How Euro-Style Lighting Can Add Opulence and Intrigue to Any Home

Installing European-style lighting in your home is like adding jewelry to your favorite outfit

An open plan kitchen with a crystal chandelier
Photo: Ursula Page / Adobe Stock
An open plan kitchen with a crystal chandelier
Photo: Ursula Page / Adobe Stock
Julia Pelly
Written by Julia Pelly
Content Editor, Angi
Updated February 15, 2022

Highlights

  • Works in any home

  • Easy to incorporate

  • Pairs well with any style

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Upgrading your lighting can be a cost-effective way to change the look and feel of your space. With European-style lighting, you can use elegant high-quality lamps, chandeliers, and wall or ceiling fixtures to brighten up your room and serve as statement decor.   

No matter what your home’s style is, from mid-century to industrial, Euro-style lighting will blend in seamlessly while elevating its look.

What Is Euro-Style Lighting?

Euro-style lighting is defined by bold shapes and curves, intricate detailing, and the use of lots of glass and crystal. It is generally described as ornate, grand, or opulent. European-style light fixtures are those that might fit well in a grand ballroom, stately home, or upscale theater. 

Examples include sputnik chandeliers, fleur-de-lis wall sconces, and bold chandeliers with multiple layers, each made of glass and dripping with crystal. Basically, if you could find it in the queen’s home, it could work as Euro-style lighting. However, you don’t need a crown to use this style in your home. 

The best part of Euro-style lighting is that it works well with all interior design styles. Hanging a showy chandelier in a modern home will look just as great as it would in an eclectic one.

Key Elements of Euro Lighting

Euro-style lighting can’t be defined by one specific metal or finish. Instead, it’s defined by the quality and elegance of the design. Use it to freshen up your home’s interior design room by room or incorporate it throughout for a luxe feel. 

Key elements include:

  • Curved metal, wood, or other modern materials 

  • Intricate detailing throughout the base and arms of the fixture

  • Use of multiple bulbs to cast light in multiple directions

  • An emphasis on the use of glass or crystal 

  • The intention to serve as both a statement piece and light source 

While chandeliers and other ceiling fixtures often come to mind, Euro lighting can also include floor and table lamps, wall sconces, and exterior lighting, like porch lights and statement light posts. 

Hiring a pro to install a lighting fixture will cost $150 to $900. However, you might consider installing lighting yourself if you’re an intermediate DIYer with electrical experience.

How to Incorporate Euro Lighting Into Your Home

A dining room with a sputnik chandelier
Photo: ExperienceInteriors / E+ / Getty Images

No matter what your current style is, you can bring European lighting into your space to add drama, opulence, and instant timelessness. 

White or natural wood chandeliers, adorned with glass and crystal, are an instant fit with most farmhouse-style homes. Modern houses, on the other hand, with sleek furniture and clean lines, often look best with lighting that incorporates natural bright metal and multiple bulbs. 

If your home has a boho feel, it will mesh well with Euro-style wall sconces and table or floor lamps that incorporate exaggerated curves and natural fibers. 

As you assess your lighting needs, consider whether you want your lighting to make a statement. If the answer is yes, look for showstopping Euro-style pieces that give your home a literal glow-up. 

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Learn more about our contributor
Julia Pelly
Written by Julia Pelly
Content Editor, Angi
Julia is a writer who loves to help families find ways to fall in love with their home.
Julia is a writer who loves to help families find ways to fall in love with their home.
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