Molecular Chandelier
Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Steel
Late 20th Century European Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary South African Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Rope, Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Gold, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Gold, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary South African Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Rope
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Brass
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Brass
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opaline Glass
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Metal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Metal, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary South African Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Rope
Vintage 1950s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Blown Glass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Blown Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Blown Glass
Vintage 1960s Austrian Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary European Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers an...
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary European Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers an...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
2010s Russian Organic Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
2010s Russian Organic Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
2010s Russian Organic Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary European Flush Mount
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Plastic
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern More Lighting
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers ...
Steel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers ...
Steel, Brass
2010s Dutch Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
2010s Dutch Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers ...
Brass, Aluminum
2010s Dutch Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Crystal
2010s Dutch Modern Floor Lamps
Crystal
2010s Dutch Modern Floor Lamps
Crystal
Vintage 1960s American Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1960s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1960s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Late 20th Century Swiss Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Vintage 1960s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
20th Century Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Vintage 1960s Swiss Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome, Steel
Vintage 1960s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Brass
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Opal, Brass
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Molecular Chandelier For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Molecular Chandelier?
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.