Lighting is more than simply functional, it is also an art and architectural style that can factor into the overall design of your home. Wall lighting is more than illumination, it can also function as pieces of wall art that even enhance paintings and prints. No dining room is complete without a chandelier, and these pieces can truly tie the entire room together. Even ceiling lighting can grow beyond the unassuming, creating patterns and eye-catching designs to decorate empty ceiling space.
Welcome to the fourth and final installment of Lamps Plus’s Choose Your Style series, where we dove deep into the four most popular design pillars of Lamps Plus products: Contemporary Modern, Coastal, Rustic Modern, and, now, Reinvented Traditional. Inspired by a truly extensive length of history, Reinvented Traditional typically looks to the Europe of the late Middle Ages, Renaissance, and pre-Industrial Revolution and brings timeless classics to the modern era.
What is Reinvented Traditional Style?
But what exactly is “Reinvented Traditional” style?
A tradition is defined as a system of beliefs or behaviors that have been passed down within a community or society that have special significance to the people in that community or originated in the past and have crossed generations. At its core, traditional style leans heavily into the value of traditions, looking to the past for design inspiration. Designers within this field look back through time to see what materials and art styles were built to last, which we still appreciate today. Traditional style is all about standing the test of time.
The “reinvented” part of “reinvented traditional” is all about bringing the past forward. Instead of simply copying the designs of medieval iron candelabras, chandeliers may incorporate modern materials and finishes to replicate the look and feel of the classics. To accomplish this mission, reinvented traditional looks to a broad range of time periods, societies, and artistic eras from across Europe. Ranging from pre-Napoleon France, to the early Victorian era, to Renaissance Italy, to the heavy irons of medieval England.
More than the other styles we’ve explored in this series, Reinvented Traditional encompasses an incredibly wide range of inspirations, drawing from so many different cultures throughout history. While most designs focus on their European ancestors, traditional style is about looking back through time, not necessarily across space.
Traditional Style Wall Lights Bring True Elegance
Lighting comes in all shapes and sizes, each with its own niche in your home. Wall lights may be unassuming when compared to chandeliers, but they are no less important, serving as both a layer of light and an artistic wall decoration. Within the world of traditional style wall lights, that artistic vibe is well felt, with designs meant to catch the eye and lean into maximalism more than minimalism. Swing-arm wall lamps are popular in this style, allowing some customization and grace in your lighting.
For finishes, reinvented traditional actually leans a little more into the modern, while never losing sight of the past. Brass finishes create a breezy vibrancy, especially when contrasted with the implied sturdiness of classy bronzes. Nickel finishes can also be found amongst traditional style wall lights, really leaning into the reinvented side of reinvented traditional. Lastly, glass is king. From smooth white milk glass shades to stained glass-looking pieces full of color, you are more likely to find shade wall lights within this style.
Designs that lean more traditional than reinvented can also feature pleated cloth shades, especially when paired with LED lights that do not produce that much heat. Scrolling is also the decoration of choice for many of these pieces, endeavoring to evoke thoughts of the French riviera.
Chandeliers Inspired by Classic Candelabras
When most people think of the chandelier, they think of the modern type of lighting we have all come to know. However, hanging lighting pieces, like chandeliers, pre-date the harnessing of electricity by thousands of years, at least to ancient Rome and the subsequent Byzantine Empire. The modern chandelier, however, can be considered the direct descendants of medieval chandeliers, in both shape and function within a home. For most of human history, these devices held candles and the hanging chains were originally used to lower the chandelier to light those candles, then raise them back up to light a room.
Reinvented traditional style chandeliers look to the classic shapes of pre-industrial lighting and combine them with modern finishes and technology. Ring, or round, designs are easily identifiable and would have been the simplest to build and maintain throughout the Middle Ages. Tiered chandeliers are also common in this style, standing tall and layering light in intriguing ways. Their close cousin is simply called classic, with swooping arms and exposed bulbs meant to resemble the candelabras of old.
Similar to traditional wall lights, art glass shades like stained glass or Tiffany-style glass can be found in the reinvented traditional style. You can draw a direct line from the grand cathedrals like Notre Dame to this style. And, just as glass is king for wall lighting, crystals reign supreme for chandeliers, so much so that crystal chandeliers are often considered a style unto themselves.
Make a Statement with Traditional Outdoor Lighting
Ever since antiquity, lanterns have been used for light. While some used flammable oils or other fuels, many acted as protected candleholders, sometimes with panels that could be opened or closed to direct light. Jumping forward in history, the mayor of London in 1417 ordered that all homes must hang lanterns outdoors after nightfall during the winter, marking the first recorded organized public street lighting, a tradition that continues into the modern era with outdoor lighting.
Outdoor lighting covers a variety of functions, but the most common types featured in traditional style lighting are wall lights, hanging lanterns, and post lights. Rather than the medieval roots discussed in the previous categories, traditional style outdoor lighting typically draws from more (loosely speaking) modern movements like Colonial or Tudor, with some of the more artistic designs pulling from the Mediterranean architecture of Spain, Italy, and Morocco. Scrolling arms and clear glass are common here, with some holding intricate details.
For finishes, blacks and bronzes are the most common, with black finish designs evoking more of the reinvented traditional style. Using warm color temperature bulbs really completes the look, creating a welcoming feeling reminiscent of candlelight. Lastly, if you really want to look back in time with your lighting, there are still some gas lanterns on the market. These lanterns connect to your home’s natural gas line, so exercise caution and make sure to consult with an expert before selecting one for your home.
Ceiling Lighting as Artistic Expression
When it comes to interior home lighting, ceiling lights are oft overlooked in favor of their more glamorous counterparts, chandeliers and pendant lights. But they serve their own purpose and fill a unique niche in your home, illuminating from above in small areas or rooms with lower ceilings. While you would never pair a ceiling light with a chandelier, they do complement wall lights and table lamps to complete a space. Ceiling lights typically come in two options: flush mounts which are installed right up against the ceiling, or semi-flush mounts which use a downrod to lower the lighting source slightly. But you can find reinvented traditional designs in both options.
For finishes, ceiling lights follow the trend of classy brass colors and rich bronze finishes we’ve seen in the previous categories. Bronze takes inspiration from the sturdiness of the iron that would have been used in the early modern period, while brass looks more at the glamor and gold of noble estates. Reinvented traditional ceiling lights also have a love for decorative scrolling, and some even feature beautiful medallions that function as art pieces. Etched and alabaster glass shades also fit the vibe, with art glass and Tiffany-style glass rounding out the style.
Table Lamps: A Tradition of Style
While the revolution of electric lighting dates back to the mid-1800s, traditional style table lamps are actually inspired by the candleholders and column torches of centuries, or even millennia, prior. From fluted glass bases to column designs inspired by classical Greece to ceramic designs modeled after imperial China, the reinvented traditional style covers a wide breadth of elegant table and accent lamps.
Sturdiness and solid craftsmanship are incredibly important for the traditional style, and table lamps are no exception. While glass bases may seem fragile, they are actually a rather strong material that adds a degree of elegance to a piece, representing artistic vision and enhancing illumination. Metal is also more likely to be found within this style, creating that solid feel everyone loves.
Aside from glass, brass finishes are very popular, complementing glass well and adding a bit of a color pop. For the true traditional feel though, some table lamps actually use the classic pull-chain to operate the light, especially if the lamp uses two bulbs. Lastly, no dinner party is complete without tall buffet lamps lighting up a mantel or buffet table. This design hearkens back to the Victorian era, giving a feel of fanciful dinner parties and entertaining guests.
Choose Your Style
There are so many styles to choose from, and Lamps Plus has them all! With our foray into Reinvented Traditional style, that concludes Lamps Plus’s Choose Your Style series concerning our most popular design pillars and completes our look back through time, from modern to traditional. To learn more about Contemporary Modern, Coastal, and Rustic Modern, check out the links below.