Rooms from the Galerie Archives Where the Lighting Makes as Much of a Statement as the Art

Discover the designers crafting spaces around entrancing, gravity-defying chandeliers and pendants in the homes of top collectors

Colorful modern dining room with a red table, vibrant chandelier, and large windows overlooking a cityscape.
Designer Alvise Orsini crafted this stunning Paris penthouse for collector Chad Leat. A splashy Jean-Michel Othoniel chandelier hangs above the dining area’s red-lacquer table and Poul Kjærholm chairs. Photo: DYLAN THOMAS

Gone are the days when the only way to make a statement through lighting was with a formal crystal chandelier. Many designers are increasingly turning to light fixtures as another medium to further convey a room’s artistic expression. While several designs find inspiration in nature, be it clouds or branches, numerous styles are purely geometric and abstract. Some fixtures work in tandem with a space’s architecture, and others create a striking visual moment in a room otherwise lacking a focal point. No matter the size or shape, light fixtures suspended in midair possess a rare, gravity-defying quality and lure the eye upward. Ahead, discover ten interiors from Galerie’s archives that showcase sculptural lighting at its finest.

1 | 10

Rooms from the Galerie Archives Where the Lighting Makes as Much of a Statement as the Art

Fashion designer Pamella Rolandu2019s Chicago townhouse was conceived by Wheeler Kearns Architects and Kadlec Architecture + Design. In the living room, a swirling bronze light fixture by Frederik Molenschot provides a spectacular counterpoint to the graphite drawings by Allan McCollum installed above the 18-foot custom-made Luteca sofa.

Photograph by RICHARD POWERS

Steven Gambrel designed this palatial Greenwich Villageu00a0home with frequent collaborator Henry Jessup, who was the project architect. In the breakfast area, a Pietro Chiesa chandelier for Fontana Arte dazzles above a Blackman Cruz table and S. R. Gambrel chairs; a Walton Ford lion painting surmounts a 1960s Paul Evans credenza.

Photograph by ERIC PIASECKI

A pendant by Frank Gehry adds visual interest to the sitting area of a main bedroom in an apartment conceived by Grade Architecture and Interior Design. A painting by Pat Steir hangs above a Christophe Delcourt sofa alongside a chair by Jindrich Halabala from Morentz and a cocktail table by Ludwig & Dominique. The sculpture on the windowsill is by Jeff Zimmerman.

Photograph by RICHARD POWERS

In the double-height library of Eugenio Lu00f3pezu2019s Mexico City house, designer Luis Bustamante installed a sculptural Hervu00e9 Van der Straeten light fixture.

Photograph by RICARDO LABOUGLE

In the living room of a Palm Beachu00a0home designed by Aman & Meeks, a Takashi Murakami cartoon sculpture joins a text-based work by Mark Bradford (left) and a sculpture by Glenn Brown (right); a Jeff Koons mirrored piece is displayed over the mantel. The chandeliers were crafted by Alexander von Eikh, and the sofas are upholstered in a Holland & Sherry chenille; the firm also made the rug. The walls are finished in Venetian plaster in a Benjamin Moore white.

Photograph by DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN

Designer Alvise Orsini crafted this stunning Paris penthouse for collector Chad Leat. A splashy Jean-Michel Othoniel chandelier hangs above the dining areau2019s red-lacquered table and Poul Kju00e6rholm chairs.

Photograph by DYLAN THOMAS

Amy Lau designed this vibrant Hamptonsu00a0retreatu00a0for collector Clarissa Bronfman and her family. Her husband, Edgar Bronfman Jr., pushed for the pink wall color (Benjamin Mooreu2019s Blushing Bride), which serves as a jubilant backdrop for Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Kimiya Yoshikawau2019s Blooming Spark I hanging light in the dining room. Works by Hiroshi Sugimoto flank a piece by Julio Le Parc.

Photograph by THOMAS LOOF

Architect Steve Giannetti and Anna Busta of Busta Studio designed this modernu00a0home in La Quinta, near Palm Springs. Busta installed an Alison Berger lighting fixture over the red-lacquered Liaigre table and chairs opposite a seating area where a Holly Hunt sofa and chairs surround a Liaigre cocktail table.

Photograph by NIKOLAS KOENIG

In this Brian McCarthyu2013designed apartment, the Hervu00e9 Van der Straeten ceiling fixture is a vintage piece from Maison Gerard. The cowhide-upholstered slipper chairs are 1950s French designs from Eric Appel, the cream club chairs are upholstered in a Holly Hunt fabric, and the games table at right is by W. P. Sullivan. A Michael Kovner painting is displayed between the windows, while the fireplace is flanked by works by Lea Nikel, Hannah Ben Dov, and Fima on one side and Jan Rauchwarger on the other.

Photograph by FRANCESCO LAGNESE

Chairs by Dakota Jackson surround the custom-made dining table in a Beverly Hills home designed by Studio Jackson. The chandelier is by Jonathan Browning, and the marble sculpture is by Kelly Wearstler. The Japanese-pine ceiling was refinished with a dark stain.

Photograph by ROGER DAVIES
Modern living room with stylish furniture, abstract chandelier, large windows, and framed artwork on the wall.
Elegant dining room with turquoise chairs, ornate chandelier, geometric floor, and framed lion artwork on the wall.
Modern living room with abstract art, cozy seating, sculptural lamp, and decorative vases on coffee table by large window.
Elegant living room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, cozy fireplace, modern chandelier, large windows, and plush seating.
Luxurious living room with elegant white sofas, modern art, floral centerpiece on a coffee table, and large windows with curtains.
Eclectic dining room with vibrant chandelier, red table, and a view of the city through large window.
In a Hamptons home that Clarissa Bronfman designed with Amy Lau, the pink wall color serves as a jubilant backdrop for Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Kimiya Yoshikawa’s Blooming Spark I hanging light in the dining room. Works by Hiroshi Sugimoto flank a piece by Julio Le Parc.
Luxurious open living room with red dining table, modern furnishings, large glass windows, and stunning mountain view.
Modern living room with elegant decor, white walls, diverse artwork, stylish seating, a large mirror, and floral accents.
Modern dining room with dark wood table, geometric chandelier, large windows, and potted plants.
Modern living room with stylish furniture, abstract chandelier, large windows, and framed artwork on the wall.
Elegant dining room with turquoise chairs, ornate chandelier, geometric floor, and framed lion artwork on the wall.
Modern living room with abstract art, cozy seating, sculptural lamp, and decorative vases on coffee table by large window.
Elegant living room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, cozy fireplace, modern chandelier, large windows, and plush seating.
Luxurious living room with elegant white sofas, modern art, floral centerpiece on a coffee table, and large windows with curtains.
Eclectic dining room with vibrant chandelier, red table, and a view of the city through large window.
In a Hamptons home that Clarissa Bronfman designed with Amy Lau, the pink wall color serves as a jubilant backdrop for Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Kimiya Yoshikawa’s Blooming Spark I hanging light in the dining room. Works by Hiroshi Sugimoto flank a piece by Julio Le Parc.
Luxurious open living room with red dining table, modern furnishings, large glass windows, and stunning mountain view.
Modern living room with elegant decor, white walls, diverse artwork, stylish seating, a large mirror, and floral accents.
Modern dining room with dark wood table, geometric chandelier, large windows, and potted plants.