chandeliers

[plasticpigeon]

hello,

We are thinking of putting in an empire style crystal chandelier into our front room. It is a bit of an extravagance, but my partner really likes them. The room is around 13' x 11' or 12' with 9' ceilings. I was wondering how large in diamter the chandelier should be. the probelm is that much over 30cm across the drop will be 60 cm or more, so it seems to be getting to a point where tall people could walk into it. However 30cm across could be a bit small!! Are there "rules" or guidelines for this sort of thing??

 

[LadyArowana]

Yes, if you bang your head on it it's too big/ low :lol:

 

[Lime]

Yes, if you bang your head on it it's too big/ low :lol:

No, no, no! I like chandeliers.
If you bang your head on it you are too tall!

A table or other large object of furniture underneath the light can prevent tall people bumping into it.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

It will be fine--just have your coffee table or an ottoman underneath it!

 

[philpjuk100]

If it needs cleaning don`t use the Trotters!.

 

[mims&pip]

Another vote for *going large* and putting a coffee table or similar beneath it

At our last house we found the most wonderful oversized light fitting in Arts & Crafts/Aesthetic style for our kitchen on fleabay. It was an impressive beast that measured in excess of a metre in diameter and almost two metres in height, perfect for hanging over our island unit. The previous owner had paid £2000 for it. Cost to us? £200 plus a further £100 for our courier to collect from Knightsbridge :wink:

Unfortunately the ceilings here don't allow for such manifestations of grandeur so we reluctantly left it for the new owners

Go for it PP - it will look fab!

Mims x

 

[88v8]

Chandeliers produce quite a hard glittery light, even with 'proper' bulbs, so it's a good idea to have a warmer lighting option in the room as well, wall lights or table lamps or standard lamps etc.
We had an antique silver-mounted cut-glass light that lived in a box for 20 years then when we finished the library I put it in there, it looked good until it was lit, but despite trying various bulb sizes and shapes I never could get to like the harsh lighting effect.
In that room there were also wall lights and a standard lamp and two other ceiling fittings, so it didn't really matter that it was harsh and glittery, but I left it behind when we moved.

And I suspect your room is too small, really.

Ivor

 

[angrybird]

Oh! go large!
I have a huge chandelier in my bathroom... shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dont tell Elf and safety :wink: It looks amazing even though you bang your head on it when you stand up to get out of the bath and yes it is a bit bright but when i'm relaxing in the bath with a glass of wine I just have candles lit.
Practical moi? never ! :lol:

 

[angrybird]

sorry about the duplicate post

 

[mims&pip]

Oooh yes angrybird, we've done that too and had a lovely Christopher Wray one a few houses back - to hell with *Elf & Safety* is usually my motto (with some caveats, of course :wink: ) - but at our last house our electrician was a bit of a stickler for E&S so we opted for something more *bog standard*, lol :lol:

Our current bathroom light fixture (inherited when we bought the house) is a disgusting oversized fluorescent tube thing.......all this talk about chandeliers and I feel a suitably extravagant replacement coming on

Mims x

 

[Keithj]

Fluorescent in a bathroom? How can you have a relaxing soak with one of those glaring at you?

I went for warm white concealed lighting, a shelf for the glass and bottle, my glasses, etc.
Oh, and a remote control for the audio kit so that I don't have to touch leccy stuff while in the bath.

Not sure I'd have a chandelier, though, cos there isn't room.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Hewre is a picture ripped off from someone on the web. This is the kind of look I want, but obviously our room isn't as large as this one, but could be a similar style.

 

[mims&pip]

Fluorescent in a bathroom? How can you have a relaxing soak with one of those glaring at you?

I went for warm white concealed lighting, a shelf for the glass and bottle, my glasses, etc.
Oh, and a remote control for the audio kit so that I don't have to touch leccy stuff while in the bath.

Not sure I'd have a chandelier, though, cos there isn't room.

I know Keith, it's awful.....I don't know what the PO was thinking about :roll: We've only been here three months so it's early days yet on the restoration front. Doing two large projects from wreck to fully restored period home (with all the back-breaking labour that involves when you DIY much of it) in the space of seven years has taken its toll on us, so we're attempting to take things slower here which means the lovely light gets to stay a while :wink: Fortunately the bathroom had two other, less offensive light fittings....plus I enjoy a candlelit soak so no need to switch the beast on :lol:

Your set-up sounds perfect, btw

PP - love that pic.....very atmospheric and sums up the look that Pip would like to recreate if he had free reign. I guess our *style* is just a more Arts & Crafts interpretation of that country house, eclectic look :roll:

Mims x

 

[kreyszig]

There is a chandelier or more in my future somewhere too, PP. I am of the opinion that if you are going to put one in, do as you bloody well please. Make it big,make it french, make it deco, etc. It's a pretty OTT thing to have in a house these days so why just do it how you like it.
Let us know if you find a source for large ones - they seem to max out at about 30cm on ebay, last time I looked anyway.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I bought a cheap chandelier from the 1960s for not too much. It's missing some crystals, the concentric rings are on a welded tripod rather than chains and it is a horrible colour being plated steel rather than brass. However it is a decent size around 45cm, is a good shape and has enough crystals to make it worthwhile. I think I will have to paint it or something, put some new crystals on, change bulb holders, and add a chain to get the drop right, but there is a nice light in there somewhere!

 

[mims&pip]

I bought a cheap chandelier from the 1960s for not too much. It's missing some crystals, the concentric rings are on a welded tripod rather than chains and it is a horrible colour being plated steel rather than brass. However it is a decent size around 45cm, is a good shape and has enough crystals to make it worthwhile. I think I will have to paint it or something, put some new crystals on, change bulb holders, and add a chain to get the drop right, but there is a nice light in there somewhere!

Sounds as though - with a little imagination and your obvious artistic flair - you can make a silk purse out a sow's ear PP.......look forward to seeing the restored chandy in situ

Mims x