Chandelier Light Fixtures

Chandelier light fixtures and the benefits they bring to your home.

There is one area of the modern home that is a world away from what we had twenty years ago and that is the area of home lighting. The old way used to be to have one or two central light fittings in each room with a boring bulb and light fitting.

Today we have a multitude of different types of lighting for every situation but one type of lighting fitting stands heads and shoulders above the rest and that is the chandelier light fitting.

Chandeliers began in an era when the only source of light at night was the candle and a candle does not provide much light. Various ways of using more candles to provide more light were tried but the ultimate was the chandelier which could make use of lots of candles and provide light all over the room.

The modern chandelier can do much the same but for most of us we love chandeliers because they look spectacular and make our homes look wonderful.

There seem to be various opinions as to what light fittings should be called a chandelier but the original chandeliers were developed to provide a lot of light at a time when lighting was done with candles. A solitary candle does not provide a great deal of light but if you combine a lot of them together you get a significant light source.

Modern chandeliers come in many different styles but they all retain the original idea that there are several different light sources, or light bulbs, contained in the one chandelier light fitting.

If you think back to the old films you have seen you may remember Errol Flynn and others swinging from a chandelier to get to the bad guys. Most of these chandeliers portrayed were a simple wooden hub with a wheel like surround where the candles, or oil lamps, were mounted. These were probably rather like the original type of chandelier which would give you a large rim where you could mount multiple candles. Indeed it seems likely that the first chandeliers might well have been an old cartwheel hung from the ceiling with candles fitted to the outer rim.

Once the concept had been proven the moneyed classes would have wanted something a little more in keeping with their wealth and status so crystal chandeliers with their hundreds or thousands of shaped pieces of crystal glass became the light fitting to own to show off to friends and rivals.

Different Types Of Chandeliers For Sale Online

When I recently decided I would like a chandelier in my hall I began looking to see what different types of chandelier available for sale and I was amazed to find there are dozens of different types of chandeliers for sale online.

I had always had an image in my mind of a crystal chandelier in a French Palace and I was not prepared for the wide variety of different types and styles of chandeliers you can buy these days.

When we think of a chandelier we most often think of a crystal chandelier sparkling and spreading its light around the room but there are a lot of other alternative styles of chandelier to suit most peoples requirements for their homes, and palaces if you are lucky enough to own one.

Modern chandeliers come in all shapes and styles and are made from a wide variety of materials but they all retain the original idea of having several sources of light, Usually the light source these days is a small halogen bulb but you can still buy candle chandeliers if you want to go for that authentic lighting look.

Crystal chandeliers are what most of us think of when we think of chandelier light fittings and they are probably the most beautiful light fittings available.

The hundreds and sometimes thousands of individual crystal glass drops reflect and spread the light as refracted light around the room in a sparkling display of light.

Some crystal chandeliers that were made in the past are simply astonishing. The world's largest Bohemian crystal chandelier, a gift from Queen Victoria, is located in the Dolmabahçe Palace (Istanbul). The chandelier has 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tons.

There are some beautiful crystal chandelier light fittings available online but I don't think you will find one quite as large as that one.

Chandeliers were originally attached to the ceiling with a rope to enable it to be lowered to light and replace the candles they used for providing light. Most modern chandeliers are pendant chandeliers which are light fittings with multiple light sources hanging from the ceiling by a chain or cord.

Some of the light fittings you will see described as chandeliers are not what most of us think of as this style of light fitting but as they contain multiple light bulbs they qualify to be described as a chandelier.

If a light fitting has several light bulbs and hangs from the ceiling by a cord or chain it can be fairly described as a pendant chandelier.

Many of us look back wistfully to life in an earlier age and many of us like to add an authentic feel to their style of decor when remodelling their homes. If you want the authentic look of candle chandeliers you will find these are still available to buy online.

It should be remembered that if you use a candle chandelier and actually light the candles your ceiling will become affected by smoke but for occasional use to give a true candlelight atmosphere these candle chandeliers are the perfect solution.

They are available in a range of different styles from a medieval appearance made of large heavy timbers to a wrought iron candle chandelier or a more modern slimline minimalist look.

Many of our homes are completely separated from the natural world but if you want to add a feel of the natural world to your home an Antler chandelier might be just the thing you are looking for.

Antler chandeliers are made from genuine natural deer antlers and they are available in many different styles from the simplest with only a couple of antlers, or pieces of antler, while others are available using antlers with many points with each of them having a light fitting attached.

Prices range from the very what most of us would consider discount antler chandeliers right through to $30,000 lighting centerpieces that many of us would admire but few of us could afford.

The image we all have of chandeliers we have in our minds is of very expensive crystal chandeliers but there are cheap chandeliers available online to give you home a glamorous look and wonderful atmospheric lighting.

You might expect to pay a lot of money for a stylish chandelier light fitting but you will most likely be surprised at how reasonably some chandeliers are priced. Given that the look of a chandelier is of an expensive and stylish appearance the prices of cheap chandeliers are remarkably low.

Check out some of the examples of cheap chandeliers on the right and you may wonder if the term cheap is missplaced as they certainly don't look cheap.

Just to keep a balanced view of the variety of chandelier light fittings available here are some examples of some of the highest quality chandeliers. If you have no interest in the cost of things and can afford to have whatever you want these may be the perfect light fitting statement for your home.

These include some beautiful examples of the superb Tiffany chandeliers, Swarovski chandeliers and Schonbeck chandeliers if you demand the highest quality in everything you buy.

For the rest of us these serve to provide some great examples of the sorts of light fittings available to those who can afford the craftsmanship and artistry involved in manufacturing these exquisite chandelier light fixtures.

Here's an amusing video on how not to remove a chandelier for cleaning.