History Of Chandelier

Today’s homes use chandeliers in every room and often in some very daring decors.

Chandeliers were used in ballrooms for lighting because the reflections from the cut glass findings would increase the light from the candles. Often, chandeliers were use in bar rooms but because of the incidence of fighting, they stopped using the ones made with crystals and started using those made from old wagon wheels accommodating three or four lighted lanterns for a light source. It was a lot easier for the bar owner to replace a broken wagon wheel than to replace hundreds of shards of cut glass.

The word 'chandelier' means 'candle'. It was used to mean a device that held several lighted candles. These devices were first mounted on wooden beams and pulled to the ceiling with ropes. Over the years, mirrors were added to the wooden areas to reflect the candle light. The abundance of mirrors gave someone the idea of using cut glass crystals in the same way and the chandelier as we know it was born in magnificence and glamour.



The use of glass was first done by and English glassmaker in the 1600’s. He added lead oxide to the glass when he was making it to increase the refractive quality of the glass. In the 1800’s Swarovski made and patented a machine to cut glass jewelry stones to make the brilliance even more. He has become historically famous for his flawlessly brilliant stones. Today Swarovski crystals are still the best to be had.

In the early twentieth century, chandeliers were used in the mansions of the rich and famous along the fashionable streets in New York City and San Francisco. They were used in the ball rooms of homes like the mansion of Jacob Astor and the Hutton mansion. They also found a home over the dining tables of these people of wealth and this is where most of us today are used to seeing them.

Today we use chandeliers in many different rooms and with all sorts of decors. Chandeliers have been used lately in spa themed bathrooms. The style is to hang a small chandelier in a safe and water free area over the spa tub in the room to create a feeling of luxury while bathing. Another trend is to hang miniature chandeliers on either side of a four poster bed in a large bedroom. This lends a feeling of the past to the room as well as giving it a feeling of luxury and opulence which suits the tastes of some people.

Pendant lighting is one of the first types of lighting used. This is because castles were not filled with furnishings like homes are today. The lighting had to hang from the ceiling.