Published 12/15/2023 | ©baileystreethome.com
Since the dawn of time, home decorating styles have come and gone. Occasionally a style is so unique that it has true staying power, becoming a favorite from generation to generation. Mid-century modern style has been with us since the late 1940’s and is just as relevant and glamorous as it was 70 years ago. Starting with an emphasis on Scandinavian design, the Bauhaus-inspired modern movement emphasizes function and simplicity. Get inspired from our modern chandelier guide while we share some tips on what to look for before you buy so you can get the perfect modern chandelier for your home.
At its core, modern design is simple and frequently leans on symmetry to provide a pleasing aesthetic. Modernist chandeliers prefer natural textures like leather, wood and metal that are shaped into smooth curves, stepping out of the spotlight, and allowing other features in your room to standout. Today many homeowners prefer a touch of the modern look, mixed in with another style they love to create a modern hybrid that is perfect for them.
Where modern design doffs its cap with a nod to the past, contemporary design is all about living in the moment… is what’s stylish right now. In rare instances, you can have the best of both worlds by selecting items that have both style elements in them, perfect in either a modern or contemporary setting. Today’s homeowner doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into a specific style, and combining styles provides the flexibility they’re looking for.
Originating in the age of machination (the 1920’s to 1950’s), the Scandinavian-derived design lives by the mantra “form follows function.” Everything should have a practical purpose, and designing lighting for modern styled homes means the design follows the intended purpose.
The strong geometric lines on the Bailey Street Home 218-BEL-2513153 chandelier and six clustered lamps/bulbs gives a feeling of directness; a no-nonsense chandelier doing its job. Available in finishes of Antique Brass (shown here), Black, Bronze or Brushed Nickel, finding the right color to match your decor is a breeze. The classic lines and simple finishes and lack of ornate details makes this one of our favorite modern chandelier ideas.
In the middle of the twentieth century, the post-World War II environment was rife for a whole new design style that would marry the newly developed technology (and mass production) with a decidedly optimistic view of the future. Mid-century modern design evolved, rooted in functionality and simplicity using clean lines to echo the world at the time. At the core of the home of the time was the nuclear family, where function and maintaining the family unit were paramount values… and the furnishings of the home had the same no-nonsense sensibility.
Mid-Century Modern style is more than just glass globes at the end of sticks… but that’s not all Mid-Century has to offer. Take the classic white linen drum shade, encircle it with a simple geometric overlay pattern and you’ll see why the Bailey Street Home 147-BEL-4187458 is one of our favorite modern chandelier ideas. We’re partial to the classic gold finish shown here, though the Black or Satin Nickel finishes are just as stunning.
Here’s one of those “jumbo shrimp” situations… the whole point of modern design is simple without any glitzy ornamentation and the whole point of glam is over-the-top ornamentation defined by excess and elegance, so how do you combine the two? Using the luxurious materials and high contrast defined by glam fused to the simpler design and function-oriented purposefulness of a true modern design to create a funky masterpiece that is both sophisticated and simple.
The Bailey Street Home 147-BEL-1903821 chandelier has traits from both modern and glamourous design styles. Modern is all about function: a solid hoop design around a six-light chandelier in a rich Espresso color (also comes in flashy Chrome) while glam contributes delicate dangling glass columns and teardrop-shaped glass bead accents. This unusual marriage has produced an amazing fixture right at home in your modern glam décor.
Some people will tell you that if a light fixture doesn’t fit in any of the other main categories, then it’s transitional. Truth is that transitional style marries contemporary and traditional finishes, materials and designs to come up with an overall theme that is more relaxed than traditional and less avant-garde than contemporary. What emerges is a hodge-podge style that has both straight lines and sumptuous curves, all in neutral or softly downplayed hues. Transitional spaces hold comfort as the key to happiness, with ample and welcoming seating and spritely accessories giving off an overall cheerful tone.
The homeowners have picked the Bailey Street Home Carisbrooke Alley 183-BEL-3400831 pendants to enliven their kitchen environment, and with good reason. With a soft Satin Nickel finish, the geometric lines provide a softly dramatic outline for this 3-light pendant. Alone over a small table or hung in sets over a large kitchen island, the Carisbrooke Alley pendant is the epitome of a modern transitional chandelier.
The fact that the word “tradition” kicks off the phrase “traditional style” isn’t lost on us. Look back through decades, scores and even centuries and you’ll find the same look that traditional homes covet today. Current designers take “traditional” to a new level with the addition of bolder colors, contemporary pieces and vintage furniture and décor to create a style that many call New Traditional (and we’re calling Traditional Modern). As a hybrid of traditional and contemporary designs, traditional modern homes feature designs of the past, often with fewer fine ornamental details.
Modern traditional chandeliers may take the infrastructure design from the traditional world and merge it with classic modern lams or shades. In the Bailey Street Home 218-BEL-614549 chandelier we see the two-tiered curving arms of a traditional fixture, wrapped in a subtle brush nickel finish and culminating with tall columned fabric off-white shades of a modern piece.
Industrial style is known for exposed brick walls and massive, steel-paned windows that became all the rage. You’ll find repurposed pipes and exposed ductwork (typically hidden, but for industrial style lovers they all must be exposed). Here, more than any other style aesthetic, it’s all about the function. If you get right down to it, industrial style is about taking something old (or looks like something old), recycled, vintage or commercial and giving it a chance to shine once again without losing any of its character.
Modern industrial chandeliers take that laser focus on function and put it through a little bit of a prism, allowing the function to shine through while still adding just a touch of added style. The most obvious industrial element of the Bailey Street Home 147-BEL-1903823 chandelier is the black mesh ironwork surrounding the chandelier. The lamps/bulbs shown here are what we would suggest for this gorgeous, polished nickel piece (they’re T6 candelabra base/E12 bulbs) as the tube shape works fantastically with the modern industrial theme.
It’s easy to spot the difference between classic farmhouse décor and modern farmhouse designs. Classic farmhouse uses natural wood everywhere, kitchens have apron-front sinks and gingham… lots of gingham. Modern farmhouse style holds on to the traditional farmhouse sensibilities and uses high quality materials to streamline the traditional look (less adornment, less ornate, smoother curves). Colors lean toward neutrals – think of an almost minimalist white space decorated in neutral hues with pops of color from nature, woven materials like rattan, and open shelving.
Check out the curves on the Bailey Street Home 147-BEL-2242790 chandelier. The gentle swoop of the form is pure modern, while the farmhouse tall candle covers provide all the function you’ll need. Whether you prefer the farmhouse classic Pewter finish or a Olde Bronze, it’s all about those curves bringing you form with function.
You might think that coastal design is all about the sea… and you’d be right. Pairing watery hues and natural textures (like wicker, driftwood and rope or jute) and toss in a few nautical touches (like seahorses, oars, shells, or grandpa’s helmeted diver’s suit) will lock in the theme for all to see. As far as colors go, if coastal tops your list of modern chandelier ideas you’ll want to echo what you see by the ocean – sand colors (tans), sun colors (yellows and oranges) and water and sky colors (various shades of blue). Modern coastal takes these design elements and softens them a bit, again removing ornate details and rounding out any sharp lines.
Here our craftsmen turned to gloss white to cover the dome of the Bailey Street Home 147-Bel-3329960 pendant/chandelier, keeping with the neutral theme in modern design. By smoothly rounding the support and encircling brushed nickel rings that encircle the clear ribbed glass, this gorgeous piece serves both the coastal and modern motifs, making it the perfect modern coastal chandelier.
The modern movement borrowed heavily from the Scandinavian design so prevalent at the time. Many of us think that Scandinavian design only comes from Ikea… but it’s been around for much longer. Starting with a minimalist design, you can count on white walls, modern furniture, and wood floors, Scandinavian design takes minimalism, functional design, and the neutral tones of modern style to create a clean, cozy, and bright aesthetic that just makes you think of glaciers.
Modern Scandinavian design continues to honor the clean, functional look with a bit less minimalism and a bit more color. At its base, the warm brass finish of the Bailey Street Home 159-BEL-2893920 chandelier brings an unexpected warmth to this glass beauty. Each arm sports two lamps/bulbs, providing perfectly clean light (focus on function, remember) through the clear glass panels on each arm.
We’ve looked at ten of our favorite types of modern chandeliers, all just a touch different than the next… which one seems to fit your aesthetic the best? Head back to review that section and click the link to look at the options we have available in your favorite modern style. Oh, and did we remind you that when you shop at Bailey Street Home you get the best price because don’t have to pay any middlemen… factory direct pricing means you get the most amazing price around!
