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Buying a Crystal Chandelier ~ What to Look for

WHY am I perched on top of a chair
and taking measurements in our
“Little Prairie Home”
you might ask??

I am finally going to add in a beautiful
crystal chandelier!!!
 

Here is the chandelier {above} that I decided to purchase
after looking at many and deciding on a number of pros and cons
for each one.
 
A sweet brass chandelier like we had at our last house painted a lovely creamy white and doctored up with lots of
hanging crystals.
When considering buying a chandelier, there are a number of things to think about in addition to style and whether you like a more modern or a traditional type of chandelier.


Eloquence’ Albertina chandelier shown here in a silver finish.



Here are just a few of the things to consider:

Size for your location

Will this particular size chandelier look too big for
the area you will be hanging it in or will it be dwarfed by
the size of the room?
 
There is a trend now towards oversize lights and I saw
plenty at High Point Market last month!
 

Width and Height

In the top photograph, I’m measuring how long the incoming
Saint Mossi five light chandelier will hang.
It will be a little big for the space as our
dining area is rather small here in the fifth wheel
but
from the Pinterest photograph
you can see that most of it is clear glass
with some silvery chrome parts which
hold the chandelier together.
 
With all that clear glass and crystals it looks light and airy
as opposed to how a darker bronze or black finished
chandelier would look in the same location.
I did look at those options, too.
🙂
 

Crystal, Glass, Acrylic or Metal?

 
Real crystal chandeliers are very heavy and need a lot of
hidden structural support to prevent
this type of chandelier’s weight from tearing itself out of its
ceiling mount.
 
 
 
 
 
Rock crystal chandeliers have the most sparkle and fire and
are quite expensive ~ Swarovski Schonbeck chandeliers
are a very lovely modern version
which you might like to have
in your home.
I was looking for some of their crystal’s fire
in whichever “chandy” I was
going to be putting up.
🙂
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cast glass chandeliers have cast crystals and parts which are
machine cut and faceted letting them sparkle
when sunlight hits their lights.
Less expensive than mined crystal cut by hand
they are a good alternative and a good buy giving off a
wonderful glow and sparkle
without the expense.
 




Acrylic chandeliers are sturdy plastic alternatives
which are highly economical and practical.
I looked at one version yesterday at a big box store
almost identical to a glass chandelier I was looking
to purchase online, except all of the parts
were acrylic plastic.

These chandeliers are fun to have at birthday parties
on the back patio and just to have hanging outside
year-round.
If an acrylic chandelier falls and or gets damaged
replacing it is easier on the budget.

They are also a perfect alternative for children’s rooms, too,
as are many of the sweet metal chandeliers
available on the market today.





Metal chandeliers can be molded into all kinds of
shapes and often are fashioned with real-like
metal leaves and flowers.
Thin metal chandeliers can have small parts
easily broken off
so this is another thing to consider
as you are looking to purchase a “chandy.”


Why I chose the Saint Mossi chandelier (originally)

I decided on this glass crystal chandelier because it
is ethereal looking to me and would be mostly clear glass.
Also, it wouldn’t be overly heavy and would still have
the fire I love in its cut glass body, dangling crystal pendants
and in its hanging swags of .
There’s nothing wrong with the acrylic one I found and
I liked it for the weight.
{four pounds less than what I purchased}
I’ve could have picked it up yesterday and almost did.
Weight is certainly a concern in here as is movement
when the RV will be on the road in the future but for now
this place isn’t moving anywhere.

 
I could have rehung the acrylic one with cut glass crystals
myself as I have on both of our previous
dining room chandeliers but I decided for
almost the same price
I could get the more sparkly version
without having to spend more money later
adding more crystals.
Plus, the Saint Mossi is on sale now…

All the more reason!
😉

I’ve linked it below for you
in case you’d like one of your own.
See my affiliate profile HERE.





Here’s a really good article on the Lamps Plus website
talking more indepth about what I’ve shared
today plus much much more.

Oh, and just a corner of something hanging up
in the window next to me as merry and bright begins…


A spring chandy update:

After all that  the crystal chandelier came in and…
Inside the little instruction papers that came with
said that the area to hold it must be able to hold
100 pounds {of force}…
 
Here in our Prairie Home in this particular spot
that just isn’t an option
so…
that chandelier had to go back.
🙁
 
 
Our final chandelier ~ an acrylic version from Home Depot!
Happy ending
After much thought I knew the answer to the burning
chandelier question: go back and pick up
the 6 pound acrylic chandelier from
Home Depot.
It is a lovely alternative and for the price and the weight
it certainly is a good option for our little home.
With the addition of a few real crystals from my
collection I’ve picked up over the years at
Christmas time
this chandelier turned out to be the
perfect addition to our little rv home
on the prairie.
🙂
 
 
Sharing with
Wow Us Wednesday ~ Savvy Southern Style
Create Bake Grow and Gather ~ Shabby Art Boutique
Friday at the Fire Station ~ A Fireman’s Wife
Feathered Nest Friday ~ French Country Cottage
 
 
Happy decorating,

Barb 🙂

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