Downward-facing barn lights – which now go by the decidedly sillier ‘gooseneck’ moniker – started life as hardworking industrial fixtures around 1919 before finding a second home on barn doors and farm pathways throughout the 1930s. We don’t know who sketched the silhouette, but it's clear they got it right the first time. Over 100 years later, it remains one of the smartest forms of exterior lighting ever devised.
‘Don’t let the name fool you! Gooseneck barn lights are way cooler than they sound and are skyrocketing to the top of the popularity chain of exterior lighting,’ says fancy-meets-family-friendly designer Lauren Covino-Smith. ‘Believe it or not, they date back as far as the early 1900s when used for barns, factories, and commercial buildings. Doesn’t sound overly sexy, I agree, but how we use gooseneck barn lights today has come a long way!’ She reaches for timeless, but firmly 21st-century finishes: ‘matte black for a pop of contrast against a neutral-toned home, aged brass for a luxurious touch, and copper (with an added plus of patina over time).’
