my kitchen barn lights

We installed my barn lights and I could not be more thrilled! Yes, I chose barn lights over pendents, to go over my huge island. And I love them even more than I EVER could have imagined!


Why barn lights? Well a month ago I discovered Frugal Farmhouse Design and I fell in love with the barn lights that she installed in her new kitchen on Long Island. You have got to take the time to read her kitchen story. Sooo inspiring. But I was instantly drawn to the barn lights that she found HERE. In fact, that is her kitchen pictured on the site.


You see, I grew up on a farm and we had these same barn lights throughout our barn and hay mow. And well, the Barn Light Electric is now inspiring designers to creatively incorporate them in farmhouses and beach houses. They have that industrial, utilitarian look that I love and well, you know how much I love anything galvanized.


But here's the cool part of the story. OK, so I'm obsessing about them and eventually show them to my friend Nancy when she comes over to see my new kitchen for the first time. Only this time when I bring up the site, they are no longer $25.00 (retail $45.00) like they were a few days before... they were $9.13 per light!! Oh my gosh, I about screamed I was so happy! Because for that price, if I didn't like them, I would use them out on my patio. And thanks to Nancy's encouragement, I ordered the barn lights with the metal guards.
And when Randy installed them a week later, we are blown away by how thick & heavy duty the glass is AND that the lights form the coolest designs on the ceiling from the metal guards! We were ecstatic!


And now on to some thrifty decorating vignettes for your viewing pleasure.
I decided to use these galvanized pots for flatware that I reach for often. I already had the caddy that proved handy for holding the pots. Love when that happens.
And I love listening to radio. Gotta have a kitchen radio. Well, several years ago we found these retro radios on clearance at Kohl's that are also iPod compatible. I love how my radio looks in my new kitchen.


Ok, so this is only a fraction of my PYREX collection. But I love how the glass shelves allow for the light to filter down through the luminous dishes. The rest of my collection will be on display in my laundry room someday. But that's another project for another time.


I found the butter dish, also written in French, at my little thrift store during the remodel. I gotta have my butter dish out, so it may as well look pretty. Then days later I go to a yard sale and find the utensil holder for a dollar... also in French, means enjoyment of life.


My red hutch has an interesting story. Randy's Mamaw Bean bought the buffet over 60 years ago and then when she died in 1978, Randy's parents inherited the piece and years later gave it to us. We eventually found the unfinished top hutch at our JC Penney Outlet store. My very first painting project was painting the two pieces red. I was so nervous, but knew I had found a new passion... painting furniture. The paint was in the oops section at Home Depot for $2.00. All the eclectic knobs & pulls were found on clearance at Target over a period of many years. (check out the spoon handles) I could not have been more pleased with the final results.


I found the three-plate rack at a yard sale years ago but am just now using it for the first time. Our dear friends Gilbert & Shirley gave us the You are Special Today red plate when we moved into our very first home 27 years ago... and I plan to write fun messages on the other two plates with erase markers each time we entertain.


And check out Mrs. McGillicutty's new digs! She is now in the corner of my new kitchen along with my Grandma Steinke's sewing machine. She'll be sporting various aprons I've collected over the years. And just between you & me, I think she likes being out in the spotlight. I can't say I blame her. She's quite the looker.

If you're new to my blog and would like to see the whole kitchen transformation, click HERE.

I'm Linking up to-
~ DO IT YOURSELF DAY
~ METAMORPHOSIS MONDAY
~ TOOT YOUR HORN TUESDAY
~ STRUT YOUR STUFF
~ SHOW AND TELL @ Blue Cricket Design
~ TRANSFORMATION THURSDAY
~ SHOW OFF YOUR STUFF PARTY
~ SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY @ My Romantic Home
~ FRUGAL FRIDAY @ The Shabby Nest
~ FRUGALICIOUS FRIDAY