Chandeliers

Bring a touch of class and timeless elegance to your home with a beautiful chandelier. Our range runs from three light fittings for a bedroom up to thirty light designs for a stairwell, in crystal or acrylic, with antique brass, chrome and gold the most popular finishes.

What does the word “chandelier” mean?

The Cambridge English dictionary defines a chandelier as “a decorative light that hangs from the ceiling and has several parts like branches for holding bulbs or, especially in the past, candles”. That no longer does justice to the range of crystal and acrylic chandeliers now available.

In practice a chandelier is a chandelier ceiling light with several arms, where the fitting itself is meant to be looked at. That is what separates it from a plain centre fitting: a centre fitting lights the room, a chandelier lights the room and decorates it at the same time.

No longer for the elite and titled, every home can now have a chandelier, sophisticated or simple. Find A Light also carry a range suitable for hotel and corporate premises.

Crystal or acrylic: which should I choose?

A crystal chandelier uses cut glass drops. Crystal has weight, it refracts light into colour, and it holds its look for decades. It is the choice if the fitting is going somewhere it will be seen close up, over a dining table or in a hall.

Acrylic drops are moulded rather than cut. They cost less, weigh a fraction of the equivalent in glass, and from a few metres away most people cannot tell the difference. Acrylic is the sensible choice for a high ceiling, a stairwell, or any position where the weight on the ceiling rose matters.

Most of our range is crystal, with a smaller acrylic selection. If you want the crystal light effect without the price, a chandelier with acrylic drops on a good frame beats a cheap crystal one every time.

Finishes: brass, chrome and gold

Chrome and polished nickel are the safe pairing with clear crystal. The metal disappears and the drops do the work, which suits a modern room and anywhere the walls are already doing something.

An antique brass chandelier is the warmer option and the one that suits period houses, painted walls and older stone. Brass has come back strongly on new builds too, usually in the flatter brushed finish.

A gold chandelier reads as more formal than brass and works against darker walls and richer colours. Champagne and satin nickel sit between gold and chrome if you want warmth without the shine.

What styles of chandeliers can I buy?

Our styles range from traditional and vintage through bohemian to modern chandeliers. The tiered Marie Therese frame, such as the Marie Therese 12 light in chrome, is the shape most people picture when they hear the word. Modern chandeliers drop the arms altogether and hang the crystal from a ring or a bar.

Our chandeliers cover a wide selection of colours, sizes and prices, with something to suit most budgets. Many are available with matching shades and matching crystal wall lights, so a room can be done as a set. Shop by brand, finish or colour using the filter options to narrow your search.

Which room suits a chandelier?

Dining rooms. The classic position. Centre the fitting over the table rather than the middle of the room, and hang it so the bottom sits roughly 75 to 90cm above the table top.

Hallways and stairwells. A hallway chandelier is seen from below and from the stairs, so the underside matters more than usual. A stairwell with height is the one place a large fitting genuinely earns its keep. See our stairwell lighting and double height ceiling ranges.

Living rooms. A living room chandelier wants to be on a dimmer, and wants a smaller frame than people expect. Measure the gap between the sofas before you buy.

Bedrooms. A bedroom chandelier should be smaller and warmer than one in a dining room, and should not sit directly above the bed.

Do I need a big house for a chandelier?

No, you do not have to live in a mansion. Our range suits high ceilings and low, period Victorian and Edwardian properties, modern homes, barn conversions, cottages and apartments. The size of your home should not restrict you.

Two practical checks before you order. Measure the drop, because on a standard 2.4m ceiling you want the bottom of the fitting at least 2.1m off the floor anywhere people walk. And check the weight against your ceiling fixing, which is where acrylic has the advantage over crystal.

Can a chandelier take an LED bulb?

Yes, and it should. Chandeliers such as the Marie Therese once used halogen E14 candle bulbs. They threw a lot of light but were expensive to run, and a twelve light fitting made that obvious on the bill. Our E14 LED bulbs are dimmable and energy efficient, giving the same light at a fraction of the cost and lasting far longer.

One thing worth knowing on a chandelier specifically. Because you are looking at a dozen bulbs at once, buy them all at the same time and in the same colour temperature. Mixing warm white with cool white across a chandelier light is obvious in a way it never is on a single fitting.

How do I clean my chandelier?

Once a year is enough for most rooms. Use a dedicated crystal glass cleaner rather than a household spray, which can leave a film on the facets and dull the sparkle. Spray onto a soft cloth rather than onto the fitting, work one section at a time, and never clean a fitting that is still warm.

Turn the power off at the switch first, and if the chandelier is over a stairwell, get someone to hold the ladder.

Buying chandeliers in Ireland

We sell chandeliers in Ireland, north and south, delivered direct to your door. Fittings arrive with the crystal packed separately and are assembled on site, which is normal for this type of light and easier than it sounds. All electrical work should be carried out by a registered electrician.

Related categories

• Crystal and acrylic lights – the full range, including pendants, wall lights and ceiling fittings.
• Crystal pendants – single drops for a table, an island or a bedside.
• Crystal wall lights – to match a chandelier either side of a mirror or fireplace.
• Ceiling light fittings – multi-light centre fittings from three to thirty lights.
• Dining room lighting – fittings sized and hung for over a table.
• Stairwell lighting – long drop fittings for halls and landings with height.