The chandelier has always been the final design element of any room. This piece of furniture is able to make a cold empty space really warm and cozy, as well as give it a style. Choosing the right chandelier is not so easy because of the large number of parameters that must be taken into account in this case, especially for stretch ceilings. This article will cover all questions about choosing the right chandelier.
How to choose the right chandelier according to the level of illumination in the room?
The degree of lighting depends to a large extent on the type of lamps and their number in the chandelier. Accordingly, a small room does not require a large number of powerful light bulbs.
It is not at all difficult to calculate the required brightness level, the formula is as follows: the total area must be multiplied by the recommended power, the indicators of which are given below.
A bedroom or a corridor, where not necessarily bright lighting, but rather dim light - 10-12 W per sq.m.
Children's room, kitchen or bathroom, where good lighting is important, but not necessarily very bright - 15-18 W per sq.m.
Office or living room, where bright lighting is important - 20 W per sq. M.
Next, you need to choose the right bulbs, and there are several types of them, each of which has its own pros and cons:
| Lamp types | pros | Minuses |
| Incandescent lamp | The cheapest option | Differs in low efficiency (if the required power is incorrectly calculated, the light bulb can melt or "smoke" the ceiling). |
| LEDs | A fairly practical option at a price due to its long service life: not the cheapest, but they serve for a long time and fully pay off. | Negligence in calculating the power can cause eye discomfort and irritability. |
| Halogen lamps | Long service life, strong power. | Too bright, which is not very good for the eyes. |
| Fluorescent lamps | Powerful and durable light bulbs with high efficiency. | Tiring cold light, the most expensive option. |
In addition to the type of bulbs and their power, lighting is influenced by the shape of the chandelier and the material from which it is made. Darkened and multi-colored lampshades "eat up" a lot of light, it is necessary to take this into account when choosing the design of lighting elements. Also, the light will be dimmed if the horns "look" at the ceiling. Having made a choice in favor of such a chandelier, you need to be prepared for what will have to be added to the room, for example, a lamp, sconce or floor lamp.
In addition, the design and color scheme of the room play a role in the choice of the lighting level. Wallpapers of dark shades and walls of uneven textures reflect light poorly, so it will appear darker in it than at the same brightness level in a bright room.
Which chandelier to choose based on the area of the room?
It is not only the power level of the chandelier that is important, but also its size from an aesthetic point of view, so that it looks harmoniously and fits into the interior of the room. A very small chandelier can get lost on the ceiling, but a massive chandelier can also spoil and burden the interior, especially if the room has low ceilings.
In order to correctly guess the size of the chandelier, you can also use a simple formula: add the length of the room to the width of the room, and multiply the resulting amount by 10. The resulting number will be the recommended diameter of the lighting device. For example, if the room is 3 m by 5 m, then the ideal chandelier diameter is 80 cm.
The height of the ceilings in the room is also an important indicator when choosing lighting. For high ceilings (from 2.5 m), you can buy a pendant chandelier. But before buying it is worth "to estimate" whether it will interfere with walking, carrying a child, etc., and it is also necessary to check the strength of the suspension mounts. If the ceilings in the apartment are low (no higher than 2.5 m), then you can install an overhead ceiling chandelier. But when buying it, you need to evaluate the effect of heat and light on the ceiling covering.
What kind of chandelier to choose for a stretch ceiling?
Stretch ceilings are made of polyvinyl chloride cloth (popularly PVC film), which tolerates heat rather painfully. Therefore, a chandelier should be chosen, observing the following rules:
- The required height to the ceiling is from 20 cm, and the direction of the horns is desirable downward, to the floor or in different directions, but not up.
- If, nevertheless, there is a need for the chandelier arms to be directed towards the ceiling, you need to maintain a distance of at least 40 cm, and you must use energy-saving and LED bulbs.
- The fasteners must be suitable for stretch ceilings.
- Halogen lamps should be no more than 35W (lowest wattage), as they heat up very quickly and can damage the PVC film.
- The glossy film coating strongly reflects light, so there should be no open lamps in the chandelier.
How can the purpose of the room affect the choice of a chandelier?
Which chandelier to hang is, of course, a personal matter for each housewife. There is no dispute about tastes, as they say: you can hang a crystal chandelier in the kitchen if you wish, but in terms of practicality, it is advisable to follow some rules.
For the kitchen, a glass or plastic chandelier with a simple design is very suitable so that it is easy to clean. If it is a wooden chandelier, it should be varnished; if it is forged, it should be covered with a special agent so that too much grease and soot does not collect on it. Large kitchens often use more than one light source. For example, a chandelier is installed above the dining table, and a kitchen set or a bar counter is supplied with additional lamps.
In the hall, where guests always gather and lighting is required bright enough, you can choose a large, massive chandelier. Nowadays, lighting devices with a built-in dimmer are very popular and convenient, which are best suited for the living room and allow you to adjust the brightness of the lighting.
In the nursery, an interesting lamp with bright elements is needed, but at the same time it must also be durable, because in the children's room very often something breaks from a ball or other similar games.
There is no need for a bulky chandelier in the hallway. An elongated or round shape with one or two shades will do. Small turning spots will look just as good in the hallway, but they must be directed in the opposite direction from the mirror.
The bedroom needs a dim, subdued light, so a massive chandelier with a lot of bulbs will not work there. It can be small, neat made of glass or crystal. Perhaps it will be a small lampshade or frosted glass shade.
How to choose a chandelier by material?
On modern store counters, you can see dozens, and maybe hundreds of chandeliers of various textures and designs. Accordingly, they are made of completely different materials, which have both positive and negative sides.
Glass and crystal are fragile, delicate, very beautifully "play" in the light, but are rather picky about their care. It is quite difficult and long enough to wash small elements and rub to remove streaks, but they look rich and literally fascinate when the light plays.
Metallic ones are very durable and unusual. Perfectly complements the modern interior. They can be made of bronze, steel, copper, brass or cupronickel, so they are slightly heavy. The attachment to them should be more serious.
Wooden - a popular option for a country house. Wooden chandeliers create a cozy and calm atmosphere in modern rooms with eco-style, but it is worth remembering that they are highly flammable and are often attacked by various pests.
Textile chandeliers. Like wooden ones, they add warmth and comfort to the room. Design and color can be absolutely any, as far as the limits of the developers' imagination allow.This option is also very fashionable and stylish, however, it is not suitable for rooms with high humidity and is also highly flammable.
Plastics are very popular because they are the most affordable option for the price. In addition, they are very bright, beautiful, with a huge number of design and color solutions. A plastic chandelier can be matched to almost any room from a small kitchenette in a Khrushchev building to an elite office in a modern room. With such a choice, it is imperative to pay attention that the plastic does not contain harmful substances that have an extremely negative effect on human health, releasing phenol when heated.
There are also paper chandeliers. Now they are also gaining popularity, but in terms of practicality, they are not a reliable option. They break easily, crumple, are very fire hazardous, and besides, they do not transmit light well.
Choosing a chandelier by style
Classic. In our view, it is a solemn chandelier that illuminates the living room. It is made of glass, crystal or metal, possibly with gold plating. Shades and decorative elements are unusual, graceful, eye-catching, made in the form of petals, drops, flowers, etc.
Modern in the Art Nouveau style. It is often made of metal or frosted glass. You can use such chandeliers in an apartment with a classic or minimalist interior.
Ethnic style. This includes chandeliers made from natural ingredients: textiles, wood, paper.
In the Hi-tech style, these are often metal chandeliers or recessed lamps and spots. Their design is dominated by simplicity, clarity of lines and the absence of unnecessary bright elements. This style is often found in small modern studio apartments.
A little about the prices of chandeliers
The price is also of great importance when choosing lighting elements, therefore, the most popular and democratic type of lighting devices in the price segment are plastic or paper chandeliers. Their cost generally does not exceed 3 thousand rubles. Further in ascending order are lamps made of metal or textiles. Their price ranges from 5 to 60 thousand rubles, depending on the design and manufacturer. The most expensive materials are crystal and wood. Such products can cost 100 thousand rubles.
If you correctly calculate the level of illumination, and take into account the tips for calculating the size of the chandelier, as well as choose an environmentally friendly material, the chandelier will serve for a long time and delight the owners and guests, without harm to the eyes and to cover the ceilings.
