Chinese Chippendale Chandelier

Like chinoiserie, which had emerged in Europe in the 17th century, antique Chinese Chippendale furniture was an appropriation of Asian design that often distilled it to stereotypes.

Thomas Chippendale published The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director in 1754, and the widespread popularity of the book of furniture designs influenced a new style of furniture named for the English cabinetmaker. Artisans in England, the United States and Europe adapted the work illustrated in its pages. The publication of the pattern book included designs reflecting “Gothic, Chinese and Modern Taste,” with illustrations of “Chinese” chairs and cabinets featuring elaborate hand-carved latticework.

Pagoda-shaped flourishes and wood painted in the “japanned” finish that mimicked lacquer were common on these pieces, as were fretwork patterns on chair backs. The back of a chair is the easiest way to distinguish between Gothic, Rococo and Chinese Chippendale chairs, all of which typically feature broad seats and luxurious upholstery. Chippendale’s designs for “Chinese” chairs tend to favor more clean lines and less ornamentation than the other styles, with cutouts in the rails and the fretwork on the back evoking a European ideal of East Asian design.

Dark woods such as walnut and solid mahogany were commonly used, as were bamboo turnings. Cabinets for imported Chinese ceramics frequently were adorned with glazing bars, while small tea tables were detailed with angular fretwork. The style remained popular through the 18th century and into the decades that followed, even inspiring an entire room at Buckingham Palace.

Find antique Chinese Chippendale dining room chairs, side tables, case pieces and other furniture and decor on 1stDibs.

Chandeliers — simple in form, inspired by candelabras and originally made of wood or iron — first made an appearance in early churches. For those wealthy enough to afford them for their homes in the medieval period, a chandelier's suspended lights likely exuded imminent danger, as lit candles served as the light source for fixtures of the era. Things have thankfully changed since then, and antique chandeliers and pendant lights are popular in many interiors today.

While gas lighting during the late 18th century represented an upgrade for chandeliers — and gas lamps would long inspire Danish architect and pioneering modernist lighting designer Poul Henningsen — it would eventually be replaced with the familiar electric lighting of today.

The key difference between a pendant light and a chandelier is that a pendant incorporates only a single bulb into its design. Don’t mistake this for simplicity, however. An Art Deco–styled homage to Sputnik from Murano glass artisans Giovanni Dalla Fina, with handcrafted decorative elements supported by a chrome frame, is just one stunning example of the elaborate engineering that can be incorporated into every component of a chandelier. (Note: there is more than one lighting fixture that shares its name with the iconic mid-century-era satellite — see Gino Sarfatti’s design too.)

Chandeliers have evolved over time, but their classic elegance has remained unchanged.

Not only will the right chandelier prove impressive in a given room, but it can also offer a certain sense of practicality. These fixtures can easily illuminate an entire space, while their elevated position prevents them from creating glare or straining one’s eyes.

Certain materials, like glass, can complement naturally lit settings without stealing the show. Brass, on the other hand, can introduce an alluring, warm glow. While LEDs have earned a bad reputation for their perceived harsh bluish lights and a loss of brightness over their life span, the right design choices can help harness their lighting potential and create the perfect mood. A careful approach to lighting can transform your room into a peaceful and cozy nook, ideal for napping, reading or working.

For midsize spaces, a wall light or sconce can pull the room together and get the lighting job done. Perforated steel rings underneath five bands of handspun aluminum support a rich diffusion of light within Alvar Aalto's Beehive pendant light, but if you’re looking to brighten a more modest room, perhaps a minimalist solution is what you’re after. The mid-century modern furniture designer Charlotte Perriand devised her CP-1 wall lamps in the 1960s, in which a repositioning of sheet-metal plates can redirect light as needed.

The versatility and variability of these lighting staples mean that, when it comes to finding something like the perfect chandelier, you’ll never be left hanging. From the natural world-inspired designs of the Art Nouveau era to the classic beauty of Paul Ferrante's fixtures, there is a style for every room.

With designs for pendant lights and chandeliers across eras, colors and materials, you’ll never run out of options to explore on 1stDibs — shop a collection today that includes antique Art Deco chandeliers, Stilnovo chandeliers, Baccarat chandeliers and more.