Everything That You Ever Wanted To Know About Buying Chandeliers And More

If you have not figured it out yet this is a hub about chandeliers and everything that has to do with chandeliers.This hub is going to include

• How to pick out the best chandelier for you house or room,
• Different Styles of chandeliers
• How to install a chandelier
• How to care for/clean your chandelier
• History of chandeliers
  
• And finally some chandelier terms
  

So you want to buy a chandelier huh? Well do you know which one or what type you want and need? If your like most of us you have no clue on where to begin when buying a chandelier, let alone the best way to find a good quality one with out being ripped off or paying way too much.

The first thing that you need to do when buying a chandelier is figure out where it is going. This seems simple enough but lets look at it more closely for just a bit. What I mean by where it is going is ask your self these questions:

• Is it going in a huge hallway or a small dining room? This question will allow you to ask yourself whether or not the proportions of a chandelier need to be a large chandelier or a mini chandelier.
  
• Is it going in a rustic cabin or in a uptown penthouse? Is it going in a low ceiling room or a in a open rafter great room? These type of questions will let you know what kind of chandelier lighting you are going to need.
• Is it going to be a inside or outside chandelier? This will be helpful when choosing the materials later on.
  

Deciding which type of mood that you are trying to set is a major part to choosing a chandelier.You would not want to put a wrought iron chandelier where a crystal or Italian glass one would be more appropriate, the same would be true if you were decorating a rustic wooden cabin with a Tiffany's style one. To Avoid doing this try and choose a chandelier that has some of the same materials and colors that the surrounding furniture has.This will help to keep the flow of the room but also will help draw some attention to the features of both lighting fixtures of the chandelier and of the room.

Picking out the style of chandelier is the next stop on your road to owning a fantastic chandelier.Below are some of the most basic chandelier lighting structures and types.

• Neoclassical Style Chandelier -Glass chandelier featuring many delicate arms, spires and strings of beads.

• Regency Style Chandelier- A larger chandelier with a multitude of drops. Above a hoop rise strings of beads that diminish in size and attach at the top to form a canopy. A bag, with concentric rings of pointed glass, forms a waterfall beneath. The stem is usually completely hidden.

• Dutch/Flemish Style Chandelier-, a style of brass chandelier with a bulbous baluster and arms curving down around a low hung ball.

There are many different unique chandeliers out there and as you read just a second ago we looked at a brief overview of the main categories of chandeliers. Here we are going to be looking a little bit more in details at some of the popular types that are seen around the world.

CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS

The crystal chandelier is more than likely the type of chandelier that you had in mind when you first set out to purchase a chandelier. Here are a couple of different crystal chandeliers.

• Schonbek Crystal Chandeliers-These types of chandeliers are among some of the most elegant in the world. This company has been around since the 1870's. Some of Schonbek Chandeliers customers include The White House, and Buckingham Palace.
• Waterford Crystal Chandeliers- This is the premier crystal making company in the world, and as that make very high quality crystal chandeliers. The original company was started in 1783 by the two brothers George and William Penrose. This company however crumbled under low capital and high taxation. The company that we know today however is located just 11.5 miles away from the original 1783 shop. The company is most famous for its Lismore pattern of crystal.

Glass Chandeliers -

These chandeliers are as well more of what the classic picture of a chandelier is with the brass and bronze arms and the glass shades and tear drops.

• Venetian Glass Chandeliers- This Italian glass chandelier contain a "Venetian" glass that is made on the isle of Murano, which is an isle of Venice. These types of chandeliers are made entirely of blown glass by a master craftsman,and instead of having candle holders emit light from inside of the chandelier. Often times these types of chandeliers are fakes, cheap imitations of the real thing. There are only a handful real antique Murano style chandeliers out there. There is hope though Muranochandeliers.com is one of the only real producers of the real Murano chandelier.
• Tiffany Chandeliers- These just like the Murano glass chandeliers are among some of the rarest in the world, handcrafted by master craftsman and have their respective markets condemned with knockoffs that use the Tiffany name.The Tiffany chandelier was originally made by Louis Comfort Tiffany who was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany the founder of Tiffany & Co.
  

Antler Chandeliers-

As the name implies these types of chandeliers are made primarily of antlers of animals ,usually that of elk, deer, moose, or mule deer. For the most part most of these are imitation antler but there are some real ones out there that are absolutely stunning.

If you are going to buy one of these chandeliers make sure that it is of good quality and not a cheap knock off as these tend to fall apart very easily if not put together by someone who knows what they are doing.

Also try and make sure that the antlers are from the animal that they say that they are from.

Chandelier Shades And Chandelier Lighting- These are as well important when it comes to choosing a chandelier to buy.

• The Chandelier Shade-  These little lamp shades do more than you would think for a chandelier. The purpose of the shades is the same as their larger cousins the lamp shades, they point the light where you want it and keep it from shining in your eyes. Chandelier shades also serve another purpose as well though, they are fashion statements. These simple shades can turn your old drab chandelier into a new fancy one in a jiff or they can accent that new modern chandelier.
• Chandelier Lighting- This is basically the which type of bulbs are you going to use in your lights, or are you going to use candles? Both of them have their advantages and both have their faults.
  
• Light bulbs- don't have to worry about catching fire as much, costs more to operate. Can change the wattage if like, and if have dimmer switch change mood.
• Candles- They drip and burn out which means they need to be changed and their drip plates cleaned. But on the other hand there is nothing like having the flicker of candlelight to set the mood.
  

This often has a big influence on whether you are going to be buy a cheap chandelier or a Waterford crystal chandelier. This is the last main factor when buying a chandelier or anything else in life. often times the price can be haggled down to a reasonable price especially if it is at a second hand store.

After you have bought the chandelier it is now time to hang the thing. First off you are going to be needing some materials and tools to get the job done correctly.

Before you do anything, turn off the electricity to the circuit you're working on at the main electrical panel. Never attempt to work on live wires, trust me it does not feel good to be shocked.

To get the job done here are the tools that are going to be required to do so.

• Lineman's pliers/Side Cutters
• Adjustable wrench
• Phillips and Flat head screw drivers
• A 7/16" (or one that fits your screw heads)nut driver is useful as well
• Wire Strippers( if you don't have these you can use the side cutters just be careful not to cut all the way through the wire)
• Metal Blade Hack Saw
• Ladder
• U Bolt
  

The first thing that you are going to want to do is take down the old light fixture. For the most part this is a pretty easy process but there is always exceptions to the rule. If you follow these guidelines you should be okay.

1. Once again make sure that you have shut off the power to the area that you are working in by turning the breaker to the off position in your main breaker box.
2. If the fixture is a two or more part assembly see if you can work your way backward so that the last piece that you have to take down is the bracket. If it is a single part assembly fixture then try and make sure that you do not pull all of the wires out of the wall when you unscrew it from the brackets. In either case it is helpful to have something for the fixture to rest on so that it does not strain the wires when it is being taken down.
3. Disconnect the wires from the fixture to the ceiling one by one. If you are not able to turn of the power to your room the disconnect each wire one by one and put either electrical tape or a wing nut on the exposed wire end to ensure that you do not get shocked.

This step is more for those of you who have a heavy large chandeliers.

If for some reason the box is going to be in your way or it is damaged then remove it from the joist by either using a pry bar for nails, screw driver for screws , or hack saw for straight bars.

Now to install the chandelier bracket.

1. The first step in doing this is to rotate the chandelier bracket to where it is at its smallest.
   
2. After this is done, put the bracket in between the ceiling joists which should be 16" apart exactly and begin to extend or twist the bracket until the teeth on either edge start to dig into the joist. Continue turning or twisting until you are not longer able to do it with just your hand.
   
3. Next use your wrench to get a couple extra turns in. Not More than a couple. Overtighting will cause the joists to flex causing drywall problems.

Installing the new electrical box

1. Use a U bolt to connect the electrical box to the chandelier bracket. You will want the hoop part of the U bolt to be onto of the bracket and the two ends coming through the holes in the electrical box.
   
2. Make sure that the box is flush against the bracket
3. Next run the house wires through the new electrical box.
   

Wiring up the chandelier is one of the most important things that you have to do.

Before you wire up anything run the wires through the bracket that came with the chandelier that attaches to the electrical box. This is different from the other bracket that the electrical box is hanging from, this looks more like a strip of metal with two holes on the ends and a hollow bolt welded to the middle. After this is done install the bracket using the two screws on the face of the electrical box.

• lets look for a brief second at the common colors that are more than likely going to be found in a residential home:
  

• Black or Red is going to be your Hot,
• White is going to be the Neutral
• Green is the Ground.

1. the first thing that needs to be done is to connect your hot from the house to the hot to the chandelier.
   
2. Match up the two hots and connect them by pairing them up and twisting in a clockwise motion with your side cutters.
   
3. After this is done put a wire nut on and twist until tight.
   
4. After this is done use ELECTRICAL tape and tape over the the wire nut so that it does not fall off.
5. Follow with the neutral
6. Follow with the ground, if the wire set that comes out of your electrical box does not contain a ground wire there should be a green screw on your electrical box that the ground wire connects to.
   
7. To do this strip the end of the ground wire and wrap it 2 times in a clock wise motion around the the srcew
8. Screw it down.
   

This part of the process is a little tricky but not really.

1. After the wires have been run connect the chandelier chain to the nipple or hollow bolt with the nut that is provided.
   
2. Tuck the wires into the electrical box CAREFULLY. This does not mean jam them in there.
   
3. push the chandelier canopy flush up against the ceiling.
   
4. Hand tighten the canopy bolt.
   
5. Install bulbs and turn the power back on.
   

Arm The light-bearing part of a chandelier also sometimes know as a branch.

Arm Plate The metal or wooden block placed on the stem, into which the arms slot.

Bag A bag of crystal drops formed by strings hanging from a circular frame and looped back into the centre underneath, associated especially with early American crystal and regency style crystal chandeliers.

Baluster A turned wood or moulded stem forming the axis of a chandelier, with alternating narrow and bulbous parts of varying widths.

Bead A glass drop with a hole drilled right through.

Bobeche A dish fitted just below the candle nozzle, designed to catch drips of wax. Also known as a drip pan.

Branch Another name for the light-bearing part of a chandelier, also known as an arm.

Candlebeam A cross made form two wooden beams with one or more cups and prickets at each end for securing candles.

Candle nozzle The small cup into which the end of the candle is slotted

Canopy An inverted shallow dish at the top of a chandelier from which festoons of beads are often suspended, lending a flourish to the top of the fitting.

Cage An arrangement where the central stem supporting arms and decorations is replaced by a metal structure leaving the centre clear for candles and further embellishments.

Corona Another term for crown-style chandelier

Crown A circular chandelier reminiscent of a crown, usually of gilded metal or brass, and often with upstanding decorative elements.

Crystal Glass with a lead content that gives it special qualities of clarity, resonance and softness – making it especially suitable for cutting. Also known as lead crystal.

Drip Pan The dish fitted just below the candle nozzle, designed to catch drips of wax. Know also as a bobeche.

Drop A small piece of glass usually cut into one of many shapes and drilled at one end so that it can be hung from the chandelier with a brass pin. A chain drop is drilled at both ends so that a series can be hung together to form a necklace or festoon.

Festoon An arrangement of glass drops or beads draped and hung across or down a glass chandelier, or sometimes a piece of solid glass shaped into a swag. Also known as a garland.

Finial The final flourish at the very bottom of the stem. Some Venetian glass chandeliers have little finials hanging from glass rings on the arms.

Hoop A circular metal support for arms, usually on a regency-styles or other chandelier with glass pieces. Also known as a ring

Moulded The process by which a glass piece is shaped by being blown into a mould (rather than being cut)

Prism A straight, many sided drop

Spire A tall spike of glass, round in section or flat sided. To which arms and decorative elements may be attached, made form wood, metal or glass.

Tent A tent shaped structure on the upper part of a glass chandelier where necklaces of drops attach at the top to a canopy and at the bottom to a larger ring.

Waterfall Concentric rings of icicle drops suspended beneath the hoop or plate.

• Tiffany Chandeliers- High end stained glass chandeliers
• Murano Chandeliers- High end blown glass chandeliers
• Schonbek Chandeliers- High end crystal chandeliers
• Waterford Chandeliers- High end crystal chandeliers
• Kichler Chandeliers- Modern chandeliers
• Quoizel Chandeliers- High end chandeliers