I’ve been in the lighting industry for over 25 years and in that time I’ve had the chance to see thousands of chandeliers with all the options available. How do you know which is the best one for you?  The first thing to consider when you’re choosing a chandelier is your individual taste and the distinct style of your home.  Then you need to look at the size of the room, and then the size of the fixture you are considering and whether or not you want that fixture to be a focal point. Or are you mainly interested in just a source of light for the room? We’ve asked in-store experts for their advice. Here are the seven basic things I think you need to know whenever you’re trying to select a chandelier.

FOR YOUR HOME

1. BUDGET – Consider your budget and how much you are willing to spend on this main impact piece.
2. STYLE – Choose the style of the fixture and whether or not you want to go contemporary, traditional, or modern
3. SIZE – Now decide on the size of the fixture you are thinking of.
4. FUNCTION – Also, think about the function of the fixture, and how much light you think you will need in the chosen space.
5. BRIGHTNESS – Not to sound like an ageist, but unfortunately as you age your eye sight gets a little more diminished. So, you might consider that and ask yourself – do you want more light? Therefore, you should consider lighting that projects in a downward version. Also consider how much lighting is needed for that particular space. The downward projection version is going to be a little more casual.
6. PROJECTION – If your eye sight is good and you are not really excited about looking up at a light bulb, I’d probably recommend a chandelier in the up-projection position.
7. PLACEMENT – Think about which room you’re going to be adding glamour to and whether or not it’s for the foyer, the dining room, the breakfast room or the kitchen area. Once we determine the space that you will be lighting, we’ll look at the room size and dimensions. Then we’ll consider the ceiling height of the space you want to place your chandelier in order to determine what size is needed.  

CHOOSE A CHANDELIER FOR ANY ROOM IN ANY STYLE

KITCHEN OR BATH CHANDELIERS –  It used to be that a formal chandelier in the kitchen would be an odd choice for most. But even the most formal chandelier can look great in today’s kitchens. If your kitchen is not so elegant – don’t despair, there are great chandeliers in a style, size, and finish that will glam up your kitchen.  And bathrooms can be just as elegant as any other space. An over the tub Chandelier can definitely make a big splash, for your design.

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​​​​​​​MINI CHANDELIERS FOR SMALL PLACES – Traditional chandeliers are generally too large for small areas, but a mini chandelier may be the answer if you have a desire for the beauty and ambiance of a gorgeous chandelier in that compact space. There are beautiful mini chandeliers for small baths, dressing rooms, small dining areas, bedrooms and of course kitchens – or anywhere you want a little glamour.

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CONSIDER PENDANT CHANDELIERS – Pendant chandeliers are fixtures that usually have one bulb per globe.  Globes are typically attached to one outlet – rather than an individual outlet for each globe.

If you’d like something out of the norm, rather than the typical chandelier, consider choosing a pendant chandelier. Beautiful mini chandeliers can provide an exciting look to the décor in virtually any space in your home, like over a kitchen island functioning as both task and ambient lighting.

NORMAL GUIDELINES

• Determining the right sized chandelier – you can look at the dimensions of the room.

• Take the width and the depth of the room – add those numbers together and that would generally give you the diameter of the chandelier that you can use.

• Ceiling height is also very important in determining the size of the fixture. If you have 8-foot ceilings, then obviously you can’t go with anything too tall for the space because it would almost feel like it’s lowering the ceiling of the room.

• If it’s a higher ceiling, you could definitely choose a chandelier that has two or three tiers, depending on the impact you want the fixture to make.

• After you’ve identified the architectural style of your home, you’ll also want to look at the available qualities your home has to offer and then plan on illuminating and highlighting those areas.

CASUAL GLAMOUR

Chandeliers can go anywhere in your home that you can imagine. They are for your dining rooms to your bathrooms. Formal dining rooms as you know, are generally one of the most formal areas in the entire home.

Today’s homeowners typically want to dress up the front of their home. But as they enter and move through to the back area of the home, it usually gets a little more casual. Typically you do your most “living” in the back areas of your home. The chandeliers that I see in those areas are most in-demand. Usually you are going to see a more modern style. The contemporary style chandeliers and also the crystal chandelier will definitely stay around for a very long time.  

Styles for the casual areas have very clean and simple lines, yet are very elegant but also minimalist.  We are seeing more modern fixtures in the less formal areas of the home. You’re seeing lots of large barrel shades and lots of sleek designs. That’s definitely a trend that’s coming back big for 2019!

Also, chrome and polished nickel chandelier finishes are trending back as well. These are gorgeous pieces that are going to be impressive yet comfortable and cozy, but more importantly they should cater to a maintenance-free lifestyle. We are starting to see our customers wanting to pull back a little, and just be a bit more relaxed. These are the ceiling fixtures that are becoming very important to many homeowners.