Mid century pendant lamps: Modern pendant lighting for your home

Defining the modern pendant lamp

Arguably one of the oldest types of lighting, pendant lights have been around for centuries. However it was during the 1950s and 1960s that a new generation of innovative designers changed the rules and defined modern pendant lighting (with Poul Henningsen’s designs playing a crucial role in this process). These mid century pendant lamps profoundly shaped the understanding of lighting architecture in the following decades, firmly setting the standard with the postulate that functionality of the light and its style should complement each other and thus ensure a unique stylistic, yet at the same time functional and pragmatic appeal.

However, the way that these postulates are given form varies profoundly from one model to the other. From glass pendant lamps with their classic appeal and bright light to contemporary ones in metal and plastic and from copper pendant lamps to rustic, retro and vintage string or wood designs, the diversity of this category of lighting fixtures will ensure that you will find a perfect fit for your modern and stylish home. At the same time, this means that mid century modern pendant lights can easily fit in in countless contemporary interior design styles which is a lasting testament to the timeless elegance of 1950s light design.

Designer pendant lamps

These outstanding mid century modern pendant lights have been designed by some of the biggest names in furniture design and lighting architecture, so they all come with a rich history and unique trademark of the designer who first conceptualized them. The collection of Nelson pendant lamps might be the most well-known, but many other designs also started their life as not more than sketches on drawing boards of some of the most famous designers of the era. With a thing for experiment and innovation, these creators left a rich legacy of diverse models, some of which truly pushed the boundaries at the time they first appeared on the market – with Star pendant lamp, also known as Starburst, and String pendant lamp being just some of the more experimental and avant-garde designs of the period.

Styling with pendant lamps

With their unique elegance and imposing appeal, pendant lamps are high on the list of most impressive decorative lighting solutions and on top of that, they are very easy to use in interior design, similarly to designer floor lamps (which do come with increased mobility as an advantage). Mid century pendant lamps go another step forward with their simple elegance and innovative approach which combines modern pendant lighting solutions with vintage appeal. Just think of copper pendant lamps which can equally well fit both rustic and modern spaces, and we won’t even mention how amazing they are when utilized in the context of industrial design – just take a look at the Gino Sarfatti lamps and chandeliers and you will know what we mean.

Modern and contemporary pendant lights

More modern models of mid century pendant lamps made out of contemporary materials can be just as impressive. Just think of paper-like Nelson pendant lamps or a number of plastic models which are available in a huge variety of colors or the iconic PH Artichoke. Blue and red pendant lamps are some of the more colorful and vivid variants which are in great demand with our customers, while more minimalist solutions in black and white are just as popular for homes decorated in conventional Scandinavian style or modern minimalism.

At the same time, there are many more rustic pendant lamps which perfectly combine the traditional aesthetics of the previous eras with the unique style of mid century modern design. We can mention wood pendant lamps or highly popular string pendant lamps which became almost synonymous with DIY style interior design. All of these different models and design approaches are still equally suited for kitchen lighting, dining room and for your living room, making them highly versatile in terms of both style and use.

Where to buy modern pendant lighting?

Finding stylish and high quality lighting fixture can be a bit challenging, but we hope to make this much easier. We would like to invite you to browse our collection of mid century modern pendant lamps. All of our models are premium-quality reproductions of some of the most iconic designs of the mid century era, originally designed by some of the biggest names in Scandinavian mid century design. With our unique approach to reproductions, we ensure that all of our modern ceiling lamps are indistinguishable from the original, while at the same time retaining their quality and durability, thus ensuring that they will illuminate your homes for many years to come.