Twenty years ago, a chandelier was a sure thing in two rooms in the home – the foyer and dining room. Homeowners today have extended those parameters, using chandeliers as statement-making additions to everything from bedrooms to closets. What’s influencing this trend?
“The two-story foyer is essentially disappearing from new architecture,” says Jeff Dross, Corporate Director of Education and Industry Trends with Kichler Lighting. Pendants are making inroads into dining rooms, too, so chandelier use is naturally migrating to other spaces.
Where homeowners spend most of their time has changed, too. Master bedrooms with expansive vaulted ceilings have turned into mini living environments to accommodate relaxing and reading. Bathrooms have become larger, and guest areas are not just throwaway spaces anymore. It is that switch from pure function to aesthetics that is also driving the appearance of chandeliers in unexpected places.
While chandeliers come in a range of styles, sizes and colors, the functions of chandeliers have certain commonalities. Their height and structure naturally pulls the eye up and around a room, creating movement. Color or crystals can add visual interest, as can the mix of materials that make up the arms of a fixture.
“The illuminated candles and brilliant sparkle of crystal chandeliers provide multiple light points and create a vivid, less static environment,” says Mike Hadank, Director Retail Sales of North America, Swarovski Lighting. “Chandeliers add a sense of elegance and mood to any space.”
The American Lighting Association suggests that homeowners remember these two points when installing a chandelier:
- Don’t hang the chandelier too high. “People will hang it a mile from the table,” says Dross. A rule of thumb: Keep it about 30 inches from the bottom of the chandelier to the top of the table.
- Scale up the chandelier size for the dining room. Dross recommends a chandelier that is slightly oversized in a dining room. “It fills the space a little better when it is a touch larger. If it’s a pipsqueak-size chandelier, it loses its impact. If you really like a small chandelier, put in two of them.”
When it comes to design, Dross is seeing an upswing in contemporary styles as Generation X and Y consumers move into their own homes and work on their own renovations, as well as Baby Boomers looking to redo their own decorating styles. As oversize furniture becomes less popular, the scale of contemporary chandeliers works better for newly streamlined spaces.
Source: ALA
Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.
