Choosing And Caring For A Glass Chandelier

By: Joanne Dorin


Chandeliers are the perfect finish for your room and with such a variety of chandeliers available you can put as much or as little effort into as you like and you're certain to find the perfect chandelier. Glass chandeliers are one of the best choices for many reasons so read on for some tips on choosing and caring for your glass chandelier.

Your chandelier can add a touch of class, make a room warm and inviting, or turn it into a formal serious atmosphere. It can calm a room or make it vibrate with life. Choose simplistic lines or elaborate fixtures. You decide the look you want. No matter what type of chandelier you choose it will compliment the other lighting in your room.

Victorian chandeliers are the number one choice for dining rooms and rightfully so as they are great for creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. And there are so many Victorian styles to choose from including crystal, brass, and wrought iron. Your shade choices are terrific too from the most intricate glass work to simple elegant shades. Remember the shade is as important as the chandelier so be sure to take your time in choosing the perfect shades for your room.

Of course there are plenty of other styles other than Victorian. Art Deco, tropical, Tiffany, Southwestern, Country, Transitional, Whimsical, Oriental, Old World, Early American, Cottage, and Mission style to name just a few of the more popular styles. And of course each style has the perfect room it's suited for.

Look for the perfect finish for your room or if you're really ambitious and get the fixture for the right price you can redo the finish yourself to fit your room. White, multi color, cream, beige, brass, chrome, nickel, iron, bronze, wood, and rattan are all common types of finishes. And then there are those most important shades which are also available in a variety of materials but glass is the most popular.

One of my favorite chandelier types is glass. Are your wondering why? Well there's several reasons. The selection and variety in style is almost limitless, combined with so many great color choices. The ability of glass to reflect light can create great effects and glass is very easy to maintain and install.

There are some wonderful colors to choose from - cobalt blue, cranberry, ruby red, yellow, emerald green to name just a few of the popular ones. Then there are the fabulous effects of art glass and the magic that glass blowers can bring to the world of glass. Combine that with multitude of shapes that one can choose from and you'll quickly see why there is no better choice than a glass chandelier.

Before you install your new chandelier you need to have the ceiling electrical box checked to make sure it can support the weight. If the new fixture weighs about the same as the old one you should be fine but if it's heavier you'll want to have this checked out.

If you are hanging your chandelier over your dining room table you need to have 30" of clearance from the top of the table to the light so that no one is banging there head.

You should also choose light bulbs that are appropriate for the amount of light you want to make available. Just because the fixture will take 8 - 60 watt bulbs doesn't mean that's what you want to put in the fixture unless you are planning to blind everyone.

You should give your chandelier a quick cleaning at least once a month and a thorough cleaning at least once a year. Shut the chandelier off about 30 minutes before you start to clean it. This gives the bulbs time to cool down. You can use any of the glass cleaning products such as Windex and of course hot soapy water is always a choice. Remember the hotter the water the less streaking on the glass.

Place a towel underneath the chandelier so that when you begin to take it apart for cleaning if any pieces fall they'll land on the towel and you'll be able to keep track of them. If you are going to take the entire chandelier apart be sure you know how to put it back together. You can either take it apart in sections and then reassemble or make yourself a drawing.

Shades can easily be removed and placed into a nice hot soapy bath for a thorough cleaning and then given a good rinse. Always give the bulbs a good dusting too. A lint free cloth works well to shine all the bits and pieces.

Choosing a glass chandelier can be plenty of fun and caring for it can be virtually stress free with a little common sense. So if you're ready to have your guests amazed with your decorating skills it's time to add a glass chandelier to your home.

Joanne is an author of Decorz.com. If you're looking for more lighting decor ideas for your home visit http://www.decorz.com.