Fagerlund Wall Scones

Many museums, churches and headquarters of large companies house the work of Scandinavian modernist lighting designer Carl Fagerlund. Initially an instructor of illustration, Fagerlund shifted into the world of lighting design during the 1940s with the advantage of having an artist’s eye, and today his vintage table lamps, chandeliers, wall lights and other fixtures enrich dwellings and continue to captivate collectors all over the world.  

During the early 1940s, Fagerlund taught burgeoning artists to draw at Solbacka läroverk, a private boarding school in Sweden that was based on the successful institutions of its type in the United Kingdom. Shortly thereafter, he took a job designing provocative sconces and other wall fixtures of brass and textured glass elements for a manufacturing company in Stockholm called ASEA (Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, or General Swedish Electrical Limited Company). 

Fagerlund is best known, however, for the work he did at Orrefors Glassworks, a legendary glassworks in Småland that garnered worldwide acclaim for its wares after introducing a range of decorative objects and art glass at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in 1925 — the huge design fair that brought global attention to Art Deco. Fagerlund joined Orrefors in 1946 and designed richly intricate mid-century modernist pendants, flush mount lighting, a range of works with Murano glass and other fixtures for more than three decades. 

Fagerlund’s designs can be found in Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, a museum “castle” that was once the private residence of royalty, the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo and the head office for General Motors, U.S.A. in Detroit, Michigan. 

Find vintage Carl Fagerlund flush mount lighting, pendants, serveware and other items on 1stDibs.

From the kitchen to the bedroom and everywhere in between, there is one major part of home decor that you definitely want to master: lighting. It’s no longer merely practical — carefully selected wall lights and sconces can do wonders in establishing mood and highlighting your distinctive personality.

We’re a long way from the candelabra-inspired chandeliers of the medieval era. Lighting designers have been creating and reinventing lighting solutions for eons. Because of the advancements crafted by these venturesome makers, we now have the opportunity to bring unique, customizable lighting solutions into our homes. It’s never been easier to create dramatic bedrooms, cozy kitchen areas and cheerful bars than it is today. Think of an elegant wall sconce as functional as well as a work of art, adding both light and style to your hallways, whimsical kids’ rooms and elsewhere.

When choosing a lighting solution, first determine what your needs are: Will you opt for a moody or a bright feel? The room that will serve as your home office will need adequate lighting — think “the brighter, the better” for this particular setting. For the bedroom, bedside wall lamps with warm-temperature bulbs could be the way to go to induce a sense of calm or intimacy. Try to match the style of the wall light or sconce that you’re installing to the overall design scheme of your room. It’s never “just a light.” You should approach the lighting of a room with a mindset that is one part practical and one part aesthetics-driven.

Let 1stDibs help you set the mood with the right wall lights and sconces for your home. Our collection includes every kind of fixture, from sculptural works by Austrian craftsman J.T. Kalmar to chic industrial-style wall sconces, from adjustable painted aluminum wall lamps designed by Artemide to a wide variety of minimalist mid-century modern masterpieces.