Farmhouse Lighting on a Budget
Get all the details on an entire home of farmhouse lighting, all on a budget!Â
I’ve had a lot of questions and emails about all the of farmhouse lighting we put in Old Salt Farm, and I decided it would be easiest to compile all the information in one big post.Â
We kept to a strict budget while building our home, and because building is so expensive in New York, the majority of our money just went to the structure and square footage we needed.  I had basic allowances for everything else–lighting, flooring, cabinetry, etc., and I was determined to not go over.  I’m naturally a bargain shopper anyway, so I took it as a (necessary) challenge to find farmhouse lighting that I loved, but stay within our allowance.  I spent more on a few, less on others, and met my goal. I did find some fabulous lighting fixtures that were way out of my price range, but I knew that I could always save up and change them out later if I still wanted to.  When you’re buying a houseful of lights, budget becomes even more important! Each light was chosen specifically for its space, and I love them all!
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OLD SALT FARM FARMHOUSE LIGHTING SOURCE LIST
- (5) Kitchen/Over Sink
- (7) Kitchen/Island
- (11) Dining Room (in black–this is shown in ROB)
- (1) Mud Room/Laundry Room
- (6) Guest Bath
- (10) Master Bedroom
- (8) Master Bath
- (12) Great Room
- (2) Hall Lights
- (9) Foyer Light
- (7) Stairs Light
- (4) Twin Boys’ Bedroom
- Twin Girls’ Bedroom (similar–the one they have is from our first build, and we saved it!)
- (17) Girl Bedroom
- (16) Boy Bedroom
- (15) Boys’ Bath
- (13) Girls’ Bath
- (14) Outdoor Lighting
- (3) Library
- (10) Piano Room / Formal Dining
The first step to saving money was to purchase lighting on our own.  Custom  builders usually have vendors that they work with for each area of the home–carpet and flooring, countertops, cabinets, lighting, etc.  Typically you go visit that vendor, make your selections, then the vendor bills the builder and the amount goes on your final tab. If you don’t go through the vendor, then you have to purchase the items on your own.  After meeting with them vendor and looking over their prices, and realizing that we weren’t going to be able to find what we really wanted, we decided to go out and purchase our own.  There were a few that we purchased through the lighting company, because we couldn’t beat the price, and it saved me some time and effort in ordering.
Each builder has their own requirements, but after building several times in different states with different builders, that’s pretty normal procedure. It’s a good conversation to have with a builder before you sign on the dotted line, because some may not be as open to it.
I have to say, choosing lighting can be one of the trickiest parts of building, and it definitely  took me the longest out of all the selections I needed to make.  But all the time and effort were worth it–my budget and I are happy! Â
Kierste ~ Thank you so much for sharing the information with me about the ceiling lamp in the photo with your chalkboard:) I found the light & think it will fit perfectly in our family room! Thanks also for sharing the sources of your other lighting … it is a great resource!
You are so welcome!!! So excited you found a light you love! :) xoxo