Highlighting Mad Men – Mid-Century Swag Lamps, Chandeliers and more…

Reflecting on the lingering memory of the latest season of  “Mad Men” and the wonderful interiors from that series, I think my favorite set is the Draper apartment.  Furnishings icons abound!   What grabbed my attention most recently was the swag chandelier in front of the fireplace mantel….

In an article from the New York Times, that I had missed when doing my earlier post on mantels, the Draper mantel with recessed lighting is shown to good advantage, along with the colorful pendant-chandelier with swag:

www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/garden/don-drapers-new-pad.html

Another example of a colorful vintage swag pendant/chandelier:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.forgottengems.com

A vintage swag lamp, with original metal shade refinished and updated by Mark Harding Design, with a new styrene cylinder/diffuser:

One of the on-line lighting sites, Lamps Plus (www.lampsplus.com), has a number of new swag chandeliers that evoke the feel of the one in the Draper apartment and reference that fixture as an example:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.lampsplus.com/info-center/b/blog/archive/2012/04/06/we-re-mad-for-mad-men-s-swag-chandelier.aspx

But, don”t chandeliers usually go over the dining room table or in a foyer??   The dining room in the Drapers” apartment:

latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2012/03/mad-men-don-drapers-apartment.html

Chandeliers seem to be popping up in every room, these days, including the bathroom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

blog.klaffs.com/lighting/spice-up-your-decor-with-unexpected-chandeliers/

While designers are using chandeliers throughout the Hier kun je online blackjack spelen . house, dining rooms remain the perfect locations for these lighting statements.

One of my favorite lighting suppliers and showrooms, Lucia Lighting and Design, in Lynn, MA, offers the following suggestions when placing chandeliers in dining rooms from their web-site FAQ (www.lucialighting.com/faqs.html):

In general, the height of the main source of light should be 30″-36″ above the table. There should be a minimum of 150 watts total in the chandelier. Using a dimmer on your chandelier will allow you change the ambient light based upon your dining situation.

You should also consider the room size and table width when choosing your chandelier:

• 10″x10″ rooms should use a chandelier with a 17″-20″ diameter
• 12″x12″ rooms should use a chandelier with a 20″-16″ diameter
• 14″x14″ rooms should use a chandelier with a 24″-30″ diameter
• A chandelier should be no smaller than half the width of the table beneath it, and no larger than the table width minus 12″.

In addition, just as in other rooms in the house, layers of lighting in the dining room will make the diners most comfortable: from Lucia”s Education and Inspiration Trends page on their web-site -(www.lucialighting.com/education_inspiration/trends.html):

The Layered Look: Use multiple layers of light in the dining room. Chandeliers provide the central focus. Accent lights on either side of the chandelier and at the room”s perimeter brighten things up. Accessory lights on and/or over other furniture pieces fill in the background.

Table This: Table lamps add a soft, humanizing touch to a dining room. Display them on a buffet or breakfront.

Chandelier images – from sophisticated to casual…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last, but not least, George Nelson”s “Bubble” Lamps are mid-century icons and were first created in the late 1940″s, and made from a self-webbing plastic that had originally been developed for military purposes.  Versatile in their use, in the images that follow, these fixtures are not placed as typical chandeliers might be over dining tables, but they have so much style and personality on their own…