Monday, March 17, 2008

Enjoy The Classic Elegance Of A Candle Chandelier

What do you think of when you hear the word chandelier? Chandeliers tend to bring images of grandeur, wealth, and royalty. And candle chandeliers take us back to another era where century old homes and fireplaces were the norm. Why not enjoy the classic elegance of a candle chandelier in your home?

Perhaps you've been lucky enough to have inherited one of the beautiful old chandeliers. If so you're a very lucky person and you need to be sure to take good care of your special gift.

However, if you are like most of us there is no inheritance so you'll need to go on the hunt to find your own perfect piece. Now that can be a lot of fun too! With so many antique shops to peruse and so many online websites selling antiques so you're sure to find the perfect fixture with a little time.

Now that said, you should be prepared to pay a fair bit for an antique piece. You might get lucky and find a really great deal but overall antique fixtures are going to cost you more than modern fixtures. But after all they are an investment.

If an antique piece is out of your budget, not to worry. There are many excellent reproduction pieces that can be purchased for a very affordable price. And they only one that's going to know your secret is you.

Don't forget antique means ornate often with intricate carvings. There's a feel about them that gives them their charm and elegance. Crystal, brass, antler, wrought iron are all great antique choices. Antique candelabras are never shiny. They must always look worn. So even if you are choosing an antique reproduction make sure it has the look of an old fixture.

Oh yes, and you can quickly create the antique look using an antiquing glaze. Just apply and then rub off with a soft cloth while the glaze is still wet. You'll have instant "old."

But an antique candle chandelier won't give the ambiance of old world charm by itself. The rest of the room must also carry the theme. So that means your furniture and other d??cor needs to also look and feel antique. Then your room will come together nicely.

Candle chandeliers are by far the most elegant and classic of all types whether they are crystal, wrought iron, antler, or brass the candles create a warm and inviting atmosphere that can be ever so romantic too! Candles are a form of lighting that bulbs just can't compete with! As the shadows flicker across the room it's a spectacular scene!

That's why they make such great mood setting pieces and the d??cor they are added to must be carefully chosen. Because candles have a softness to them a room that's filled with crisp lines and cuts is not a good choice. A small room is all not a great choice for the full effect of the candles.

They look great in a ballroom, bedroom, even over an antique tub. They can be worked into a dining room providing the d??cor is appropriate. And they look great in a room that has a soft inviting atmosphere.

Candle chandeliers do require more maintenance than electric chandeliers but they are worth every minute of it. Besides the regular cleaning and polishing you will also need to remove any wax drippings taking care to ensure they do not build up in the carvings. You'll want to clean drip cups regularly and if there are glass shades they'll need a regular cleaning as well as they will become blackened.

A candle chandelier portrays a timeless beauty that's second to none and it's a great addition to the right room so be sure to give it the consideration it deserves!

Daren has been lighting store for 10 years now and has become experienced with installing lighting in various areas. He has decided to create http://www.lightingus.com to answer many of the questions he has come across many times. Visit his website to learn more about custom lighting

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Monday, February 25, 2008

Keep Your Wrought Iron Chandelier Shining

There is nothing that can compare to the look of a wrought iron chandelier in your front entryway or over your dining room table. These types of chandeliers are majestic and they are grand and they can be a total pain to keep clean if you don't know how to do it. The key to long lasting gorgeous looks in that department is to keep the metal from getting rusty. Easier said than done right?

Wrong. Keeping your wrought iron chandelier free from rust is as easy as wiping it down with something like WD40 every now and then. This kind of cleaning is going to moisten the metal and bring a whole new glow and shine to it. If you have been noticing that your metal has been looking dull this is gong to solve the problem right up for you in seconds.

The actual cleaning can go a couple of different ways. You can get a soft cloth, one that is not full of rough bits, and then apply the WD40 to it. You can even soak the cloth in this solution to get it nice and wet. Wring it out if you do this though because you don't want a greasy mess all over the space under the chandelier. Another way to go is to apply the WD40 straight to the metal. This works just as good but it can also be rather messy. If you have a good dining room table under the chandelier or if you have marble or granite flooring don't go this route as you could end up staining your floors and table.

A simple wipe will add a protective coating to the wrought iron chandelier that will last a long time. In just a few minutes your chandelier is going to shine like never before and it is all due to a simple application of the solution. You can wipe all parts of the lighting fixture with the WD40 just make sure that you get it in all of the little crevices that are on the fixture. Any spot that you miss can bloom with rust so beware!

Tony has worked in a furniture workshop for more than 12 years. He has worked on numerous pieces of wrought iron furniture and has enough knowledge to give you his quick 3-step evaluation of the metal as well as his insights on wrought iron wall decor. This is made available to the public via his wrought iron furniture website, http://www.jlspecialty.com

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Buying the Right Chandelier

Everyone knows that chandeliers are an easy way to add style and elegance into any home. However, the wrong chandelier can have an adverse affect. With that said, here are some tips on what you can do to avoid creating a freaky frenzy in your home decor:

First of all, decide where you're planning to install your chandelier. This may be a bit tricky considering that chandeliers are usually designed to be a bit bigger than standard ceiling pendants and island lights. A couple places that I would recommend would be the foyer, living room, and sometimes the dining room. Of course, this all depends upon the size of the room; too big of a chandelier and you'll dwarf the room, too small and you could end up with a lot of negative space and not enough light.

The next step is to decide what style you're looking for. Are you shopping for a traditional chandelier complete with multiple tiers, glass baubles and candelabra styled lamps? Or perhaps you're searching for a single tier style carved out of wood? Whatever the style, always consider the look of your current decor and work with it. For instance, if you have a Spanish styled split leveled home, having a chandelier with colorful blown glass diffusers and flowers may not work well. In fact, it may very well clash! You want your chandelier to heighten the look of your home with its elegance and beauty, not create design chaos.

The last step is to consider is will your chandelier put a dent on your electricity bills? Not too many people realize this, but lighting does cost a bit of dough, especially if they leave their lights on when they don't need them. If you're one of those folks who absolutely must leave their lights on for whatever reason (shame on you, that's wasteful!), consider replacing your bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs or any comparable, energy efficient bulbs. Most if not all chandeliers, table lamps, floor lamps and even outdoor lighting can use compact fluorescent bulbs, which is good news since that means you can use these nifty little bulbs on almost all the lights in your home thus saving you money.

Placement, style and energy efficiency are three very important key elements when it comes to purchasing lights. As long as you keep these tips in mind, you'll be pleased with your chandelier.

For an excellent selection in floor lamp and chandelier be sure to visit Eco-Lights.com.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Crystal Chandeliers - How to Make Them Really Sparkle

A crystal chandelier can add a touch of elegance to any room, whether you place it in your foyer, over your dining table, in your bedroom, or even in your bathroom! Of course, to be sure that your chandelier retains this elegance, it is going to need to be kept clean. The difference between a gleaming crystal and a dusty crystal on a chandelier can great.

So, how do you go about cleaning a crystal chandelier? Here are some helpful tips:

For a quick clean, or if you are unable to take your chandelier down from the ceiling, start out by putting newspaper or towels or a drop cloth beneath it (there is not reason to dirty the rest of your home just because you are cleaning one part of it!) You can then reach up with a long-handled feather duster and clean off as much as possible. Then go ahead and take a glass cleaner and spray your chandelier. In fact, feel free to drench your crystal chandelier with your glass cleaner. Then, simply let the everything drip off. Voila! Your crystal chandelier is sparkling and shiny again, with very little work.

Of course, while this is an excellent and easy way to clean your crystal chandelier, you may sometimes prefer a deeper cleaning (at least once a year). Unfortunately, a deep cleaner does require some disassembly and a little bit of scrubbing. Here is how to go about it.

 


1. Turn off the power.
2. Gently and steadily remove your lamp from the fixtures. If you are at all worried about this step, be sure to have some extra help. Chandeliers can be very heavy, depending on their size. If you prefer to leave your chandelier attached, that is perfectly fine -- just step up and remove the crystals as you need to clean them.
3. Take out all of the bulbs.
4. Protect your chandelier crystals by laying down a folded towel across the bottom of the sink, wash pan, or whichever basin you decide to use.
5. Fill up the basin with hot (but bearable) water and add soap or detergent of your choice.
6. Remove the crystals a few at a time and wash them in your soapy water, and then rinse them with hot water (you may even wish to have a hot water rinsing pan with a little ammonia in it).
7. Wipe them dry, and then immediately place them back onto your chandelier.
8. Do not take off all of the crystals at once! You may have trouble remembering their proper places on the chandelier. Just choose a place to start, and work methodically around that point.
9. Wipe off the arms of your chandelier with a non-sudsy cloth.
10. Wipe down the bulbs and then put them back into their sockets.

 

The difference between your pre-washed chandelier and your post-wash chandelier may surprise you. Sometimes it is hard to tell how dirty something is until you see it sparkling clean again.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on lighting and home decor, please visit Crystal Chandeliers.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke

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Thursday, December 6, 2007

Contemporary Chandeliers are Popular Today

n the past, as one think of a chandelier, images of expensive crystal and glass chandelier found in rich and famous mansions are the ones that come into their minds.

Before, the broad impression of people to chandeliers is that they are too expensive and too bold. Though, contemporary chandeliers nowadays are the ‘in thing’. They are not too complicated and too elaborate, and they come with different styles and designs.

Certainly, there are a lot of varieties of contemporary chandeliers that one can choose from, the contemporary chandelier that will fit your home.

Contemporary chandeliers can be made of numerous different metal finishes, such as bronze, brass, nickel, chrome, and even silver. There are heaps of bronze finishes such as weathered bronze, imperial bronze, tannery bronze, dorian bronze, and sable bronze patinas. With the nickel finishes, one can get from brushed nickel, brushed nickel with chrome, iron oxide, olde pewter, olde iron, polished brass, empire silver, distressed black, and so on.

Indeed, there are even a lot of varieties in terms of the shades such as marble glass shades, etched opal glass shades, antique etched glass, Venetian Scavo glass, double French Scavo glass, umber with teadust glass, umbered alabaster, silk shades, and a lot, lot more.

There are also contemporary chandeliers that are made of glass, but there are pricey than those contemporary chandeliers made with metal. Contemporary chandeliers comes with different patterns, color schemes, styles and designs, each gives and put distinct glow to any room. Contemporary chandelier can also give a room a unique way of giving light to a home. As for the lights, contemporary chandeliers offers porcelain lighting that can give a home a fine ambience.

In terms of the number of lights in the contemporary chandelier, there a lot of varieties as well, it depends on what you desire to put on your home. There are heaps of types of contemporary chandeliers and they all vary in styles, designs, color schemes, it’s really up to you, on which type you like choose that will fit to the style and design of your home.

Besides, the main purpose of the contemporary chandelier is to give a home a modern interior decoration. And creativity in choosing a contemporary chandelier for your home is required, since you will be the one who will search for the right contemporary chandelier that will suit your style, your design and your home.

Now that there are lots of contemporary chandeliers available in the market, store, on the internet, and so on, all you can to do is search for the right one. Since there are many chandeliers out there, everyone can turn there homes into art gallery. These amazing pieces can make a home more appealing and attractive.

Whether you decide to have a contemporary chandelier that is simple or uncomplicated or bold and rich, surely no one will go wrong from the many types of contemporary chandeliers to beautify the interior of a home. All it takes is find the certain piece with the lots of different contemporary chandelier that will fit to your home. Just be creative enough in searching for the right contemporary chandelier for you. Eliza Maledevic from http://www.Jump2top.com, a SEO Company. Know more about Crystal Chandeliers & Lighting Fixtures at http://www.goldenageusa.com

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Monday, November 26, 2007

Contemporary Chandeliers of Today

Not quite distant in the past, the simple mention of the word "chandelier" would invoke images of extravagant glass and crystal objects hanging in every room of some 18th century manor. The general impression that people have regarding chandeliers is that they are too bold, too lavish, and most of all too expensive. While this may be true of some higher end chandelier designs, there are many different types of contemporary chandeliers that can tote up style and originality to one’s home at a very reasonable cost. Likewise, these chandeliers can render a whole new way of looking at the rooms that have been taken for granted. There are several types of contemporary chandeliers that may be a perfect fit in one’s life.

The main purpose that a contemporary chandelier serves is to give a home's modern interior decoration an added emphasis without the risk of exaggeration. Whereas a crystal chandelier is certain to be a beautiful piece in the proper setting (such as a Victorian style bedroom or a roomy dining area), many homes today have laid-back motifs. The different types of contemporary chandeliers embody perfect harmony to nearly any modern interior living space.

Contemporary chandeliers can be made of many different metal finishes, such as bronze, brass, nickel, chrome, and even silver. There are also contemporary chandelier types that are designed with glass, although these tend to be pricier than ones made of metal. What really distinguishes contemporary chandeliers from fancier more traditional counterparts is the emphasis to pragmatism in shape, design, and function. Indeed, most contemporary chandeliers employ an assortment of patterns and color schemes, which help to put in a distinct and warm glow to any room. Contemporary chandeliers also bring forward unique patterns of not only shades and holders, but also of the lights themselves. The features on most contemporary chandelier shades are really what set them apart from other chandelier types, and by and large imagination is the only limiting factor to these designs. As for the lights, candles are out porcelain lighting is in. Contemporary chandeliers offer porcelain lighting to render a subtle ambience.

With regards to the number of lights used in most contemporary chandeliers, one’s personal taste of style is a primary determining matter. Contemporary chandeliers can feature as few or as many as one desires. The alternatives and the variety truly are boundless with these different types of contemporary chandeliers.

The days of categorizing chandeliers as expensive or garish are certainly behind modern times. With so many different types of contemporary chandeliers available, everyone now has the ability to turn homes into something that approximates an art gallery. These intimate pieces are sure to render the rooms in one’s home an enhanced personality. Whether one decides on a contemporary chandelier that is simple and understated, or bold and colorful, one cannot go wrong with adding any from the many different types of chandeliers to the interior of the home.

Earl Juanico

http://www.goldenageusa.com

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