Mid-Century Modern Lighting Ideas

Updated: 8/16/2023 | © www.canadalightingexperts.com

Dining room of mid-century modern home shown from the outside, a potted cactus and plan near opening, gray brick exterior, hardwood floors, wood dining set for four with black leather seats and a small serving bowl in the center of the table, white walls with an abstract painting with natural wood frame, wood slatted ceiling with exposed wood joists from which hangs a Lark Millie 83196BK linear chandelier

Much like the “Song that Never Ends” there’s a decorating style created relatively recently that refuses to go the way of the dodo bird. Starting in the mid-to-late 1950’s, a new style evolved that borrowed heavily from the German Bauhaus design movement that came to be called Mid-Century Modern. Mid-century modern homes have stood the test of time because of the simplicity and cleanliness that the style demands – perfect for many of today’s hustle-and-bustle families.

You can spot a mid-century modern piece (or house) from a mile away; they encompass these characteristics:

Minimalist – Focusing on functionality and clean, uncluttered spaces, the mid-century modern home is often very simple with sleek lines. Furniture is frequently created by using simple or metal pin-style legs.
Mixed Materials and Aesthetics – Natural materials (wood, marble, glass or metal) meet man-made materials (plastic, fiberglass, vinyl and Lucite) to create blended mid-century modern pieces.
Combining indoor and outdoor elements – Architecture during the mid-century modern movement spawned design elements where the natural and manmade intertwine to create a flow from the indoors to the outdoors.
Pops of color over natural tones – General tones of the period are neutral (white, wood and black tones) while pops of color (frequently earthy greens to echo the indoor/outdoor mashup, muddy browns, deep clay red, aquamarine or teal, and bright fall oranges or yellows stand out among the subdued natural background.

Here at CanadaLightingExperts, we’ve embraced the mid-century modern aesthetic for decades… and at almost 70 years old the style doesn’t show any signs of going out of style… converts to the movement are created every day. We love showing our customers how mid-century modern fixtures don't just fit in with their décor but become the focal point of any room.

One of our favorite jobs here at CanadaLightingExperts is to inspire you… to cause you to not only say, “that looks interesting…” but to actually get up off the couch and make a change to your room that can transform it from, “Meh” to “Wow” with only changing the lighting. Many of our customers are pleasantly surprised at not just the change in lighting, but a change in feeling that a new mid-century fixture can bring to your home.

Let’s get inspired by some of our favorite mid-century pieces… pick out a few you like the best and see how they transform your space. Let’s take a look…

Kitchen of mid-century modern home with bleached wood plank floor, white waterfall kitchen island with green tile faces, three black metal legged stools with wooden seats, natural oak cabinets with stainless-steel appliances, white waterfall countertop, sink has brass fixtures, backsplash in corner kitchen is the same green tile as the island, open wood shelving above the backsplash, white walls on which are mounted four Quorum Lighting 339-1-80 wall mount lights

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Brass mid-century chic

Keeping with the edict that mid-century modern fixtures should be simple yet interesting, the Quorum Lighting wall or flush mount light is used here as the primary illumination for the work areas in the kitchen. Available in Aged Brass finish (shown), you may also select the Satin Nickel or Polished Nickel options to fit in with your kitchen aesthetic. We focus on the gently sloped base as the outstanding feature of this sconce, qualifying it for your mid-century home.

Eclectic dining room with slate tile floor and inlaid travertine tile center, with natural wood table and two pale green button-tufted upholstered chairs, marble finished sofa table on which sits a book, a large urn-shaped dark gray vase with flowers and a small painting with gold flecked frame, sage green half-wall with white above, large white fireplace, exposed beam ceiling from which hangs a Hinkley Lighting Archer 4766HB chandelier

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Hit the mark

When you’re looking to hit the bullseye on the perfect mid-century chandelier, look no further than the Hinkley Lighting Archer sputnik chandelier. The archer seamlessly combines mixed finishes (Heritage Brass with Black accents as shown here, Satin Black with Brushed Nickel accents, or Brushed Nickel with Brushed bronze accents) to adapt to horizontal or vertical spaces with ease.

Residential entryway with wide plank hardwood flooring, area rug depicting concrete stones, marble mosaic table with brass-rimmed pedestal base and round mosaic top on which sits books, a vase with green branches, a small plate and an urn, white walls, white French doors and white wood ceiling from which is hung a Hinkley Lighting alchemy 20525BK chandelier

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Chemistry class… again…

It’s easy to see that the inspiration for the Hinkley Lighting alchemy globe light chandelier comes from a reminiscence of chemistry class in days gone by, with unique tapered globes that refuse to be ignored by your guests. Select either the Black or Lacquered Brass finish that compliments your home the best and see why the Alchemy is a unique statement piece.

Interior kitchen show with hardwood floors, green cabinets and kitchen island both with white marbled tops, stainless-steel appliances, marble backsplash, white walls leading to a white ceiling from which hangs two Kichler Lighting Calters 5229CGLED pendant lights

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Integrated LED Lighting

Gorgeous pendants with no light bulbs? That’s the beauty of an integrated LED system – on the Kichler Lighting Calters LED pendant light the light is emitted from the center spine and distributed through clear acrylic light-guide panels featuring a dotted pattern for a classic, modern design. The tapered lantern design is available in Champagne Gold finish (shown here) or Black.

Outdoor patio scene with cobblestone pavers, two natural rattan chairs with off-white cushions, a black metal basketweave side table on which sits a potted plant and glass of iced tea, white board and batten walls and two Kichler Lighting 11309BKTLED outdoor wall sconces flanking a white window with green trim

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Coastal Mid-Century Outdoor Lights

Our customers in coastal areas rely on special products built to withstand the elements, and the Kichler Lighting outdoor wall sconce is one of our favorites. This LED outdoor lamp is not only fully wet rated but has been crafted out of Kichler Climates material to withstand saltwater spray and extreme temperatures and should last for years, even if your mid-century modern home isn’t by the beach.

Residential kitchen scene with herringbone-pattern hardwood floors, hunter green kitchen island, three wood stools with wooden swiveling seats, white cabinets with both the cabinet and island countertop being a marbled granite, stainless steel appliances, white walls with a white ceiling from which hang two Hinkley Lighting Aros 46314BLK open frame chandeliers over the island

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Don’t box me in

Showcasing a mid-century modern starburst cluster in a warm brass finish inside of an angular cage in prominent black, the Hinkley Lighting Aros open frame pendant light is a delight to behold. These sophisticated multi-tiered pendants are perfect for filling unique spaces or higher ceilings.

high shot of residential entryway with flowers in a base on a small half-round table with a textured brass rectangular mirror hung on the sage green wall behind it, with arched pathway and white exterior door, arched ceiling painted in green from which a Kichler Lighting Cassadee 52119CH convertible pendant is hung

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Brightly fluid

Pulling double-duty as either a pendant light (as shown here) or as a semi-flush light, the Kichler Lighting Cassadee convertible pendant light uses its gorgeous metalwork to create fluid movement. Show here in a Chrome finish, the Black or Brushed Natural Brass versions are just as dramatic and create an instant eye-magnet for your guests.

Interior modern kitchen with wide wood plank flooring, oversized marble kitchen island with a bowl of oranges on it and sink with black faucet, four chrome steel counter stools with black padded seating, walnut cabinets, high-end stainless-steel appliances, and a white ceiling where four Hinkley Lighting Cedric 30071BK extra small flush mounts are mounted over the island

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Tiny but mighty

With a sleek silhouette sheathed in a lustrous Black finish (also available in Lacquered Brass), the Hinkley Lighting Cedric extra small flush mount is the perfect fit for tight spaces at only 5.25” in diameter. The robust light output emanating through the deluxe etched opal glass creates a calm, cool and collected presence in your mid-century modern kitchen.

Wrap-Up

Mid-century modern homes enjoy brightness, either from that big yellow thing in the sky or from perfectly selected lighting that not only lights up the space but makes the space. Looking at the mid-century modern lighting ideas we’ve show you, it may be hard to nail down exactly which one is perfect for your space.

The value of CanadaLightingExperts being in your corner is phenomenal – nobody has the selection that we do, at the lowest prices on the Internet, and many are in our warehouse ready to ship (when other retailers are out). Trust us to get you the right product on time… every time.

We know you will love your mid-century modern lighting, and we’ve really enjoyed putting these ideas together for you. Remember CanadaLightingExperts, your one stop for all your lighting needs.

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