Everything you should know before purchasing a chandelier

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Everything you should know before purchasing a chandelier

Chandeliers have come a long way from being the very expensive, hard-to-get fixtures belonging only to the rich and influential. Now, they are beautiful fixtures that anyone can have across different parts of their homes, from living rooms to kitchens and even bathrooms.

Chandeliers are fixtures with multiple lamps that light up your living space, deliver a touch of elegance to your home, and improve your existing interior design.

Chandeliers can be made with a lot of different materials ranging from crystal to bronze, brass, wood, rustic iron, and even glass, and they come with different tiers, depending on what you choose.

If you’re curious about chandeliers, their types, unique traits, and how to maintain them, all the information you need is here! Let’s begin by exploring the types of chandeliers you should consider for your home.

 

Types of chandeliers

There are so many types of chandeliers available, with new designs being created every day. The fun thing about chandeliers is that they come in so many shapes, styles, and kinds which keeps things interesting and fresh. However, it is quite easy to get carried away and confused about chandeliers. To help you understand and choose a chandelier that’s best for your home, let’s look at some of the most famous chandelier types.

 

Crystal chandeliers 

Arguably the most famous type of chandeliers, crystal chandeliers are simply several bulbs surrounded by glass crystals that reflect the light produced throughout your living area.

Crystal chandeliers are quite formal, making them more fit for large, formal home settings or halls. However, nobody says you cannot create a unique blend by using a crystal chandelier with casual home décor. The contrast will be positively striking and unique.

Some of the most beautiful crystal chandeliers are the Point Crystal ChandelierCrystal Hanging Rectangular Chandelier, Hamape Luxury Chandelier, and Wienaus Chandelier. Find some more crystal chandeliers here.

 

Modern chandeliers 

Modern chandeliers deliver a functional and aesthetic vision that feels right at home in a modern, minimalist home.

With their geometrical shapes, minimal embellishments, and crisp edges, modern chandeliers leave an impression of an aesthetic innovation that is hard to match.

Modern chandeliers are often medium-sized, which makes them suitable for different parts of your home, including bathrooms and kitchens, but they fit so perfectly into your living room.

Check out modern chandeliers for your home, such as Minimal Stick ChandelierAtok Ceiling LightBlack Bone ChandelierModern Art Staircase Light, and many more

 

Drum chandeliers 

Drum chandeliers derive their name from their shape, with most drum chandeliers having a round shade covering all the lights and giving off a shaded, romantic glow.

Drum chandeliers are often best suited for bedrooms and love nests, but your living rooms, kitchen, and even bathrooms can enjoy the beauty of the muted light these chandeliers deliver. Drum chandeliers vary in size, so you need to consider the size that best suits the part of your home where you want to place them. 

Crystal Drum Chandelier is beautiful drum chandelier for your home. You can also find other drum chandeliers here.

 

Sputnik chandeliers

A cool name for a cool chandelier, sputnik chandeliers are defined by their light branches that shoot out from a center point. While some chandeliers form a circle when they spread out, some others create different random shapes. You’ll also find that some sputnik chandeliers have lights on one end, while others have lights on both sides. 

Although they have been some of the most popular mid-century light designs, sputnik light fixtures continue to be popular, even in modern design and architecture.

If you like the way they look, consider buying the Modern Nordic Spiral Chandelier and Parilona Chandelier. Check out other sputnik light fixtures here.

 

Staircase chandeliers

Your staircase or foyer deserves to be lighted up just like the rest of your home, and staircase chandeliers are designed for that sole purpose. 

Many homeowners don’t recognize that a staircase is a major contributor to the aesthetics and design of a home. With staircase chandeliers that come in different shapes, sizes, and styles, your hallways and stairways will look nothing short of elegant.

Some of the best-selling staircase chandeliers to adorn your home with include the Point Twisted ChandelierRain Staircase ChandelierRainy Rings Chandelier, the Luminous Circles Chandelier, and more

 

Waterfall chandeliers

Shaped just like the most beautiful waterfalls, the waterfall chandelier is designed in a style where the crystal or glass drips from the top to the bottom like droplets of water falling.

They come in many shapes and designs, so you can find a square, geo, or round base and drops that can also be simple strings or different geometrical shapes. 

Waterfall chandeliers are perfect for all parts of the house, and they often look better with high roofs, so that they can dangle and still not look too low.

Check out the Black Point Staircase ChandelierEmpire Luxury Chandelier, and the Grior luxury chandelier, and a full collection here.

 

Candle chandeliers 

Probably the most traditional chandelier styles, candle chandeliers are the modern version of the older chandeliers that existed before the invention of bulbs. Now candle chandeliers are no longer used with candles but with different kinds of bulbs that produce lighting. 

Candle chandeliers are also formal in style because they are replicas of traditional candle lighting. However, they fit perfectly into your living room with the right arrangement and décor. 

Some candle chandeliers you should consider purchasing are the Candle Style Globe Chandelier and the Stoila Chandelier. Here’s a collection of more candle chandeliers for your home.

 

Linear chandeliers 

Linear chandeliers are rectangular or linear-shaped light fixtures that add the appearance of length to your room. Due to the shape of these chandeliers, they make your living room, kitchen, or dining room look longer and wider.

Linear chandeliers are trendsetters that don’t focus on length as with many chandeliers, but on width. These linear suspension fixtures are a great addition to your home, whether you choose to purchase the Geometry Led Pendant LightMinimal Stick Chandelier, or the Ribbed Chandelier.

You can also explore other beautiful linear chandeliers like the Luxury Rotating ChandelierAtok Ceiling Light, and many more

 

Hybrid chandeliers

Hybrid chandeliers bring different shapes and styles to bear in a single light fixture. If you love a couple of styles but find it hard to stick to one, then a hybrid chandelier might be the answer. For inside, you could find a chandelier that encompasses a cage and candle chandelier style or a globe and candle style.

There’s no limit to the styles and combinations you find when you choose a hybrid chandelier. 

There are many hybrid chandelier designs for you to choose from, including Domino ChandelierGlittering Luxury ChandelierMulti-Branch Ceiling LightPoint Sphere Chandelier, and more

 

A Size Guide to Chandeliers 

When choosing chandeliers for your home, there’s a lot to consider, and there are rules for each space you plan to hang up your chandelier.

For instance, you need to determine the chandelier’s height, diameter, and how it should be hung.

Calculating a chandelier’s diameter

You need to measure the length and width of your space in feet, add them together, and they will give you the right diameter for your chandelier in inches. So, if the length and feet of your room total 30 feet, simply replace the feet with inches, and that’s your chandelier’s diameter. 

Calculating a chandelier’s hanging height

When hanging your chandelier above a kitchen island or dining table, you need to be sure the bottom of the chandelier is between 30 and 36 inches higher than your tabletop.

When dealing with an open floor, the distance between the chandelier’s bottom and the floor should be about 7.5 feet.

Apart from these general rules, there are other guides and rules specific to different chandeliers and spaces. You can find a full chandelier size guide here.

Chandelier Maintenance

If you want your beautiful chandeliers to last and adorn your home for a long time, you’ll need to maintain and care for them properly.

Here are some maintenance tips recommended by chandelier manufacturers to keep your chandeliers in good shape.

  • Dust your chandeliers weekly

One way to ensure that dust doesn’t pile up on your chandelier is to clean it with a dry duster or rag weekly. You must ensure that the rag is dry, to avoid dripping moisture on the chandeliers, which can cause corrosion.

  • Clean your chandeliers yearly

You should carry out a more thorough cleaning process on your chandelier once a year. This cleaning process will involve the use of water and a mild detergent or a cleaning solution, a warm water rinse, and towel drying.

  • Inspect your chandeliers often

Another important maintenance step is to inspect your chandelier regularly to ensure that all the wires and bulbs are working properly and that there are no loose wires that could cause a spark or spoil the chandelier. 

Beyond the general cleaning and maintenance practices, you’ll need to observe specific maintenance processes for different types of chandeliers. For instance, when maintaining crystal chandeliers, you’ll need to place a cushion under the chandeliers, apply a cleaning solution on a cleaning cloth and wipe the chandeliers spindles down gently. After that, you’ll need to clean the crystals one section at a time and dry them with a rag or towel.

When cleaning a waterfall chandelier, you can choose to keep the glass on or off. If you want to take off the glass for a more thorough cleaning, you’ll have to remove each glass carefully and wipe down the dangling fixture carefully with a rag that has a cleaning solution applied to it.

For heavy dust or buildup, you can wash the glass carefully in lukewarm water and mild soap before drying and replacing them.

If you want to learn more about chandelier maintenance for all kinds of chandeliers, you can find our in-depth post here

Now that you know what style of chandelier you want, you should check a blog (size guide) about where and how to hang the chandelier. Please CLICK HERE if you're interested in reading that blog.

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