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(ARA) - The chandelier is used to mark your arrival. Clad in crystal, it
met you in the foyer of a well-appointed home, and then dazzled you from
a power position over the dining room table. Rarely did you find a
chandelier in a starter home. To see them illuminating any room other
than one used for entry or dining, more unusual still.
My, how times have changed.
Today chandeliers rate as a brilliant idea just about anywhere -- from
modest homes to magnificent mansions, contemporary digs to traditional
houses. They dangle decorously in almost every room of the house. Credit
our bigger-is-better building boom. Taller ceilings and increased volume
in today’s homes means chandeliers are less likely to crowd a room.
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Clements &
Associates, Inc. Interior Design - Mark Knight
Photography |
“Nine-and-10-foot ceilings almost
demand something hanging to fill the space,” says Joe Rey-Barreau,
educational consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA) and
assistant professor of interior design at the University of Kentucky.
The ALA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding public
knowledge about lighting in the United States and Canada.
Colorful chandeliers create drama in the kitchen. Teeny ones provide
elegance to powder rooms. Even walk-in closets go upscale when lit with
a small chandelier. “Beyond laundry rooms and garages, any room is an
open target for hanging a chandelier,” adds Rey-Barreau. “More commonly,
kitchens and bathrooms have become the popular locations for
chandeliers.”
Chandeliers add twinkle to a boudoir. “People are treating their bedroom
suites as more luxurious personal spaces with elaborate bathroom areas,
so it is not unreasonable to consider chandeliers there, either,” says
Dan Blitzer, director of education for the ALA.
“Chandelettes,” or mini chandeliers, add a new sense of intimacy to
small rooms and to corner spaces and alcoves of larger ones. “Minis are
even being used as wall sconces in some instances -- and they look
fantastic,” says lighting and furniture designer Sergio Orozco, whose
offices are in New York City. These compact chandeliers are 9 to 12
inches in diameter to slip easily into tight spaces. For added impact,
consider grouping them. “You can hang two small ones over a kitchen
counter and the result is gorgeous,” says Eileen Schonbek-Beer, with
Schonbek Worldwide Lighting, which has been making crystal chandeliers
for 134 years. “These smaller chandeliers also work in more modest homes
or where there are 8-foot ceilings.”
Chandeliers have also sized up to accommodate the soaring foyers and
sweeping two-story spaces of larger homes. “The demand for massive
chandeliers to fill these areas has also increased,” says Schonbek-Beer.
“A 20-foot ceiling today is no longer unusual.”
The experts at the American Lighting Association have spotted the
following trends in chandeliers:
Mixed Messages: Mixing of materials and styles within one fixture
is now a common design trend. It is not unusual, for example, to find a
rustic cast-iron fixture with crystals hanging from it, or different
metals and types of glass all incorporated into one fixture.
“American styles are decidedly eclectic and homeowners today are very
comfortable mixing styles,” says Blitzer. “Chandeliers lend themselves
neatly to that process. You can look for a chandelier that is inspired
by the period reflected in the room you are putting it, but you don’t
have to. Many contemporary designs are a blend of traditional elements
with modern materials -- glass and alabaster with polished chrome or
satin nickel, which makes them work with a variety of styles.”
Color Me Beautiful: While sparkling clear crystal refracts and
reflects light, designers offer chandeliers in a rainbow of shades to
complement decor. Colored crystal can combine with clear to create a
prism of hue. Smokey quartz, rock crystal and amethyst offer an antique
feel.
Finish Line: Chandeliers no longer feature just one metal or just
one finish. The latest looks offer multi-tone finishes created by
painted or chemical processes.
Mod Squad: The freshest face in chandeliers is clean and simple,
designed to work in more contemporary spaces. “We just introduced a
dramatic new category of crystal product that is very contemporary,”
says Schonbek. “It features colored crystal geometric shapes -- cubes,
rectangles, spirals, pyramids. The colors mix together to create auras
of light for a vibrant rich look.”
Dim Lit: Whether they are ornate and multi-armed or simply
feature a large-scale bowl, chandeliers need a dimmer so homeowners can
control the intensity of light. “Most of the time, the lighting
capability of a chandelier is more than is actually necessary to light
the space,” says Rey-Barreua. “They should always be controlled by a
dimmer to add to the aesthetic appeal.”
Match Point: Once a design preference has been identified, the
chandelier should simply be another decorative element. “There is a
trend to eclectic interiors where traditional, transitional and modern
will blur even within the same room,” says Rey-Barreau. “The chandelier
doesn't need to "match" the decor in a very rigid manner. If it works
visually for the user, then it's fine.”
For more information or to find a lighting showroom near you, call toll
free (800) BRIGHT IDEAS. For a brochure on how to incorporate lighting
in your life, send $2 to the American Lighting Association, PO Box
420288, Dallas, TX 75342 or visit
www.americanlightingassoc.com.
The American Lighting Association is a
not-for-profit association of leading manufacturers, retail lighting
showrooms and sales representatives in the U.S. and Canada dedicated
to expanding public
knowledge about lighting.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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