Contemporary Small Chandeliers Offer Old World Elegance

The word chandelier has become almost synonymous with elegance and class. And of course, who wouldn't want a touch of both in their homes? Mini chandeliers offer precisely that with design trends that are apt for modern day homes.

There was a time when chandeliers could only be found adorning spacious rooms and high ceilings - the type you see in those grand ballrooms and mansions of the rich and famous. And of course, acquiring one used to cost an arm and a leg. Fortunately, these days manufacturers have found ways to make these classy home accessories available to the general public.

Mini chandeliers or chandelletes possess the same class and elegance as their bigger counterparts minus the humongous size. They use smaller halogen-based bulbs that provide ample light from within smaller contemporary chandelier shades. Because of their petite size, modern mini chandeliers are an ideal source of overhead lighting, not just in a living room but also in smaller areas of a home like bedrooms, small rooms and stairwells.

When it comes to choosing the right chandelier, you have a lot of options to choose from. However, if you want one that gives your home the perfect ambiance, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

Size of Chandelier

The chandelier has to be proportionate to the space where you want to install it. If it's too big or too small, it will certainly look out of place. A good way of determining the size of the chandelier is to sum up the dimension of the room in feet and the diameter of the chandelier should be the same number but in inches. For example the room measures 10'x10', so the diameter of the chandelier should be a little more or less 20".

Aside from the room area, you also have to take into account the size of the dining table if you're buying a dining room chandelier.

Additionally, you also need to determine the appropriate height of the chandelier to make sure you'll have enough headroom. A good ratio to follow is 2.5 - 3 inches of the chandelier height for every foot of the ceiling height. Say for example, your ceiling is 10 feet high; your chandelier's height should be about 25 to 30 inches.

Type of Chandelier

With so many contemporary small chandelier designs available, it is important that you choose one that complements your space. This doesn't mean that you have to choose a chandelier that's exactly like the room's design. Sometimes, a contrasting and bold fixture can make the whole ambiance work just as well. With all the available styles and designs, you can deviate from the standard styles and get more creative with your choices. Chandelier brands such as Kichler, Savoy, Framburg, and Quoizel certainly have many styles.

Aside from giving your home a touch of class and elegance, contemporary small chandeliers have the potential to set the ambiance and mood of your space or provide the perfect accent to a bigger fixture. Given its size, it offers flexibility. Small chandeliers, after all, are the perfect fusion of old world elegance and modern day illumination.

Max Hyun is an interior designer who specializes in lighting. He blogs on the subject for a variety of home decor blogs. Click the link to see a range of contemporary small chandeliers.