Obsessed: Chandeliers In Unusual Places

Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Bathroom, Projects

Who says chandeliers belong in the ballroom?

Once a symbol of wealth, the chandelier has become a decidedly more democratic decorative element in recent years. While chandeliers are expected in grand entryways, formal dining rooms, ballrooms and the like, they also pop up in more unlikely places (we partially blame Rachel Ashwell's love of chandeliers for the resurgence of the rising popularity in chandelier-style lighting). Here are a few unexpected places to find chandeliers, and advice for how to recreate the look in your home:

In her book Money-Wise Makeovers: Modest Remodels and Affordable Room Redos That Add Value and Improve the Quality of Your Life, Jean Nayar highlights a chandelier on a roof deck of an Atlanta loft building. This eclectic lighting installation is the work of Brian Patrick Flynn (of HGTV's "Decorating Cents" and TBS's "Movie and a Makeover"). To recreate this look on your own, be sure to consult an electrician about an outdoor appropriate fixture and wiring.

The ever-stylish Anthropologie seems to think that the best place for a chandelier is hanging over a bed. Anthro features gorgeously styled photographs of two of their chandelier-style lights (left: Bird & Branch Decoupage Chandelier and right: High-Minded Chandelier) hanging in bedrooms in lieu of a traditional bedside table light or reading light. If you're going to try this bold look, consider having your electrician install a dimmer switch within easy reach of your bed.

The bathroom might be the last place you'd expect to fins a chandelier, but a luxurious light fixture is just the thing to bring some sparkle to a utilitarian room, as architects Krista Ninivaggi and William Prince (both of PARK) have done in their bathing chamber above. When using a chandelier in the bath, it's important to pay attention to scale: Unless you have a huge, hotel-like suite, it's probably best to err on the small side with your overhead fixtures.

When chandeliers were first in vogue, the kitchen was relegated to an unseen part of the home. Now that the kitchen has become the center of the home, if not the centerpiece, why not treat it to an eye-catching lumiere? These two kitchens from the book "Romantic Style" demonstrate that a chandelier could easily be used to decorate either a very modern or a country-chic kitchen space.

Even the youngest members of the home can appreciate a beautiful light source. A chandelier hung in a child's room or a nursery is a surprising and whimsical touch that also lends some sophistication to a juvenile space.

Get more lighting ideas:
- Holiday lighting solutions
- Lighting for a small kitchen

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments