I personally believe that lighting is one of those things that can make or break a space. It’s the quickest and easiest way to set the mood in a room, and layering the space with lamps, candles, sconces and overhead lights is something I pay particular attention to. However, when it comes to mixing lighting fixtures in a space, it can sometimes seem a bit awkward. I mean, you don’t want your lamp and your chandelier to match, but they do do they need to talk to each other to feel cohesive, so where do you start?
When we renovated our kitchen, we also made some small but noticeable updates to our dining room. New hardwood floors, a fresh coat of paint and some wall coverings are all in order. But the most noticeable difference of all is our updated lighting. We recently bought this beautiful chandelier, from Jamie Young, as well as this stunning striped table lamp, and I just love how they work together. The two pieces speak to each other in form (similar shade styles, curved elements placed next to linear ones…), but they don’t look matched in the slightest. This encouraged me to analyze the way I approach mixing lighting fixtures and I thought it would be useful to share my best advice on how to mix and match lighting fixtures in your own home.
Lamp Bernard
I’ll admit, there are no hard and fast rules here – after all, you’re the one only one that needs to think that your light fixture combinations work well together. It’s your space after all! But one thing I find helpful is choosing light fixtures that feel like sisters rather than twins. That means they should have a coordinating element of SOME variety to tie them together. But they absolutely do not have to be the same piece or even from the same family. In fact, I encourage playing around with form, scale, contrast and all the good things that come along with adding interest and, ultimately, creating art.
The Lawton Chandelier
The key to mixing lighting fixtures is to find one element that ties them together. They may be of completely different shapes and styles, but of the same material. One may be stone and the other metal, but they have similar lampshades. Or they are of the same genre (super modern! very traditional!), but in different finishes or materials. Here are some great examples of light fixtures that work beautifully together and why, so you can get a visual sense of what I’m talking about:
Tavern & The Lawton Wall Sconce Pendant
Why they work:
Both feel transitional and would work well in a traditional home or a modern one. Although the materials differ, the black, white and gold color palette also works very well.
Willow chandelier and Leith table lamp
Why they work:
Both have chrome accents (in the chain and harp). As well as the beautiful textural elements that connect them.
Blooming chandelier and table lamp Lagoon
Why they work:
Although they are made of completely different materials (ceramic and iron), they both feel traditional in shape, with a slightly more modern hand.
Perignon chandelier and Wilhelm work lamp
Why they work:
Aside from both being made of brushed gold, both have clean lines paired with a bit of texture.
Constantine Flushmount and Antique Table Lamp
Why they work:
Although one is ceramic and the other metal, they are similar in tone and color. The vastly different shapes ensure that they don’t feel co-ordinated, but the linear striping element each possesses adds another level of cohesion.
Here it is. My best tip for mixing fixtures: look for sisters, not twins! We hope this little tip will give you confidence when it comes to choosing lighting for your home.
Thanks to Jamie Young for sponsoring this post. And thank you very much for supporting my sponsorships. It really means the world.