Buy Chandeliers Online

Chandeliers, used the way they are meant to be

A chandelier's beauty depends on the room around it. Even the most tasteful design looks gaudy or out of place in a room that is too small or otherwise under-decorated. Before you buy one, check that the size, the colour and the material suit the space rather than the photograph.

Buying a chandelier online

It is not always easy to judge a fitting from pictures. That is why every chandelier on this site carries multiple images, its full dimensions and a detailed specification, including the bulb fitting it takes, how many it needs, and whether they are included. Two of ours arrive with bulbs and two do not, and the page says which.

What size chandelier suits my room?

There is a rule of thumb that has survived because it works. Add the length and the breadth of the room in feet, and the number you get is the ideal chandelier diameter in inches. A room of 30ft by 22ft gives 52, so a 52 inch chandelier suits it.

Over a dining table specifically, size against the table rather than the room: roughly half to two thirds of the table width. Our 50cm and 54.9cm fittings suit tables of about 90cm to 120cm; the 71cm raindrop suits 110cm to 140cm.

How high should a chandelier hang?

The lowest point of the fitting should be at least 7 feet, about 2.1m, above the floor anywhere people walk. Over a dining table you can go lower, and should: 75cm to 85cm from the table top to the bottom of the fitting is the usual guide. Every chandelier here has an adjustable chain, so the drop is yours to set.

The eight types of chandelier

• Drum chandeliers have a circular external shade surrounding the lights.
• Wagon wheel chandeliers place the lights exposed on a circular frame suspended from the ceiling.
• Candle-style chandeliers use candle-shaped lamps on arms, which is what our wrought iron design is.
• Globe chandeliers have a spherical external frame, usually in an open metal design.
• Sputnik chandeliers have light-bearing arms jutting out of a small central metal globe.
• Empire chandeliers hold two or three layers of metal circles on a central rod, with chains or strings of crystals cascading between them.
• Crystal chandeliers are classified by the use of crystal rather than by shape, so they can take any design.
• Modern chandeliers use sleek 21st century design, often with LED lighting built in.

Which one should I buy?

It depends on the room you are putting it in. Look at the visible colour, the material, the dimensions and the colour of the light, and set those against the design style of the room. A large Victorian-style chandelier is stunning and creates an aura of opulence, and it will not look right in an otherwise modern room.

If you are unsure, email us at theteam@modernlight.uk with the room dimensions and a photo. We would rather answer that than process a return.