Light & Glow
Everything I've learned about lighting a mid-century home, globe pendants, sunburst fixtures, warm bulbs, dimmers, and how to layer it all for a golden-hour glow.
Panthella vs Nesso vs Teodor: Which Mushroom Lamp Belongs in a Mid-Century Room
Panthella, Nesso or Teodor comes down to what you want the lamp to do.
The Best Rice Paper Lamps, From a $5 IKEA Shade to a Real Noguchi Akari
The best rice paper lamp, if you can wait for it and afford it, is an Isamu Noguchi Akari, the 1951 design every other paper lamp borrows from.
The Best Bauhaus Lamps: The 1924 Wagenfeld Original and Five Colourful Ones Under $160
The best Bauhaus lamp, if you want the real thing, is the Wagenfeld WG24, the 1924 glass table lamp designed at the Bauhaus and made today as an authorised reissue by Tecnolumen, at roughly €450 to €520 from European retailers.
The Best Glass Globe Pendant Lights for a Mid-Century Home: Opal, Clear and Hand-Blown
The best glass globe pendant for most mid-century rooms is an opal glass shade, which glows evenly, hides the bulb and looks like a moon over the table.
Why Globe Lights Define Mid-Century Style
If one fixture says mid-century, it's the globe. Here's why it endures, and how to use one well in a warm modern home.
The Sunburst Light: A Mid-Century Icon
The sunburst is the most dramatic mid-century fixture there is. Here's how to use one and still let the room breathe.
Layering Light in an Open-Plan Mid-Century Home
Open plans are lovely and hard to light. Here's how we layered light across our flowing mid-century space.
Warm Metals: Brass and Copper in Mid-Century Lighting
Brass and copper are the warm metals that make mid-century rooms glow. Here's how to use them without it looking like a theme.
How to Light a Conversation Pit
A sunken seating area is merciless under a bright overhead. Here's how to light a conversation pit warmly and safely.
Choosing a Pendant for a Mid-Century Dining Table
The dining pendant is the statement light of a mid-century home. Here's how to choose and hang one that anchors the room.
Wall Sconces That Feel Mid-Century
Sconces are the most underused fixture in most homes. Here's what makes one feel mid-century, and where to put them.
Dimmers and the Golden-Hour Glow
A dimmer is the cheapest luxury you can add to a room. Here's why I put one on nearly every light in our canyon house.
Lighting Clerestory and High Windows
Clerestory windows are a gift by day and a problem at night. Here's how we light our tall, glassy rooms after dark.
Warm Bulbs: The Mid-Century Secret
You can hang the perfect mid-century fixture and ruin it with the wrong bulb. Here's the bulb that makes a room glow.