This Old House

This Old House
July 2009
Schoolhouse Lighting

Having graduated from the classroom long ago, these milky white orbs remain a quick way to add vintage style to your home.

Bare bulbs sought shelter in opaque glass globes hanging from classrooms, library, courthouse and kitchen ceilings back in the 1920’s. With their clean, utilitarian lines and practical light diffusing shades, hard-working schoolhouse lights were a popular choice anywhere good task and ambient light was needed. As demand for them increased, the original white flared globes soon took on hand-painted bands of color, more geometric forms and fancier metal fittings.

Today schoolhouse style fixtures are still appreciated for their timeless good looks and are a sure way to add retro flair to kitchens, baths and other light starves areas of the house.