When most of us think of chandeliers, we think of castles and mansions with huge, be-prismed beauties shedding soft light on the dancers below. We think of them in connection with the rich, the sophisticated, and the elite. And it’s true that modern housing wasn’t designed to have one of those huge chandeliers in them. However, we’re thinking of the old-style of chandelier here. Modern ones are sleek, simple, and suited for almost any house anywhere.
The original chandeliers were lighted by candles. They operated on a pulley system so that they could be lowered in order to clean them, put in new candles, and light them. When gaslights came into vogue, so did gas chandeliers. It wasn’t until the 1890s that electricity started to be used to light them. It was so much easier and cleaner. Can you imagine having had to clean wax off of 500 prisms or more?
Some contemporary chandeliers are designed for beauty and elegance. The chandelier “Birds, Birds, Birds”, for instance, is available online. The chandelier itself looks like a tangle of vines. There are 24 low voltage lights sitting on the vines, and each bulb has goose feather wings. It’s 74.8” high and has a diameter of 47.3” and is a truly amazing work of art. All it takes is a room big enough to house it and $5930.00 to pay for it, and you can have one hanging in your own living room.
Most modern chandeliers aren’t this elaborate or this expensive. They are designed to give enough light for eating and living, but they are also made to be beautiful additions to your décor. The lights create a mood in your rooms while expressing your own personal style. Many of them are made of metals such as wrought iron, chrome, brass, and brushed nickel. You can find them in all different shapes and sizes to fit your room.
Most contemporary chandeliers have glass globes. Some of the styles of glass can be etched glass, marbled glass, Murano glass, or frosted glass. These globes come in many different shapes and sizes and can be truly beautiful, as in the case of Murano glass shades. Some of the lights with arms use silk lampshades instead of glass shades. There is a lot of room for personal taste when choosing modern lighting fixtures, and whatever your style you’ll be able to find something to fit in perfectly.
Modern chandeliers are not just for the living and dining rooms any more. You will find many smaller styles available which will look great in your bedrooms, or even your bathroom if that’s where your taste leads you. You can find them in many colors and styles to fit in with any décor. Some of these are elegant mini-chandeliers, plus there are others available with multi-color globes and funky designs.
Many styles of chandeliers are available for children of all ages. There are cute nursery lights with Humpty Dumpty, rabbits, moons, or butterflies on them. There are many different styles for boys which include baseball and basketball-themed lights. Plus thee are lights with motorcycles, airplanes, trains, and pirates. For girls there are lots of flowered chandeliers as well as ones that feature items like tea sets, dolls, shoes, and hats.
No matter what type of contemporary chandelier you want for your house, you’re bound to find it online. You will probably be surprised when you comb through pages of different chandeliers and see how many unique configurations are now considered chandeliers. It’s truly amazing how far modern lighting has come since the days of the old-style chandeliers.
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A Short History of Crystal Chandeliers
Back in the Middle Ages, people used candles for illumination. In order to use them as ceiling lights, people would construct a rough cross out of wood and stick nails in the ends to hold candles. Then they would hoist the...
