Photo Courtesy of: Douglas Fenton Major Visual | Photo Features: Mitzi Slater Chandelier | Mitzi Casey Wall Sconce
If you’re looking for a new way to make a bold and modern statement, there’s nothing quite like a sleek sputnik light fixture. This mid-century modern-inspired lighting will instantly give any room of your home a fresh, contemporary touch. Whether you’re looking for new lighting to install in a dining space, living room, or bedroom, read our helpful sputnik chandelier buyer’s guide. It’s a great way to get some ideas, inspiration, and helpful tips to ensure that you choose the sputnik style chandelier that’s right for you.
What is a Sputnik Chandelier, Exactly?
Photo Courtesy of: Kate Marker Interiors | Photo by: Margaret Rajic | Photo Features: Troy Lighting Ace 8 Light Chandelier
The sputnik chandelier has taken recent interior design magazines and social media accounts by storm. However, this beautiful light fixture has been a popular choice amongst mid-century modern designers and in mid-century homes for decades. It hails from the time of the Atomic Age, which took place between around 1940 and 1960. During the space race, Sputnik was the very first satellite to orbit the earth in 1957. Thanks to our obsession with outer space and science, the concept of using a sputnik-inspired light became an iconic element of interior design. Its shape features a myriad of slender arms that extend outward from a globe in the center. Some arms protrude at various lengths while others are the same length, but each arm holds a separate light bulb to recreate the look of the famous satellite. You’ll find a range of gorgeous sputnik chandeliers at Meadow Blu from a variety of incredible designers. Now, let’s dive into the sputnik chandelier buyer’s guide a bit more.
Sputnik Chandelier Buyer’s Guide: Choosing a Size
Photo Features: Kelly Wearstler Nodes Large Linear Chandelier
The modern sputnik chandelier comes in an array of sizes, shapes, and numbers of light bulbs that will vary. When you’re shopping for this type of chandelier, think about how much light you’ll need to properly illuminate the space. For example, a smaller chandelier with just a few bulbs will work nicely in a hallway or foyer. Sputnik chandeliers with lots of lights are a better option for a large living room or a decently sized dining room. The Nodes Large Linear Chandelier from Kelly Wearstler Lighting offers a sleek and modern look with just a few bulbs. However, you’ll want to choose something with more bulbs for bigger rooms, such as the Arteriors Hilliard Chandelier which features a total of 11 bulbs. In addition to the capacity, consider the type of shade carefully. Sputnik lights with frosted or opal glass shades will diffuse the light, while those with clear glass shades or raw light bulbs tend to produce brighter illumination.
Photo Courtesy of: Douglas Fenton Major Visual | Photo Features: Hudson Valley Lighting Thurston Chandelier
A classic sputnik chandelier has a starburst or sunburst shape. Newer designs also come in a linear silhouette that makes them perfect for installation over a kitchen island or a large rectangular dining table. If you’re looking for one of these chandeliers for the dining room, a good rule of thumb is to measure your table first. Pick out a fixture that is between one-half to one-third the size of the dining table to ensure a perfect fit. Anything too small or too large will look awkward and will either overtake the room or look like it’s being swallowed up. It’s also important to choose a chandelier with an adjustable rod, so you can hang it at your desired height based on how tall your ceilings are. Record the dimensions of a room carefully and use this information as a guide when choosing the size for your new modern sputnik chandelier.
Choosing the Right Finish
Photo Features: Regina Andrew Talon Chandelier
Picking out the perfect finish for your new chandelier is important since it plays a role in how the entire room will look once it’s installed. If you’re going for something bold and dramatic, consider adding a black sputnik chandelier. Try the Regina Andrew Talon Chandelier with its sleek and simple design boasting a rich and deep oil-rubbed bronze finish. You can also go true black with the Concorde Chandelier from Regina Andrew boasting a bold black iron finish and a gold leaf interior to create a modern two-toned look. This sculptural chandelier has an artistic look that combines the sputnik style with an aerodynamic shape that adds visual interest to any room of your home.
Photo Courtesy of: Bari J. Ackerman | Photo Features: Hudson Valley Lighting Saratoga Chandelier
For those who prefer something a bit sleeker and shinier, look for a gold sputnik chandelier. The use of gold instantly adds a glam, luxe component to any room while adding a bright metallic element. Try the Saratoga Chandelier from Hudson Valley Lighting with its unique modern design. This sputnik chandelier features a muted gold finish, and the arms can be mounted either vertically or horizontally for incredible versatility. Each light is capped with a stunning alabaster glass globe that lends it a subtle touch of warmth and texture.
Photo Courtesy of: Bethany of The Posh Home | Photo Features: Mitzi Paige Chandelier
If you prefer something a bit less metallic, try a brass sputnik chandelier. This beautiful finish offers a timeless look without being too shiny or bright. The Mitzi Paige Chandelier in aged brass is an excellent choice and features a charming touch with perforated, scalloped details and glossy opal glass shades.
Where to Install Your Sputnik Chandelier
Photo Courtesy of: Mahria Murr | Photo Features: Mitzi Estee Pendant
An important part of this sputnik chandelier buyer’s guide is determining where to install your new fixture. For the kitchen, look for linear sputnik chandeliers that you can hang above the island, or try several smaller pendant sputnik lights in a row. The key is to ensure that you have ample light to prep, cook, and serve your favorite meals. In the dining room, a linear chandelier is also a good choice, but you may want to consider a smaller version featuring a smaller overall size if your dining table is in a round or square shape.
Photo Features: Hinkley Lighting Ariael Orb Chandelier
Linear sputnik chandeliers work best when installed over large tables. The Ariel Orb Chandelier from Hinkley Lighting is an excellent choice for a small dining room. With its brilliant starburst-inspired shape, it features a sleek and minimalist profile bolstered by a rich jet-black finish. Crystal spires attached to each arm elevate the look of this chandelier to give it a brilliant and ultra-modern finishing touch.
Photo Features: Worlds Away Rowan Chandelier
If you’re thinking of adding a sputnik chandelier to the living room, go for something large and bold. The Worlds Away Rowan Chandelier features sleek, angular lines that give it a geometric effect. This light comes in your choice of either a black or gold finish, and it holds a total of six bulbs surrounded by clear hand-blown glass globes.
Photo Features: Solaria Lighting Bubbles Chandelier
Another great option for a living room is the Bubbles Chandelier from Solaria Lighting. This unique and sculptural light is sure to become a focal point for your living space. It features a myriad of glass bubbles that seem to float in all directions and includes your choice of available finish for the perfect cohesive look. When installing a sputnik chandelier in the bedroom, look for something with smooth, curved lines and a delicate shape. Overall, smaller chandeliers are best in the bedroom. The Elba Chandelier from Made Goods is a prime example thanks to its orbital shape surrounded by discs of luminous kabibe shell that gives it an organic, natural component.
Design Elements
Photo Features: Regina Andrew Spyder Chandelier
This sputnik chandelier buyer’s guide includes some advice about the various design elements you’ll find in this unique lighting. If you adore modern aesthetics, choose a light that has sharp, straight lines or geometric shapes. This will give any room a contemporary touch that brings an artistic element to the space. For those who prefer things to be a bit softer, opt for sputnik chandeliers that have a curved shape or those with round glass globes to soften things up. A tall, slender chandelier looks amazing in a foyer or hallway as well as over a bed. Elongated linear chandeliers are best for dining rooms and kitchens, or in large living spaces. You don’t have to choose a gold sputnik chandelier or a black sputnik chandelier alone. Many of the styles at Meadow Blue come in two-toned designs, like the Kipling Chandelier from Lighting by BLU. This large sputnik chandelier features clear glass globes, while the arms are finished in a combination of bold black and sleek brass.
Photo Features: Troy Lighting Colt Chandelier
Explore a wide variety of different sputnik chandeliers from Meadow Blu to get inspired. Whether you’re aiming to recreate the styles from an era gone by or simply want to give your home a modern touch, these lights are sure to create a dramatic effect anywhere you install them. Always be sure to measure the size of the room and/pr your dining room table to help you find the chandelier that will be a perfect fit in your space. Whether it uses glass globes, acrylic arms, or simply holds onto the light bulbs in their raw form, these lights are a surefire way to bring a bold and modern look to your favorite spaces. Explore the inventory of Sputnik chandeliers made by some of today’s best designers including Regina Andrew, Mitzi, Hudson Valley, and many more. No matter which style or finish you choose, Sputnik chandeliers will add a brilliant and show-stopping element to your modern home.