Style Guide: Vintage Lighting Ideas

Light fixtures are often overlooked when it comes to a room’s style. Yet they make a big impact on the look and feel of a space. It can be hard to find a perfectly styled piece but here are some vintage lighting ideas that will help you transform your space.

Style Ideas

Color: When it comes to color choice, pastel shaded light fixtures will look great in a vintage styled room. The lighting fixtures themselves don’t even have to be vintage looking, as long as they are pastel. Colors like mint, baby blue, and yellow. A pastel colored paper lantern makes for a whimsical addition to any room (1).

Styles: See if you can find enamelled lights. Barn lights are great for this as you can find enamel pendant and wall lights – in pastel colors. For pendant lighting you have pancake lights seen in the kitchen pictures (2) and (3). On the walls you have gooseneck lights seen in the bathroom in picture (4). And for desks you’ve got anglepoise lamps (5).

Barn lighting would be the best style of lights to go for. An alternative would be vintage industrial or nautical lights.

Ceiling Medallions: There is the option of adding a ceiling medallion to frame any ceiling lights you have. Even if you have recessed lights. For pictures and ideas, have a look at my post here: Design Ideas for Decorative Ceiling Medallions.

Quick Styling Ideas and Upgrades

Some ways to quickly transform your lighting to a vintage style include: using Edison bulbs (6). For the coffee table, bedroom side tables, or dining room centerpiece – vintage style candle stands or lanterns can be used to decorate the space. Or how about using old school glass oil lanterns outdoors (7) – fuelled by citronella oil or battery powered candles. Mason jars can also be used to house candles.

When it comes to lamp shades, you want to go with fabric coned ones, with decorative edges – just like the lamp shades in picture (8).

Grand ol Chandeliers

A gorgeous chandelier makes for a grand statement piece in any room. There are the more traditional and formal crystal chandeliers with the arms reaching out. Or there are other more compact and mini vintage chandeliers (9).

DIY Ideas

Doilies can be used to create unique looking hanging lamps, just like in picture (10). Another creative idea is to fit vintage style crown molding (11) a few inches below the ceiling. This leaves space for lights to be fitted above – creating soft glowing cove lighting (The Beauty of Using Cove Lighting: Design and Ideas).

String lights are not really vintage, but they can be hung indoors to create a whimsical feel (Home Decor Ideas: Beautiful Ways to Use String Lights Indoors). For a more vintage vibe, use the Edison bulb version seen below. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11