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A restoration with polychrome paint by Kasey White. The restored fixture is destined for a small entryway of her Victorian home.

A Hollywood Regency style chandelier, as found after being stored in a barn.

A restored chandelier fixture, as seen in the Forsstrom House grand staircase from an upper floor sitting room.

Stamped metal ceiling pan fixture as found.

Stamped metal ceiling pan fixture as found.

A Hollywood Regency style chandelier, as found after being stored in a barn.

Antique lighting fixtures are one of the best ways to enhance the interior character of a historic home. The right combination of lighting fixture and space can be inspirational, an important detail in historic home restoration. When I started my first restoration project, back in 1988, I was mystified as to what I should select.

Often, original light fixtures in a home have been removed, as new fixtures can be easily purchased and installed. I am fortunate to have 20 original, matching wall sconces in the Forsstrom House, as well as two original chandeliers.

Other fixtures in the home were an odd group, and most did not match the home’s era and style. As a collector of antique lighting, I quickly started to find and install restored fixtures, some found and others from my collection. I let friends also involved in restoration know what I was seeking, and many friends’ lighting stashes were soon donated to the house.

I found lighting perfect for the home’s style and age, but many pieces were broken or incomplete. My husband and I rewired and restored simple fixtures. We even keep a stash of lighting parts, though I often work with a restoration professional. With lighting, safety is a main concern. It’s worth working with a a professional if you lack the skills to restore, rewire or install.

When starting a lighting project, first consider its goals. Are you looking for ambient or task lighting? How much light do you need? Antique lighting is typically more suited to ambient or dimmer lighting. An antique ceiling fixture may not give enough light and may be supplemented by a table or floor lamp.

For the best historic results, vintage and antique light fixtures should be era, style and period appropriate. Some spaces may need more elaborate, high-end fixtures. To start, select design motifs found in other areas of the home, or look for materials and finishes consistent with original fixtures.

Common lighting styles include Victorian, Classic Revival, Colonial Revival, craftsman, art deco, midcentury modern and Hollywood Regency.

The grand staircase of the Forsstrom House, dating to 1915, was previously lit by a single wall sconce, an inadequate amount of light for the space. Instead, I located a battered six light 1960s Hollywood Regency chandelier. A bargain, it had been stored in a barn for decades.

A restored chandelier fixture, as seen in the Forsstrom House grand staircase from an upper floor sitting room.

I ordered replacement parts, but soon found that the project was above my skill set and instead hired a lighting restoration professional. He rewired, repaired it and painted the fixture an antique gold. I later applied black glaze and installed black candle covers on it for a finishing touch.

My husband, along with an electrician, wired the fixture through the home’s attic, then installed a push button dimmer switch and ceiling medallion.

It is pure joy to light the grand staircase with dim or strong light, depending on the setting and time of day. The light fixture is quite glamorous for the space, especially with the 24 inch ceiling medallion. Though the selection breaks my general guidelines for matching age and era, I find that it works well.

The antique gold paint coupled with black glaze tones down the Regency style, helping the piece retain its statement quality while blending in. The shape of the candle holders mimics the home’s candle wall sconces, echoing design motifs found throughout the house.

A restoration with polychrome paint by Kasey White. The restored fixture is destined for a small entryway of her Victorian home.

My neighbor, Kasey White, is an artist, as well as a fellow old house enthusiast. I gave her a 1920s era ceiling pan fixture. Its body was of a stamped, tin colored metal, so stripping the paint to reveal brass was not an option.

Instead, she painted it in polychrome for her Victorian home and purchased replacement ceramic bulb sockets at City Lumber Co. The polychrome paint helps the fixture become more Victorian in theme. The fixture is a nice example of artistry, thrift and reuse.

Lauri Kramer Serafin is the owner of the Forsstrom House in Astoria’s Shively-McClure Historic District. For more about her restoration work, contact forsstromhouse@gmail.com or visit theforsstromhouse.com.

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