Ovale Sputnik

Born in the northern Italian town of Salò on the sparkling shores of Lake Garda, Fabio Bergomi (b. 1977) was surrounded by beautiful objects from an early age, an upbringing that led to Fabio Ltd.’s elegantly innovative lighting.

The son of antique and vintage dealers, Bergomi would often tag along on visits to workshops and museums. In 1998, after completing his studies in international business management, he opened his first showroom in London, the well-received Rainbow London. A decade later, he opened his eponymous showroom in Palm Springs, California.

Fabio Ltd. may not be a household name, but Bergomi’s bespoke chandeliers, wall lights and other fixtures have been covered by The World of Interiors, Financial Times and British Vogue, and added atmosphere to sets for the FX TV series American Horror Story: Hotel. Bergomi makes his lights the old-fashioned way, combining handcrafted metalwork with the ancient Murano glassmaking techniques of Venice. The union of colorful glass with bronze and chrome gives Fabio Ltd.’s lights a vintage and glamorous feel as if they came from a movie set. One piece with crystal bars on a chrome metal frame is even called the Hollywood floor lamp (and had its star turn on American Horror Story).

The Sputnik chandelier, designed by Bergomi with glass globes on a metal frame, looks like a relic from the space age, while the brass Hive Flush Mount, complete with amethyst handblown bubbles, would fit in Don Draper’s office on the meticulously well-appointed set of Mad Men. Along with these mid-century modern throwbacks are contemporary statements, such as his sleek Uno sconce with a Murano glass shade dotted with bubbles. The right lighting is essential to creating an attractive room, and Fabio Ltd. fixtures bring both style and function to any interior through a sculptural aesthetic and fine craftsmanship.

Find Fabio Ltd. table lamps, lanterns and other lighting on 1stDibs.

Whether burnished or lacquered, antique, new and vintage brass furniture can elevate a room.

From traditional spaces that use brass as an accent — by way of brass dining chairs or brass pendant lights — to contemporary rooms that embrace bold brass decor, there are many ways to incorporate the golden-hued metal.

“I find mixed metals to be a very updated approach, as opposed to the old days, when it was all shiny brass of dulled-out silver tones,” says interior designer Drew McGukin. “I especially love working with brass and blackened steel for added warmth and tonality. To me, aged brass is complementary across many design styles and can trend contemporary or traditional when pushed either way.”

He proves his point in a San Francisco entryway, where a Lindsey Adelman light fixture hangs above a limited-edition table and stools by Kelly Wearstler — also an enthusiast of juxtapositions — all providing bronze accents. The walls were hand-painted by artist Caroline Lizarraga and the ombré stair runner is by DMc.

West Coast designer Catherine Kwong chose a sleek brass and lacquered-parchment credenza by Scala Luxury to fit this San Francisco apartment. “The design of this sideboard is reminiscent of work by French modernist Jean Prouvé. The brass font imbues the space with warmth and the round ‘portholes’ provide an arresting geometric element.”

Find antique, new and vintage brass tables, case pieces and other furnishings now 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 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.