How to Choose The Right Living Room Chandelier

A chandelier is a kind of light fixture with a branched structure that is meant to be mounted on either the ceiling or the walls. It is not a recent invention. Instead, chandeliers have been in existence since medieval Europe. Of course, the chandelier has a lot of predecessors. For instance, one can make the argument that the earliest predecessors existed in prehistoric times, seeing as how the caves of Lascaux have holes in their walls that were used to hang up sources of light. However, more recognizable predecessors would be Byzantine polycandelons and Moorish hanging lamps, both of which came from cultures that were in immediate contact with medieval Europe. As such, it seems reasonable to speculate that the medieval Europeans might have been inspired by their neighbors to some extent when they came up with the first true examples of the chandelier.

Whatever the case, the first chandeliers were exclusive to the elite. After all, they had to use candles, which were made out of either tallow or beeswax. The first material was expensive because it was produced by rendering the fat of slaughtered animals, meaning that it was beyond the means of most commoners. Meanwhile, the second material was even more expensive because it came from the cells of bee-hives, though in exchange, it made for brighter, less foul-smelling candles. On top of this, it should be mentioned that chandeliers required a considerable amount of maintenance, thus making it even less suitable for the masses.

In subsequent centuries, improvements in techniques and technologies made for ever-finer examples of chandeliers. One excellent example was the invention of flint glass, which was clearer, easier to work with, and more capable of taking color than its predecessor. Thanks to this, chandelier-makers could create glass flowers as well as other kinds of glass ornamentation, thus resulting in new possibilities. Under such circumstances, it was no wonder that chandeliers became synonymous with the rich and powerful, which in turn, made them a popular choice with consumers when industrialization made them more widespread than ever before.

Why Would You Want a Chandelier for Your Living Room?

Nowadays, chandeliers are something that everyone can enjoy. Moreover, considering that they are seeing more and more use in an even-widening range of contexts, it seems safe to say that a lot of consumers have become enamored with their particular combination of upsides. For starters, chandeliers are quite space-efficient. That can sound rather strange when so many chandeliers are sizable light fixtures. However, the fact of the matter is that chandeliers tend to be suspended from the ceiling rather than mounted on the walls. As such, they use up vertical space that goes unused in most homes anyways, meaning that their bulk doesn’t actually eat up space that could have been put to other uses for other items.

Having said that, there can be no doubt about the fact that the primary reason to use a chandelier is to make a powerful impression on those who make use of the room. Simply put, chandeliers are awesome sights to see, particularly since most examples have been lavished with ornamentation. Better still, while there is definitely a stereotype of what chandeliers look like in the popular consciousness, these light fixtures are by no means constrained to a single style. Instead, they come in a remarkable range of colors, styles, shapes, materials, and other considerations, as shown by how there are people out there making them out of driftwood. Due to this, interested individuals can be sure of getting something suited to their particular preferences so long as they are willing to put in the time and effort needed to look through their options.

Here are some tips that interested individuals can use to choose the right chandelier for their living room:

Choose the Right Diameter of Chandelier

It is very important to choose the right diameter of chandelier for a room. If it is too big, it is going to be intrusive. Similarly, if it is too small, it is going to be dwarfed by its surroundings. If people have to choose between one or the other, they should choose too big rather than too small because chandeliers are supposed to be showpieces anyways. However, it is still much better to get something that is proportionate to the room. As a rough rule of thumb, the diameter of a chandelier should have the same number of inches as the sum of the length of the room and the width of the room as measured in feet. This isn’t perfect, but this should nonetheless provide interested individuals with a good starting point to work with.

Choose the Right Height of Chandelier

Speaking of which, choosing the right height of chandelier is very important as well. After all, no one wants a chandelier sitting just on top of either them or their furniture, not least because that would look rather unsightly. Instead, if interested individuals are going to position a chandelier directly over either a table or some other piece of furniture, they should go for a chandelier that will stop about 30 to 36 inches from its top. Naturally, taller ceilings can accommodate taller chandeliers that will make a more powerful impression.

Choose the Right Amount of Light from the Chandelier

Chandeliers are centerpieces. However, they aren’t actually supposed to serve as the main source of light in a room. This is particularly true if they have exposed light bulbs, which can make for a great deal of glare. Instead, it is best to use chandeliers as just one out of a number of light sources in the room, thus turning it into a single component in a layered lighting scheme. It can be very useful to install dimmers on chandeliers, thus enabling even more control over their lighting.

Choose the Right Look

On a final note, chandeliers really do come in an amazing selection of visual possibilities. Thanks to this, interested individuals should choose one that will fit in with their overall vision for the room rather than settle for the first option that they set their eyes upon. If they are stuck, they might want to visit some kind of lighting store to learn more about the options that are available to them.