Chandeliers – Light up your life!

Once the “crowning glory” in the home – usually in the form of a neo-classical leaded crystal during the late 18th century - the chandelier is once again enjoying the spotlight. Whether a traditional design or fanciful art glass creation, whether rustic wood or a contemporary design, the Chandelier's beauty prevails in even the most modern interiors.

Chandeliers one of the grandest ways of lighting up any space. Found mainly in entry ways, living rooms and dining rooms – as well as in architectural lighting for restaurants, hotels, and other commercial spaces – chandelier lighting has evolved immensely from the simple candleholder that was its beginning.

The word chandelier literally means candleholder and is applied to a light fixture suspended from the ceiling, usually having branch supports, and two or more candles or electric lights. The earliest chandeliers were a little more than a cross-shape formed from two beams of wood with a spike at each end to hold the candles upright. Very few of the earliest chandeliers survived the destruction of the reformation in the sixteenth century.

The great age of the chandelier was reached in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when lead crystal concoctions sparkled and shimmered in ballrooms and drawing rooms across Europe and America, shedding warm candlelight, accompanied in our imaginations by the sound of music, murmuring voices, and the rustle of silk gowns. When chandeliers began to hang in private homes, they were adorned only in the palaces and mansions of the wealthy and powerful.

Today, we are seeing a resurgence of interest in the chandelier, yet today the interest is much more diversified. Art glass lighting has evolved beyond Murano glass and lead crystal, as studio glass artists in the United States have brought their craft to the mainstream. Glass artists along with metal and wood artists are creating functional art that can lift the ambience of a space in ways that were never imagined.

Handcrafted chandeliers from Art Lighting Gallery can change the entire look and feel of a space with lighting that expresses your personality, sets a mood, or simply illuminates a space in the best possible way. Table lamps and floor lamps are often used in living rooms and family rooms to provide overall lighting but opulence is lent only by chandeliers.

When chandeliers are used as primary light givers, however, they can produce harsh glows; dimmed to a comfortable glow, they become inviting decorative editions, design lighting that draws attention to itself as an art object. Generally, chandeliers should not be the only light source in a room. Instead, augment a decorative fixture with one or more wall sconce on a dimmer.

Here at Art Lighting Gallery, the chandelier is at center stage. The chandelier offers one of the most unique ways to add a classic, timeless touch to your room. Find the perfect chandelier for your home in our gallery or consult one of our customer service representatives for the perfectly designed chandelier you are seeking.