The Crystal Chandelier: Timeless Classic or a Trend of the Past?

In the last few years, the lighting design industry has witnessed the return of the classic crystal chandelier, its timeless elegance and beauty reminding us of a more romantic period of extravagance with its glistening, opulent features suspended in all its majestic glory over the formal dining room table. But has this new, recessed economy put an end to this trend or has the crystal chandelier evolved into so much more than just a dining room accessory?

The answer lies in the materials. In this new age of green thinking, chandeliers have begun to morph into works of art that come in all different shapes, colors, and materials. From chandeliers made of spoons, to pens, to milk crates, to even old cardboard, it’s obvious that chandeliers themselves have not lost any of their charm and alluring beauty, but what they are made of has certainly undergone a dramatic transformation.

Contemporary designers have taken what was once a classic light fixture and added a unique flair that has allowed the chandelier to move out of the dining room and into the romantic confines of the bedroom and the welcoming magnetism of the bright and cheery kitchen.

While the classic crystal chandelier will always have a place in design, the industry is seeing more and more of the crystals created from recycled materials or even antique pieces from old chandeliers. Even more prevalent is the emergence of crystals mixed with other materials such as bronze or wrought iron. Or even chandeliers that are made of handcrafted recycled glass such as last week’s topic and the latest project from the Iris Design Studio – the Islas Galapagos. The shimmering chandelier made of recycled glass features a cascading shower of butterflies that reflects light in myriad facets that captivate a room.

No matter what your chandelier is made of, in today’s modern design, the important thing to remember is that your lighting fixture should not only add beauty and grace to your room, but it should cast the right amount of light to set the desirable ambiance for the space.

The Iris Design Studio has several innovative and exquisite chandeliers that will add beauty and light to any room. By combining simplistic overtures of light with swirls of complex lines, lighting designer Iris Kadouri has captured the essence and soul of the timeless lighting fixture – the ever-classic chandelier.