Favorite Amazon Modern Farmhouse Light Fixtures

When we were updating our new house, I bought several light fixtures from Amazon that I love, so today I thought I'd share some of my favorites. Most of these we have in our house, but a few are on my wishlist to add soon. I'd classify my decorating style as Modern Farmhouse, so these lights tend to fall in that category. I also decorate on a budget, so all of these lights are very affordable. 

Star Light - I wanted to do a fun light in Finley's room and since she has a Star Wars theme, I thought this star light would be perfect. The black metal ties in with the rest of the house, while adding a little fun for a kid's room.

Three Light Vanity Fixture - This is one of the lights we don't have (yet), but I really want to get this to replace the light in our bathroom. Since we have a black sconce light outside, I want this one to tie the inside and outside together.

Single Bulb Cage Light - I have two of these lights in our house: one in a hallway and one in the entry from the garage. I like the black cage and the fact that you can put fun bulbs in them for more character. And you can't beat the fact that they are only about $20 each!

Flush Mount Light - We have this light in our kitchen, half bath, and playroom. I wanted something simple and inexpensive that still updated the space. The matte black finish ties in perfectly with the other black lights and hardware through our house. 

Rustic Chandelier - My biggest wishlist light right now is this chandelier that I want to put in our dining room. I'm trying to add a few more rustic touches in our house and this chandelier is perfect.

Outdoor Wall Sconce - We replaced the outdoor light by our front door with this one and it made SUCH a big difference. Going from an old gold fixture to this beauty was an easy way to give the exterior a quick update.

Five Bulb Cage Light - This is the light we put in our bedroom and I LOVE it. It's a great statement piece for the room and the fun Edison bulbs help give some extra character.

Outdoor Motion Wall Light - This is another light that is on my wishlist. We have a dusk to dawn motion light over our garage right now and I like the functionality, but hate the look. I spray painted our current one black (it was gold), but I can't wait to eventually update it with this pretty one.

Have you ever ordered lights from Amazon? If so, what are you favorites? If not, where's your favorite place to get light fixtures?

*This post contains affiliate links.*

Recent Amazon Finds

don't know about you, but I love seeing what other people are buying on Amazon and hearing their honest opinions about the items. There are so many great things out there! So today I thought I'd share some of my favorite recent Amazon finds. 

1. Microwave Plate Cover  - I don't know about you, but I hate cleaning my microwave. And if you forget to cover something one time, it's a mess. This plastic, vented cover is the perfect solution! I just leave it the microwave so there is no excuse to not cover your food since it's already there. And you can just throw it in the dishwasher to clean it.

 

2. Strainer - This silicone strainer is flexible so it fits every pot/pan I own. It clips on the side and then you just strain right out of your pot. It's smaller than a big bowl strainer so it takes up less space and it's diswasher safe!

   

3. Charcoal Bags - These odor absorbing bags are AMAZING! I was skeptical, but bought them to try and get the diaper smell out of Finley's room. Even though we have a diaper trash that is really nice, there is always just a "smell" when you walk in her room. I just set this bag on a shelf in her room and literally within a few hours, no more smell! They aren't scented, they just absorb odors. My MIL has one at her house for the playroom because she was having the same problem and it got rid of the smell there too. I also put one in our workout room since our Peloton shoes are in there and it doesn't smell like sweaty feet anymore. Worth every single penny.

4. Shower Curtain Liner - Here's another item that has blown my mind. I used to always purchase the cheap $3 shower curtain liners that I'd replace every couple of months because they'd rip and start to get moldy. This shower curtain is mildew resistant, which again, I was skeptical. But I've had it for 6+ months and not a trace of mildew! And it has metal rings at the top so it doesn't rip. Just look at the reviews: 4.5 stars out of nearly 44,000 reviews says something!

 

5. Gel Window Clings - Finley LOVES these! Like other parents, I was looking for different things to keep her busy during quarantine and came across these. They are gel window clings so they are thick and easy for her to do herself. And we have fun saying the animals and the sounds they make. She loves sticking them on the windows, walls, doors, etc. 

  

I'm thinking about doing some additional Amazon lists of other items I've purchased that are more decor or DIY related if anyone is interested in seeing that?

If you've purchased any great Amazon items lately, let me know! 

*This post contains affiliate links.*

New House Tour: Finley's Room

What better day to share Finley's Star Wars room than May 4th? If you aren't a Star Wars nerd, today is Star Wars day: May the Fourth be with you. Moving on :) Finley's room isn't much different than it was at our old house. We used all of the same decor but her room is laid out a little differently. To start, here's what her room looked like when we bought the house:

The room was the same color blue as painters tape. Literally. It was not going to work for us Here's what we did:

+ painted walls, trim, and closet doors 

+ new light fixture

+ had carpets cleaned

+ added curtain rods and window valences

And here's what it looks like now:

Here's what I still want to do in here:

+ eventually replace the carpet

+ caulk the chair rail and trim

+ paint the door

+ new blinds

I love how bright and girly her room is. And I love that she has a much bigger closet in this house :) 

Sources:

+ Basket for stuffed animals & extra books: Target

+ Curtains: custom made from a sheet set by a family friend

+ Mobile: custom made by Little Bubba

+ Bedsheets: custom made

+ Star Wars prints: Etsy

+ Wookie & Porg air plant holders: Etsy

+ Clay Star Wars figures: custom made by a family friend

+ Death Star Globe: Etsy

+ Star Wars Dreamcatcher: custom made by my sister

+ Dresser/Changing Table: Target

+ Glider w/ ottoman: Target

+ Rug: Target
+ Light: Amazon

+ Bow Holder: Amazon

New House Tour: Master Bedroom

I didn't realize how much our bedroom had changed until I looked back at the pictures from when we bought it. All of the before photos have the old owner's furniture in them. Apparently I was too excited when we got the keys and didn't take any photos of the empty room. Oops.

What we did:

+ had carpets cleaned (hired out)

+ painted walls, trim, and closet doors

+ added curtains

+ added closet organizers in both closets

+ new light fixture

And here's what it looks like now:

What I still want to do:

+ some touch up paint 

+ paint bedroom door black

+ new carpet

+ black metal headboard (I think there's too much cream going on in there right now)

+ add some wall sconces or lamps on our nighstands

I love how much brighter the room is! By adding the closet organizers, not only did we get more hanging space, we were also able to get rid of our dressers, so we don't have a bunch of big furniture in the room, which makes it feel bigger. A couple of side-by-sides for comparison:

Sources:

+ wall color: Wabi-Sabi by Behr

+ rug: Rugs USA (very similar)

+ bedding: Hearth & Hand from Target

+ curtains: DIY from drop cloths

+ curtain rods: Amazon

+ light fixture: Amazon

+ light bulbs: Amazon

+ closet organizers: ClosetMaid from Home Depot

+ closet organizer drawers: ClosetMaid from Home Depot

+ headboard: Wayfair

New House Tour: Finley's Playroom

I'm so thankful that we have an extra bedroom that we can use as Finley's playroom. Somewhere to keep all of her toys contained, because girl has wayyyy too many toys. This is what the room looked like when we bought it:

We haven't done a whole lot in here, just a basic update, but it's definitely brighter and more fun now:

Here's what we did:

+ had the carpet professionally cleaned

+ painted walls and trim

+ painted closet door

+ new light fixture

I haven't done much "decorating" in here, but this canvas poster from Photowall has been the perfect way to add some fun, girly decor to her playroom. I love the size and how playful it is when you see it up close. Photowall has all kinds of really fun wallpaper, posters, and prints. I had a hard time deciding what to get. They have been gracious enough to send me a discount code to share with all of you. Just use code: itsalongstory2020 at checkout to get a 25% discount on any product!

I still have some things I want to do in here:

+ paint the door and hang it back up (eventually)

+ paint and hang some shelves

+ paint my old toy box

+ add more wall decor

+ add area rug

And of course, here's the before & after:

Sources:

+ wall color: Dolphin Fin Grey by Behr (same color I had in our old house)
+ picture ledges for books: Target
+ storage cube: Target
+ stackable wood storage bins: Target
+ curtains: Target
+ growth chart: Cairfully Crafted
+ canvas wall hanging: Photowall