French Modernist Pendant Light
Early 20th Century French Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Bamboo, Rattan, Cane, Wicker
Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage 1930s Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Bamboo, Rattan, Cane, Wicker
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Antique 1650s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze
Early 2000s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Wrought Iron, Nickel
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Vintage 1950s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Aluminum
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1940s Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Steel
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Vintage 1950s Dutch Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Metal
Vintage 1980s French Post-Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1930s Dutch Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Vintage 1950s Dutch Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Nickel
Vintage 1950s Dutch Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Nickel
Mid-20th Century English Bauhaus Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Lanterns
Bamboo, Cane, Rattan
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1970s Chandeliers and Pendants
Acrylic
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze, Nickel
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Iron
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1970s French Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze, Nickel
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze, Nickel
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Art Glass
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze, Nickel
20th Century French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1930s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Nickel
2010s French Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Ceramic
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
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Finding the Right chandeliers-pendant-lights for You
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 and vintage 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 (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), 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.
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 whimsical — like the work of Beau & Bien’s Sylvie Maréchal, frequently inspired by her dreams — 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.
Read More
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
With a High-Tech Flagship and Cool Collabs, Lladró Is Breaking the Mold for Porcelain Production
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
Christopher Tennant’s Lamps and Dioramas Evoke Sunny Days and Seaside Locales
The former magazine editor blends elements of the Far East and America’s eastern shores, bringing wit and delight to his handmade, upcycled designs.
Paavo Tynell’s Snowflake Chandelier Warms Up Any Room
This circa 1950 piece by the legendary Finnish lighting designer spent the past several decades in a family's home in Michigan.
NASA Parachutes Inspired Lighting Designer Bec Brittain’s New Collection
In "Paraciphers," now on view at Emma Scully Gallery in New York, Brittain introduces works that were more than a decade in the making.
This Handsome Leather Pendant Light Is Crafted Using Saddle-Making Techniques
The Doma by L’Aviva Home nods to Colombia’s equestrian heritage.
Celebrate Spring Year-Round with This Lush Murano-Glass Chandelier
Hand-blown glass makes the Italian fixture glow like dew-covered leaves in the sun.