Mid Century Modern Vintage Lighting: Table Pole and Floor Lamps

One of the most important design elements in a room is lighting. You can have the best furniture, wall and floor coverings money can buy, but if your lighting doesn't enhance them, no one will know. When it comes to decorating, from a Mid Century Danish Modern perspective, there is a universe of lighting options awaiting your decorating ingenuity.

The design and style genius during the Mid Century Modern era of the 50s through the 70s is unparalleled. These decades can lay claim to one talented designer and artist after another. Some of the names that stand out are Ray and Charles Eames, George Nelson, Erin Saarinen, Peter Max, Calder, Salvador Dali. It is almost a crime to even start to list names because there is no way to put one of them over another, or to come close to including everyone of note. They each had their niche and particular impact on society.

Lighting concepts during the 50s, 60s and 70s took on many unusual forms such as the use of fiberglass for lamp shades and lamp shades that had multiple amorphous tiers. Some lamp and shades, especially ones made by designers such as: Fase, Jere Era, Artemide, Modeline, and many others, sell for upwards of $500-$700 today.

One of the things the lamp and light designers of the 20^th century did was - throw away the rule book on what a lamp or light was supposed to look like. They also threw away the rules about the kinds of materials that should be used. In fact, one of the most fun substances to grace the light brigade was spun plastic. This material was used to make large hollow balls which were hung from the ceiling by chains to make swag hanging lights. Some designers didn't feel the colorful spun plastic orbs were enough by themselves so they added chunks of colorful plastic to the orbs. These spun plastic orbs were used as bases for lamps as well as for globes for pole and floor lamps.

Any discussion about Mid Century Modern lighting must include mention that the period is marked by very simple lines and some funky, space-age or atomic looks. Teak wood, glass, plastic, and chrome were staple materials. There is a sense and feel of flow, or organicity, to Mid Century Modern design and it was less formal than the styles that came before it. Scandinavian designers had such an extreme influence on the period. Their genius demonstrated to the world the value of simplicity, functionality, and neutral structures.

The photos accompanying this article run the gamut from fun and funky to, space-age and atomic, to simple and neutral. Check out the links at the end of this article for more information about Mid Century Modern lighting and to see some other examples.