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Known for their durability and distinctive glisten, our iconic porcelain barn lights are hand-crafted from solid steel and coated with multiple layers of this unique material. With various finish colors, accessories, and other customization options, our signature RLM shades become true one-of-a-kinds!

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BLE-C-STU-MIL-LED
High-lumen lighting, essential in commercial buildings, helps large-scale spaces appear welcoming and hospitable. To emit illumination with the mandatory...
$680.00

BLE-CN-MIL-LED
With its industrial aesthetic and powerful technology, the Goalie was meticulously engineered with large commercial spaces in mind. To help these...
$745.00

BLE-S-MIL-LED
Meticulously engineered with performance in mind, the Goalie integrates LED components directly into its structure — a truly ingenious design. The resulting...
$705.00

BLE-G-MIL-LED
To illuminate large commercial facilities, the Goalie outfits a rugged metal shade with state-of-the-art technology. Fully integrated LED components...
$715.00

BLE-S-ST2-SIL-LED
Durable, high-performance lighting is essential in large commercial areas like the breezeways in amphitheaters and arenas. With its modern technology and...
$1,420.00

BLE-C-STU-SIL-LED
Equipped with cutting-edge LED technology, the Scrimmage is a remarkably powerful source of primary lighting. This pendant   performs an essential...
$690.00

BLE-CN-SIL-LED
Powerful, efficient, and innovative: The Scrimmage was designed to brighten large commercial settings. Industrial styles, high-quality materials, and...
$755.00

BLE-S-SIL-LED
As an indoor/outdoor source of primary lighting, the Scrimmage’s innovative design combines durable, high-quality materials and advanced technology....
$715.00

BLE-G-SIL-LED
While the Scrimmage embraces subtle industrial influences, its design is centered on modern technology. An LED driver, integrated directly into the...
$725.00

BLE-CU-FCC
A minimalist look with maximum style, the Conoco embraces sleek, vintage industrial influences into its design. Evocative of the fixtures once found in...
$242.00

BLE-W-SBD-LED
With a sleek industrial look and timeless appearance, the Dominion can elevate any space’s style. Designed with smaller areas in mind, this wall sconce...
$445.00

BLE-W-DBW-LED
Updating a stylish shade with high-efficiency LED technology, the Wilcox’s innovative design equally prioritizes function and style. Integrating these...
$545.00

BLE-W-WHD-LED
With the elevated character of classic RLM shades and the performance of LED technology, the Dino is a functional and decorative addition to indoor and...
$500.00

BLE-W-DCS-LED
Known for its clean modern lines and classic sensibilities, the Sterling offers an eye-catching aesthetic to homes and businesses. By recalling timeless RLM...
$450.00

BLE-W-WHE10-LED
A true meeting of two worlds, the Esso Wall Sconce updates classic styles with innovative LED lighting. This high-performance technology is integrated into...
$430.00

BLE-W-WHB-LED
Manufactured in the United States, this wall sconce is powered by the very latest LED technology. Far more efficient than standard lighting options, this...
$495.00

BLE-W-WHA-LED
A union between efficient technology and vintage fixtures, the Avalon is a common addition to both residential and commercial lighting plans. Thanks to its...
$455.00

BLE-W-WHU-LED
Equally decorative and utilitarian, this wall sconce is a versatile addition to residential and commercial décors. Evocative of classic lights, the Union...
$465.00

BLE-CN-DBW-CGG-LED
Rugged flourishes, state-of-the-art technology, and classic styles combine to create this versatile pendant light. The deep bowl shade is the ideal vessel...
$495.00

BLE-C-DBW-CGG-LED
Modern designers love blending industrial flourishes with softer decorative features. The result is a striking, balanced look. With its sleek deep bowl...
$430.00

BLE-S-DBW-CGG-LED
Often, the fixtures that meet strict energy codes are plain, unassuming, and fade into the background of a décor. By partnering the latest LED technology...
$455.00

BLE-G-DBW-CGG-LED
Classic lighting lives on in the Wilcox. However, integrated LED components reinvent this vintage-inspired design to meet modern standards. This technology...
$465.00

BLE-C-YDM-CGG-LED
While still indebted to vintage fixtures, the Marathon embraces modern technology in its design. Integrated LED components are known for their efficient...
$430.00

BLE-CN-YDM-CGG-LED
Popular in contemporary and traditional settings, the Marathon assumes an eye-catching industrial profile. A classic RLM shade and metal nautical guard are...
$495.00
 

What is Porcelain Enamel? And why’s it used in lighting?

Porcelain enamel is a glass coating used in the manufacturing of innumerable household products. Also referred to as vitreous enamel, porcelain’s appeal primarily centers on its inherent ability to strengthen and protect these items from everyday wear and tear.

Due to its unmatched durability and resiliency, porcelain was an industry standard for historic lighting manufacturers. The shades once installed in factories, warehouses, and agricultural settings were ensconced with layers of porcelain enamel to help them withstand the sometimes taxing conditions they faced in these locations.

What are some aesthetic benefits to porcelain?

Unlike other finishes which can gradually fade with age, porcelain has demonstrated the ability to retain its color even after decades of use. Along with this color retention, porcelain possesses high-gloss properties that beautifully render colors and let the shades glisten in the sunlight.

What is RLM lighting?

Porcelain enamel is most commonly used on traditional RLM lighting shades—that stands for Reflective Luminaire Manufacturer. RLM lights are designed to direct light downward onto floors, sidewalks, and other surfaces, filling homes and businesses with illumination. These lights originated to brighten industrial and outdoor settings, but they eventually found their way into the interior spaces of businesses and homes.

RLM designs have remained consistent throughout the 20th century. Because they feature nostalgic character without feeling outdated or antiquated, RLM lights are still prominently featured in contemporary homes and businesses. As new preferences and styles have emerged, slight variations on these classic designs, like rounded lines and subtle playfulness, let RLM shades remain relevant to modern spaces.

How is porcelain enamel lighting constructed?

Historically, porcelain light fixtures were manufactured exclusively by hand, but eventually mass production replaced this “hands on” approach. However, manufacturers like Barn Light Electric, who revived the art of porcelain enamel lighting in the United States, honor the legacies of traditional lighting companies by producing American made lights and RLM shades by hand.

At Barn Light Electric, the process of creating porcelain enamel lights begins as round disks are stamped out of flat pieces of steel. The steel disks are then spun on a lathe and carefully worked around a mold by hand until it assumes the traditional shape. Holding the shades in their hands let our talented artisans pay meticulous attention to detail as they create each light.

Multiple layers of porcelain enamel are then applied to the shade to give them their distinctive appearance and ingrained durability. To permanently fuse the porcelain and steel together, the shades are fired in an oven capable of reaching temperatures of 1,600 degrees. After that, the shades are outfitted with sockets, mountings, and other customization options and shipped to homes and businesses throughout the country!

What the most common mountings for porcelain light fixtures? Where is porcelain enamel lighting typically installed?

Because porcelain light shades are capable of interior and exterior installation, they’re available with nearly every mounting imaginable. This lets every space embrace the nostalgic look of RLM porcelain lighting.

  • With a look evocative of the fixtures found on classic barns, porcelain gooseneck lights offer a grounded character to contemporary décors. This mounting protects the fixture’s wires, allowing installation in outdoor spaces and high volume commercial settings. Multiple angles of curved gooseneck arms further determine the light’s aesthetic while providing distance from the wall.
  • As pendant lighting, porcelain shades carry a traditional style to the various rooms of homes and businesses. Cord hung porcelain pendants are frequently installed above tables, both in kitchens and restaurants, to give spaces a defining aesthetic and establish its mood. Porcelain pendants with chain mountings function similarly, but with an enhanced industrial character. Because they protect the fixture’s wires, stem mounted pendants can be included in indoor and outdoor locations.
  • Mounted squarely against the wall, porcelain-coated sconces offer RLM styles with a more compact profile. With their wiring tucked away, wall sconces can greet guests outdoors on front porches or carry style into hallways.
  • Porcelain chandeliers unite multiple RLM shades with a single mounting. Used to make a statement in both homes and businesses, these lights function as the eye-catching focal points that define a room’s aesthetic.
  • For lights exclusively for outdoor spaces, porcelain post mount lights contribute security and style to settings like parking lots, public parks, and sidewalks.

With a vast selection of porcelain colors, wire cages and cast guards, and other options, all porcelain lighting can be fully customized to meet any space’s particular needs.

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