Mid Century
(13)Mid century style comes from the design of the 1950s and 1960s, and it is still easy to live with because it was made for real homes.
Mid Century
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About Mid Century
Mid Century Lighting With Sputniks, Globes and Walnut
Mid century style comes from the design of the 1950s and 1960s, and it is still easy to live with because it was made for real homes. The shapes are the giveaway: sputnik chandeliers with arms reaching in every direction, glass globes and mushroom domes, and cone shades on slim swing arms. Materials are warm walnut and ash wood, brass and gold tone metal, black iron and glass. The light is soft and friendly, spread through glass or bounced off a shade rather than aimed hard at a surface. Our collection covers sputnik chandeliers in flush, spiral, branch and linear forms, a tiered glass chandelier with a brass frame, Bauhaus inspired mushroom and donut lamps, a glass ball wall lamp, walnut and iron swing arm sconces, a tall gold floor lamp and a graphic grid wall clock.
Getting the mid century look right
- Let one fixture be the star: A sputnik over the dining table is the most recognizable piece of the style. Keep the other lights simpler around it.
- Bring in wood tones: Walnut or ash on a swing arm sconce ties the lighting to wood furniture and floors.
- Use glass for glow: Mushroom and globe lamps give a diffused, even light that suits a side table or sideboard.
- Add one graphic piece: A bold clock or a strong black and white pattern gives the room a focal point without clutter.
Mixing mid century with other styles
Mid century sits comfortably next to modern furniture because both love simple geometry, and it shares a fondness for wood with Scandinavian rooms. Pair it with a few vintage finds for a collected feel. For more lamps in this spirit, browse our mushroom lamps.
Common Questions About Mid Century
Not if you size it to the table. A common rule is a diameter of about half to two thirds the width of the table. Flush and compact sputniks suit lower ceilings, and our chandelier size guide explains the math in more detail.
Bauhaus came first, in the 1920s, and set out the idea that form should follow function. Mid century designers built on that in the 1950s and 1960s, adding warmer woods, brass and more playful shapes. Pieces from both sit together naturally.
Combine a statement ceiling fixture with lamps at different heights: a globe or mushroom lamp on a side table, a floor lamp beside a chair and perhaps a swing arm sconce for reading. Warm white bulbs suit the wood and brass tones.
Bulbs are on show in these designs, so choose ones you are happy to look at. Warm white opal globes give a soft, even look, and clear filament bulbs suit a sputnik where the shape is the point. Stay under the listed wattage.
