Happy Friday the 13th! You know how I adore chandeliers? Well, today I’m sharing with you a buying guide to chandeliers! Where to look for them, where to buy them and what size you need for a particular spot.
I think every room deserves a chandelier. And if at all possible, a crystal chandelier! I have been hoarding collecting chandeliers for many years. I haul them from house to house. Some of them I leave after I am no longer in love with them, or if I’m going in a different decorating direction. Or sometimes I’m forced to leave them behind when we sell a house. This time I’m taking with me my favorites!
My favorite place to look for vintage chandeliers is obviously online. Ebay and Craigslist are a treasure trove for great deals. My sister in law recently scored this beauty via Craigslist for a mere $100. Great eye, Shana. It’s gorgeous!
And I found this one on Craigslist. Obviously this one is not old but it is very cool looking and was a steal at $75. I was going to use it as a replacement fixture, but changed my mind. Guess this one will go on the moving truck!
Another favorite spot to look for chandeliers is antique stores, thrift stores or Habitat for Humanity Restores. If you are lucky, you can find vintage ones or really cool ones for a great price. I found these two at the Habitat Restore recently. I thought they were really pretty and substantial for just $20 a piece. This one is very heavy and has beautiful details.
I had it rewired and hung it from my chandelier tree out front. I painted it Heirloom White and it took on a whole new feel!
Ditto with this fixture. It had very pretty details and again is quite heavy. Probably cost a fair penny new.
Also painted Heirloom White…
The new house is a departure from our usual somewhat formal style. It has more of a French Country vibe. Therefore we are giving away some of our current furniture to our boys and selling some. Plus, the new house is smaller so downsizing feels right. And won’t it be fun to decorate a new house after all these years? YES. (As long as Loafi doesn’t interfere). See previous post Big, Exciting News!
Happily there will be lots of places to put my chandeliers! And the kind folks we are buying the new house from are leaving a gorgeous chandelier in the great room. It looks something like this one. See? It’s pretty different than my typical chandelier style, but trust me there will be lots of places for my crystal chandelier collection! And I’m thinking I can add a few sparkly crystals to this one for a fun twist! What do you think?
I’m bringing with me this beautiful chandelier. It will hang over a new dining table, yet to be determined. (Hopefully a Restoration Hardware table I have my eye on!) We are giving our formal cherry dining table and chairs to my son and daughter in law. I”m happy it is staying in the family. 
I’ll finally get to use my fancy ceiling medallion my sweet husband bought me last Christmas. Yay! He bought this beauty for me at the Crystal Cottage in Doylestown. It looks like an antique but it’s a replica. They have more if you are interested! They just opened a second location in Wrightstown, PA so check them out at www.crystalcottageboutique.com. (They have THE best baby gifts too!)
I know this medallion is oversized and so is the chandelier that goes along with it. My instinct is to go with what I love. I think it works every time!
However, officially there is a rule of thumb regarding how to determine the size of a chandelier based on your room size. I referenced this before here in a previous blog post: https://www.dellsdailydish.com/size-chandelier-room/
To recap, according to the experts the size of a chandelier is based on the size of your room. If your dining room is 12 feet by 12 feet then you add 12+12=24. The size of your chandelier should be 24″ or so. In my mind, more is more, so 24 inches is a starting point. But that’s just me. Clearly my dining room chandelier is a bit oversized for this room, but I like to think of it as a statement piece. And I also recommend always putting a chandelier on a dimmer switch. This way you can adjust the lighting to suite the mood or time of day. I even have a dimmer switch on the chandeliers in the bathroom for the same reason. Nothing is more romantic looking than a beautiful softly-lit crystal chandelier!
For a complete and comprehensive guide to chandelier tips and buying guide you can link here https://www.furniture.com/tips-and-trends/chandelier-buying-guide via furniture.com. In addition to their tip and trends blog, they offer a complete line of chandeliers, home decor, mirrors, furniture, etc!
Well, I need to line up my electrician to do some last minute work for me. I hope you have a lovely, lovely day! Thank you for stopping by! xoxo Dell
