Lighting is an integral part of the room. It allows your personality to shine through (no pun intended), whether you like to keep things dramatic or subtle. It also draws the eye towards a particular piece of furniture or makes that piece less visible. Of course, before you decide on the kinds of lights you would like to put up in your home, it is important to assess your lighting needs. A balance between ambient and task lighting is important. Lighting is not simply a decorative element; it must be, first and foremost, functional.
Chandeliers are a great way to spruce up your room, because they come in a tremendously wide variety of designs, shapes, and sizes, aside from the traditional olden day look we have associated them with. It is safe to say that there are as many chandelier choices out there as there are personalities and preferences. Here are a few things you need to consider when deciding on the kind of chandelier you want in your room:
1. The size
Oversized and undersized chandeliers can make or break how a room appears. Chandeliers that are too large tend to overpower the room while those that are too small look out of place. The following factors must be considered: height of the ceiling, size of the room, and form of the chandelier. Generally, high ceilings need larger chandeliers. Modern mini chandeliers would fit in smaller spaces such as apartments.
2. The color
Like all pieces of furniture, it is important to complement the colors of your room with that of your lighting fixture. Nowadays, chandeliers no longer just come in antique brass, silver, chrome and gold. They also come in pink, red, orange – the list goes on. Your chandelier can either provide an added burst of color to your room, or tone down a room.
3. The amount of maintenance needed
This is an often overlooked but practical aspect to consider. If you go for a very ornate chandelier, remember that there will be more maintenance work involved. The good news is that you can always go seek help from a professional chandelier cleaner to ease you of the burden of cleaning your branched light fixtures.
4. The “audience”
If you’re setting up a chandelier in common areas like dining rooms, remember that your fixture will be appreciated not only by you, but your guests and family members as well. It is only reasonable to coordinate with the people in your home to make sure they like your choices. For instance, you might want to confer with your husband about the pink chandelier you want to buy for your foyer.
5. Your budget
The good thing about variety is that you can always find a chandelier that will be good to your wallet. Decide on your budget and filter out your picks based on that. If the sky’s the limit, then you can splurge and buy designer one-of-a-kind chandeliers.
6. The material and style
This is where you can truly go wild. You can choose from different crystals, glass, and metals; from contemporary designs to elegant, classic looks; from conversational pieces to subtle works of art. You can go for futuristic space-age looking chandeliers, or floral chandeliers. The possibilities are endless. There are no rules for this one – just go with your personal sense of style.
Enjoy your quest to find the perfect chandelier fixture for your room!
Stella Saunders is a marketing officer for Crystal Chandeliers Direct, an online store for discount crystal chandeliers and foyer chandeliers.