Crystal Chandeliers

Crystal chandeliers are the height of romance and elegance. Some of them are incredibly ornate works of art which should command instant attention in your entryway or formal dining room. Others are scaled down to bring a sense of enchantment to a beautiful bedroom or to give character to a hallway or stairwell.

Crystal chandeliers can be likened to a woman's stunning diamond pendant worn with a simple black dress. They are the crowning touch of a room, and can define its character instantaneously. Some decorators will over-design a room, trying to put as many stunning pieces as possible together. A refined decorator realizes the value of subtlety and will pair a crystal chandelier with tasteful but slightly less elaborate pieces.

Swarovski Crystal Chandeliers

A crystal chandelier is often used to capture the sense of real antique chandeliers that held candles in the days before electricity. It's difficult for electric bulbs to capture the lively flickering of 20 or 30 little candles, and crystal drops are one of the best ways to make an electric chandelier make beautiful lighting more like an old chandelier with candles. For the most glorious effect, you want the best crystals, which are invariable Swarovski crystals. They are the most pure and the most perfectly faceted, so they play with the light beautifully.

One thing some inexperienced designers don't realize is that a crystal chandelier always looks bigger than it is. You may think the measurements are right on paper and balanced in the room--but unlike a wrought iron chandelier, which looks smaller because of its simplicity and empty spaces, a crystal chandelier looks bigger. If you have already purchased a chandelier and have discovered this problem, do not fear. You can usually keep your chandelier and compensate by scaling down a few other design elements that you no longer need.