Georges Pelletier Mirror Circa 1970 France

Those familiar with the work of Belgian ceramic artist Georges Pelletier know there is much more to his unique floor lamps and table lamps than meets the eye. From his stately, intricately detailed Totem floor lamp to his sculptural Owl table lamp, Pelletier’s talent for marrying ceramics with a simple light source to create complex shadow play will transform any interior into an illuminated work of art.

Born in Brussels in 1938, Pelletier developed a passion for ceramics in his youth. At merely 15 years old, Pelletier moved to Paris to study at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers (now called Arts et Métiers ParisTech) before he went on to train in ceramics at the Pioulier School in Vence, France. Among his early instructors were ceramist Raphael Giarrusso and artist Fernand Léger. However, it was while working alongside a collective of potters in Accolay, Burgundy — a studio called Accolay Pottery, established by apprentices to well-known ceramicist Alexandre Kostanda — that he was likely inspired to experiment with cutouts and other carving techniques.

In 1961, Pelletier opened his first workshop in Paris, selling his ceramic lamps at the Saint-Ouen flea market. His works caught the eye of furniture design and manufacturing company Roche Bobois for which he created a series of lighting collections from 1961 to 1973.

In later years, Pelletier’s designs attracted the attention of Mathieu Tournaire, son of Philippe Tournaire, the founder of jewelry manufacturer Maison Tournaire. Charmed by Pelletier’s ceramic works and the playful light shows his fixtures would create in a space, Mathieu proposed a collaboration to develop a series of luminaires that would merge Maison Tournaire’s use of precious metals, such as silver and gold, with Pelletier’s distinct ceramics artistry. The partnership yielded a six-piece collection — three “Sun” luminaires, two floor lamps and a totem pole. Only three copies of each work exist.

In 1973, Pelletier opened a new workshop in Cannes, where he continues to work to this day. His ceramic lighting sculptures are coveted by art collectors worldwide.

On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Georges Pelletier lighting, decorative objects and mirrors.

Vintage and antique wall mirrors add depth and openness to a space — they can help create the illusion that a narrow hallway isn’t so narrow. But you don’t need hundreds of enormous arched French or Italian mirrors framed in gilded bronze to dress up your home (maybe just a few).

A few well-placed large wall mirrors and other types of mirrors can amplify lighting and help showcase the decorative and architectural features of your home. For the Palace of Versailles during the 17th century, French King Louis XIV ordered the construction of the Hall of Mirrors after spending millions of dollars importing expensive Venetian mirrors from the revered glass-blowing factories on the island of Murano. A mirror-manufacturing rivalry between Paris and Venice took shape, and soon, across from 17 large windows that open out over the adjacent Palace Gardens on one side of the Hall, more than 350 mirrors — large mirrors made of groupings of small panes — were installed, effectively bringing the radiant colors of the outdoors into the opulent corridor.

Wall mirrors for your living room can work miracles — pull your landscaping’s colors and textures indoors, Louis XIV–style, by covering the length of an interior wall across from your living-room windows with wall mirrors.

For a similar effect, surrounding your mid-century modern wall mirror with leafy air plants and fern floor plants can amplify the sense of serenity that greenery offers in your home. Choose wall mirror frame styles to match your home’s decor, or shop for a frameless, organically shaped mirror that’s cut or beveled for a clean yet distinctive showpiece. For a free-spirited Bohemian feel, create a cluster of mismatched antique wall mirrors — an arrangement of circular Art Deco wall mirrors, Rococo-style silver leaf mirrors and decorative oval Victorian mirrors could add spice to an otherwise unadorned dining-room wall.

Elsewhere, there’s nothing vain about buying a full-length mirror for your bedroom, bathroom or walk-in closet to help you perfect your look for the day. Another may be needed in your entryway for a last-minute ensemble inspection. In fact, a shimmering 18th-century hall of mirrors awaits visitors behind the steel door of Stephen Cavallo’s atelier in Manhattan.

“We like to see the look on people’s faces when they walk in,” says Cavallo.

Decorating your home and office with wall mirrors is an art form in and of itself — get started today with the variety of antique and vintage wall mirrors on 1stDibs.