A Mid-Century Modern Sputnik Chandelier for the Living Room

Introducing the most controversial light in our house: the Sputnik chandelier… Plus, a few tips on incorporating statement-making pieces in your own decor.

I feel like that introduction calls for a dramatic sound effect to follow, like “du-du-du-duuuuu…. du-du-du-duuuuu…”

Anyway, if you thought my decorating choices thus far have been “rather interesting” – as my own mother phrased it – wait until you see the latest update to grace our living room – in fact, the only update to our living room since we refinished the floors.

Here’s a hint: What shines bright but isn’t, exactly, a diamond? The answer is our living room chandelier.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the “Sol” Chandelier from PureModern! Isn’t she a beauty? Every time I walk past her, I can’t help but reach out and caress her long, slender limbs. Just kidding – sort of…

Silliness aside, “sol” is the Latin term for sun, which is quite fitting for this statement-making light. To be frank, I cannot wait to get a dimmer installed on this baby, because truth be told, 24 bulbs at 25 watts each is a whole lotta light – not to mention that electricity bill…

It comes as no surprise that every single person that has stepped foot in our house has commented on this chandelier.

I get it, people, I really do. It’s “different.” It’s “unusual.” It’s all those other words you use to describe something that you don’t particularly like but cannot bring yourself to admit for fear of offending the owner.

But guess what? I absolutely love it.

I’ve been obsessing over mid-century modern decor for as long as I can remember, and I’m so excited to add such an iconic piece to our own space.

Before updating your own space with a Sputnik chandelier – or any unique piece, for that matter – here are a few factors to consider.

First, think about the house exterior.

Generally, the interior is a more personal representation of the exterior, so if your house is colonial, your decor should veer more on the traditional side. If, on the other hand, your house is a mid-century modern ranch, then it’s wise not to stray too far from that aesthetic unless you want your space to feel incohesive and random.

We have a modernized Craftsman Bungalow exterior, so although originally very traditional, the renovation has lent many contemporary elements to the design, so that a few modern pieces on the interior wouldn’t feel completely out of place.

Now let’s move on to the interior.

If you’re mixing two or more decorating styles, you’ll want to do it in a way that feels natural and organic – not forced and overly styled.

Say you have Chesterfield-style sofas, which are, by nature, very traditional (still searching for those…) A Sputnik chandelier is a great way to add a more playful tone to a traditional space. Add a few eclectic side tables, a round brass mirror over a sofa table and a few indoor plants for a healthy balance of traditional and modern.

Next, consider the other metal finishes in the room, as well as the rest of the house. Traditionally, mixing metals was a big no-no, but with time, that sort of coordinated look has become rather dated – akin to matching your purse to your shoes to your belt. Read: booooooring, not to mention extremely forced and unnatural. Nowadays, it’s common to see multiple metals within one living space, like the brass hardware in our kitchen juxtaposed against the chrome in our dining and living area; it keeps the design from looking too contrived and stale.

Another factor to keep in mind is ceiling height. Ideally, you want your light fixtures to be approximately seven feet from the floor. If your house has standard 8-foot ceilings, that gives you 24 inches of space to work within. Our living room has slightly higher ceiling – about nine and a half feet, to be exact – which gave us more room to play with.

Want a Sputnik chandelier but don’t have the ceiling height for it? You can cheat the rules by hanging the fixture over a dining table or the coffee table; as long as no one can walk directly under the fixture, it’s okay to hang it a bit lower.

If you want to see more of the “Sol” then be sure to tune in on Thursday this week as I begin the One Room Challenge to transform our living room.

Would you ever hang a fixture like this one in your own home? Do you lean more towards traditional decor, modern decor or a fun mixture of both? Can’t wait to hear what you think of our latest update!

I’ll be back soon with more updates from the magical world of bungalow renovations. To catch up on what we’ve renovated so far, you can browse “Our Bungalow Renovation” series.

This post is brought to you in collaboration with PureModern, who were kind to gift us with the “Sol” chandelier. As always, all content, ideas, opinions and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make FOXYOXIE.com possible!