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How to Choose the Perfect Chandelier Without Breaking the BankYour dining room is a busy place. Whether you're entertaining friends, enjoying a meal with your family, or working on a school project with the kids, you want to be sure the dining room is a well lit environment that reflects your style. That's why your chandelier is a key lighting fixture. Luckily, getting it right is as easy as following a few guidelines for size, style, and brightness. Even better, you can find a chandelier you adore for less than you might think—no matter what style you fancy. Selecting a chandelier sizeThe idea is to think big. Your chandelier is really a centerpiece for your dining room, so make a statement and go for size. On the other hand, there is such a thing as too big. A massive chandelier in a room that's too small will look unbalanced and crowded. A good rule of thumb is to choose a chandelier that's 12 inches narrower than the width of your dining room table. When hung from the ceiling, the bottom of the chandelier should be 30 inches about the table. This distance ensures that you'll have ample illumination as well as comfortable clearance so family and guests won't bump their heads. If you have high ceilings—nine feet or taller—try a chandelier with a two- or three-tiered design to help fill the space above the table. Which chandelier style makes sense?Your tastes are already reflected in the furniture, paint, and accessories you've chosen for your home. Be sure to choose a chandelier that matches the style of your home, and more specifically, your dining room. A formal dining room with a rich mahogany dining set might call for a traditional crystal chandelier, while a modern, spare home cries out for a simple pendant design with a metal finish. Other popular styles include mission chandeliers, which feature masculine, clean shapes and are often made in bronze or antiqued metal finishes with frosted amber glass or mica shades. This style is often featured in arts-and-crafts style homes. Have an ethnic-inspired home? A wrought iron chandelier is a handsome, bold fixture for your dining room. It also works well in Mexican or South American style rooms or Mediterranean-inspired motifs. For those of you with rustic decor, try a chandelier made of authentic or synthetic deer antlers. It's a striking fixture for a log cabin, a country cottage, or even an eclectic, funky living space in the city. If you choose a chandelier with a metal finish, be sure it complements the other metals in the room. Don't mix antiqued bronze with bright, shiny stainless steel, for example. What if your home doesn't really fit any of these design styles? No matter. You can't go wrong with a classic, simple pendant chandelier in a muted, neutral finish such as brushed nickel. If you decide to change your dining room decor one day in the future, try this trick for an easy chandelier revamp: Purchase new mini shades for each of the bulbs in your fixture. You can match a new color scheme or even a new dining set with this simple, inexpensive purchase. Illuminating your dining room with chandeliersThough the chandelier is certainly an important design element in your dining room, it's not meant to provide the sole lighting source. What works best is a number of light sources from fixtures such as wall sconces, recessed perimeter lighting, table lamps, and even candles. A general rule of thumb is to use 200 to 300 watts for your chandelier, and about 75 watts for other fixtures. This technique will provide strong central light and will flood the entire room with soft ambient light, which will help cut down on glare and shadows. Another way to help eliminate glare is to use mini shades on each bulb. Even better, try wiring your chandelier with a dimmer switch so you can adjust the amount of illumination according to the activities you're planning. Making sure the price is rightBuying the perfect chandelier for your dining room doesn't have to cost a fortune. Unless you're looking for a three-tiered Swarovski crystal-encrusted contraption, you can find a new chandelier for a couple hundred dollars at your local home improvement or lighting specialty store. If you're a bargain shopper, try hunting for deals on the Internet. Online retailers often advertise lower prices, and many offer free shipping, so it's worth the effort to look there. Or let's say you're really on a shoestring budget. You'd be amazed at what you can find at garage sales and flea markets. For mere dollars—and sometimes mere pennies—you can pick up a charming old chandelier that would put a wonderful "shabby chic" twist on your decor. Simply repair any cracks or damage, and repaint to match your color scheme, and you've got a brand new, unique centerpiece for your dining room. Whether you're buying a new chandelier or refurbishing an old one, it's important to make sure the fixture takes standard light bulbs. If you choose a nonstandard fixture, you could end up spending too much money replacing expensive, hard-to-find bulbs. Also consider purchasing a style that's simple so it's easy to clean. A chandelier with complex filigree and lots of angled surfaces can make dusting more of a challenge that you'd like. About the Author Vanessa Kirkland is freelance writer and home improvement enthusiast whose articles offer tips and advice about home lighting techniques for designing with chandeliers, floor lamps, table lamps, and track lighting. |
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