Decorating With Vintage Lighting Fixtures and Lamps

Vintage lighting fixtures bring an elegant old world touch to your home décor. Unlike the mass produced, utilitarian-looking lighting fixtures that are so common today, vintage lighting fixtures were often crafted works of art. They were beautifully made using etched glass or fine porcelain, hand forged wrought iron or polished metals. They are a great way to set the mood in a room with their distinctive shapes and comfortable lighting.

You can find vintage lamps and lighting fixtures at antique stores or yard sales. Some people throw their old lamps out because the plug or switch is not working anymore. Rewiring a lamp or light fixture can actually be done very easily and inexpensively. Some vintage lamps can be restored to excellent condition just by polishing or painting the stand and base, or replacing the shade.

The following are some examples of vintage lighting fixtures and lamps that you may find to be suitable decorations for your home.

Retro pendant lights:

These lights suspend from the ceiling in simple forms and are great for illuminating casual dining areas and kitchen bars. A wide shallow glass shade with a chrome pole and base is a classic look, or go for more playful shapes and clean lines in mid-century modern style.

Vintage wall sconces:

Wall sconces come in a wide variety of looks depending on the period it was created. Ornate brass fixtures with delicate hanging glass shades have a more antique European feel, while brushed nickel and frosted glass sconces in squared forms are typical of mission style. Art deco wall sconces stand out with their ziggurat, sunburst, or crescent shapes made of aluminum or chrome and glass. Sconces are perfect for accent lighting in the bathroom, bedroom, or living room.

Chandeliers:

Ideal as a dramatic focal point in a room, a chandelier creates an ambience of luxury and sophistication. A vintage French bronze and crystal chandelier welcomes guests in exquisite style when hung in an entryway. A colonial style candle chandelier with elegant curves is a great addition to a formal dining room.

Vintage lanterns:

Vintage lanterns that run on kerosene or are lit by candle are interesting lighting options that can accessorize your room beautifully when displayed on a side table or wall shelf. The warm, flickering light shining through the glass walls highlights the metal trimmings and detail on the lantern.

Vintage flush-mount lighting fixtures:

Mounted on the ceiling, flush-mount lighting fixtures are good for providing ambient light to rooms with low ceilings, like basements, bedrooms or smaller rooms. They are an alternative to contemporary can or recessed lighting. A colonial or craftsman style flush-mount light with a distinctively shaped shade and cast iron base may also work well as a porch light.

Tiffany-style lamps:

Representative of the arts and crafts style, Tiffany table and floor lamps are known for their beautiful stained glass shades. Flower and leaf, dragonfly, and geometric designs are most common. These lamps are ideal for adding bright color and unique vintage elegance to a room.

Alyssa Davis, is a design specialist and writer at Metal-Wall-Art.com, and she offers many suggestions and unique ideas for designing with outdoor metal wall art and metal wall art hangings.

Vintage Lighting Fixtures