimed wood, galvanized-inspired metal and recycled glass used in farmhouse lighting.

• • Antique finishes – Being old is charming when it comes to farmhouse lighting. That’s why you’ll see weathered metals with a touch of tarnish to finish off the look.

• • Bell-shaped pendants – The big brims of bell-shaped pendants mean you get more light with fewer fixtures – a nod to farmhouse functionality.

• • Ring chandeliers – Perhaps a carryover from early Europe, ring chandeliers are popular in modern farmhouse lighting for their simple design. They, of course, feature candelabra bulbs instead of actual candles.

• Edison bulbs – It seems fitting that the bulb of choice in modern farmhouse lighting is one that sparked a revolution in rural living.

Pull it All Together

Farmhouse design is meant to seem effortless, but that doesn’t mean that little thought goes into every nestled nook and cozy cranny. While you’re picking out open shelving and wide-plank wood floors, don’t forget the impact of farmhouse lighting. You can create a warm, welcoming home with the right fixture as your focal point. Once you’ve determined the room’s function and how much space you have to work with, you can dive deep into the design elements. Simply follow a consistent color palette and look for those key features to create a farmhouse style that’s uniquely yours.