This Style Of Lighting Works In Any Home (And Will Make It Look Even Better) + Affordable Options You’ll Love

Whether or not your home’s style is “modern traditional,” modern traditional lighting is incredibly versatile, with so many really simple but very cool options. I’d say it’s the primary lighting style Emily uses in her projects, at least the hardwired fixtures. You could categorize “modern traditional lighting” as fixtures with clean lines, traditional shapes, in simple neutral colors and materials. Think matte black, linen shades, brass, simple curves, etc. But like most things, buying lighting adds up quick! So today I am showing you a ton of really wonderful, budget-friendly options in almost every main category — table lamps, floor lamps, pendants, chandeliers, semi/flush mounts, and picture lights.

But to make this post more useful, I grabbed all of our lighting tips, tricks, and rules, and put them all here:
Overall Lighting Rules
Overhead lighting is not sufficient for a room – every room should have at least two (if not three sources of lighting).
What are the different types of lighting? The main types of lighting are: Overhead – which includes can-lights, chandeliers, and pendants; Directional – which would include metal shaded lights or spotlights; Ambient – which would include fabric shaded lights that put out an ambient even glow, and last but not least, Accent – which is mostly decorative.
You should have light coming from at least two different heights to help evenly disperse the light throughout the room.
Living Room Rules
Make sure the shade of your floor lamp covers the bulb when you are sitting down (unless the bulb is opaque and if possible, dimmable).
For a lamp sitting on a side table, the bottom of the lamp shade should always be at about eye level.
For determining ceiling light width: Multiply your ceiling height by 2.5 – 3 to get the recommended measurement in inches. So if you have a 10 ft ceiling, you would multiply it by 2.5, giving you 25″. That should be your approximate hanging ceiling light width.
In an open space where people are walking, 7 feet is the minimum distance the bottom of a hanging light fixture should be from the floor. But for ceilings over 8 feet, just add 3 inches of hanging height per foot. So if your ceilings are 10 feet tall, the light fixture should be about 8.5 feet from the floor.
Sconce Rules
Place wall sconces between 5′ to 6′ up from the floor. If using multiple sconces in a dining room (or any room), space them ideally 48″ apart but at least 24″-36″.
There should be 3 – 6″ between a wall sconce and the edge of a mirror or piece of art it’s next to.
Dining Room Rules
Pick a chandelier about half the width of your dining table. You can also add the room’s length and width in feet. That number in inches suggests an approx. size for the diameter of your chandelier. So if you have a 10′ x 12′ room, your chandelier should be about 22″ in diameter.
Hang your light fixture so the bottom is 30″-36″ above the table. This way, no one’s vision is blocked and everyone can see each other:)
For rectangular chandeliers, give at least 6″ from the edge of the table to the chandelier on both sides.
For multiple pendants above a dining table, we recommend hanging them about 26 to 28 inches apart.
Bedroom Rules
Measure your room’s length and width in feet. Adding those two measurements together will determine what size diameter you will need for your chandelier. For example, a 10′ x12′ bedroom requires a 22″ diameter chandelier (sound familiar? :)).
To get the ideal bedside sconce height, sit in the bed upright and then have someone measure the height from the floor to just above your shoulder. Another way to find the right height is to measure 50″-60″ from the floor to the top of the fixture.
This rule depends on the height of your nightstand, but make sure the bottom of the shade is around chin level when sitting upright in bed to avoid the harsh bulb light in your eyes.
Your bedside table lamp should be around 1/3 of the surface size of the nightstand.
Now that we have the rules down, shall we do a little window (or real) shopping? I think it’s time.

Table Lamp
We start with the apple of my eye…table lamps. Since the lines/detailing of modern traditional lamps are simple, that’s where size/proportions and shape make them really shine.


In this first roundup section (yes, there are two), the color palette here is very natural and neutral. But each of them gives a little drama in their own way. #4 has a slightly oversized and very cool pleated lamp shade. What makes it feel a bit more modern is the super clean knife pleat style and the organic ceramic textured base. So the traditional elements are there in terms of color and general style, but it has just those couple of elements that make it feel fresher, but again, still classic. The same goes for #5. The black metal is very classic, but the thicker base, simple lines, and cone shade make it feel perfectly modern.
I call this next section of table lamps — classics with a twist:)

When I think of a classic table lamp, I think of heavy metal bases with an outdated shape or ornate detail. Well, these options above are (in my opinion) an upgrade from that! Take #13. It’s so simple, but the extra-tall, thin base with the small tapered shade makes it feel so chic. I love it when designers play with proportions. Or #10! A classic shape, but the leather (?) wrapped accent is so fun and adds texture. Same goes for #14. I feel like we’ve seen the thick version of that lamp in every grandparent’s house we’ve ever stepped into. This thinner silhouette honors the original but feels more elevated.

Floor Lamps
Modern traditional floor lamps are basically sculptures in a room. Chic and powerful. In general, floor lamps help with height variation, bringing your eye up.
All the same rules apply, in terms of materials, but I’d say there’s a little less proportional play when it comes to base vs shade.


As not to show you the same floor lamp too many times, #2 is another really incredible version of this one Emily bought and loved for a shoot. I love the added doughnut-like detail at the top of the shade. This lamp is elegant and cool but not stuffy. A little trendy, but in a way that it’s a modern classic. I’m also pretty in love with #5. It’s giving Rejuvenation but at a much more affordable price. And while proportion play isn’t a main player in the modern traditional floor lamp department, I love the miniature vibe of #7.

Pendants
Now, let’s move on to the ceiling. With pendant lighting, of course, you want to be mindful of how many you are using (meaning one or multiple over something like an island or dining table), in order to choose the right style and vibe. If you only need one, then you can really choose any style you want. But if you need multiple, you’ll want to consider the visual weight of them all together. You might not want for example, multiple large dark pendants in an otherwise light-toned room. However, if you have really tall ceilings, a little more visual weight could be good. It’s really up to you and your home, but those are things I would definitely take into consideration.
I love the simplicity of #2. It’s going to give off beautiful ambient light, and you could easily put a few next to each other without any worry of them being “too heavy” together. What is also awesome about them is that they have an adjustable metal rod that hangs from the canopy, meaning no visible chain. Very sleek and pretty. You really can’t beat the price and style of #7 if you want a more vintage look. But if you want a slightly more MCM vibe, #12 is perfect for you. That wood accent adds so much style but isn’t too loud. I think that’s also the thing about “modern traditional” lighting, a lot of it has little nods to mid-century modern style. #12 is definitely the most obvious version though:)

Chandeliers
You won’t find any crystal chandeliers in this little roundup (even though I love those too, but they just don’t belong in this specific style). I’d say these lights also lean a little mid-century, but also feel extremely classic with so much style longevity. Let me just show you…
For me, when I think “modern traditional chandelier,” #1 and #9 are what immediately pop into my head, and for good reason. They look the most like a traditional chandelier with those sweet little lampshades. The more dramatic curve of arms on #1 and the more intentional small curve on the arms of #9 equally look so great. But if you want a shade with a little something different, I really love the blue shades of #2. It would be perfect for over a dining table, kitchen island, or just in a long, narrow room. #3 is both classic-feeling and on-trend, and I can’t get over how chic yet affordable #5 is.

Flush + Semi-Flush Mounts
Flush and semi-flush mounts come in so many different sizes (though we need wider, more affordable ones for bigger rooms with short ceilings). Today, mostly due to pricing and what people most commonly use them for, we are focusing on ones that are more medium sized (like the boob shaped ones:)) I actually did another full post dedicated to replacing boob lights. If you’re interested, head here! As with any light, you really need to know how bright you will need this light to produce. Will your flushmount need to light up a whole room? Or is a more dim, moody vibe for somewhere like a hallway what you are looking for? Just some food for thought.
I adore the look of #2, but from the reviews, it’s going to give off a dim light. #1 is going to give you much more light, and I love that beige color! It also comes in a light cream if that’s more your look. Just remember the importance of an opaque light bulb. It will make the experience of it so much better since it’s so exposed. Now, if you want a softer light in a more classic look, #9 is perfect for that. And while it would likely give you more moody than bright light, I’m obsessed with the style of #6.

Sconces
I feel that the most common place for a modern traditional lighting moment is the wall sconce. They are very often hardwired, which tends to mean people want them to look timeless. Makes sense, right? Not the biggest area for risk, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be boring. Let me show you.


While we will forever sing the praises of Rejueventation’s unmatched quality and beauty, price-wise, they aren’t possible for everyone. So if you love the look of Emily’s most-used sconce, #1 and #8 are pretty solid, affordable options. Personally, #3 really speaks to me, but I know it’s a little specific:) Oh, but if you are looking for a great plug-in, Kailtin used #6 in her bedroom reveal and loves it!

Picture Lights
I wanted to add this category since I feel like people are using them more and more, and they are also very tied to traditional lighting. Plus, they are a stylish and pretty easy way to add more dimension (and actual light) to things like bookshelves and art. They are all over Emily’s farmhouse:)

Picture Lights
The simplicity of #1 is pretty perfect, and the price is good! But if you want a little more flair, then I’d go for #3 or #4. But there’s a decently good chance that unless you renovated your home and planned junction boxes for your picture lights, you’ll need a less hardwired option. Enter #5, which is a plug-in, and #6, which is cordless and has a remote to turn on and off the light.

Find any to add to your wishlist? Were the rules helpful (always remember you can break them, if you do it intentionally:))? Does anyone have any real-life reviews of any of these lights? Let’s chat!