Ornate design features on a chandelier.
Chandeliers are ceiling-mounted light fixtures that typically have at least two arms. The arms of the fixture hold lights used to illuminate the space. Chandeliers are noted for ornate design and the use of crystal prisms to refract light. Miniature chandeliers are becoming more commonly available. These are smaller versions of the more common chandelier styles. The chandeliers are used to light bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and other rooms where chandeliers are not traditionally installed.
The Dining Experience
Traditional dining room large chandelier centered over the dining table.
A central part of the dining experience is being able to see what you are eating. Foods are often colorful and visually exciting. Presenting food dishes in artistic and designed ways has become a nationwide trend reflected in numerous cooking shows and contests where the appearance of food is part of how the food is evaluated. To see food well the dining table needs to be illuminated with enough light so that diners can easily see what they are eating when it is presented.
Size and Placement of Light Fixtures
A too-large chandelier positioned too close to a small table will not work well for dining.
Designers have developed calculators to determine the size of a fixture that will look appropriate within a specific space. Since a single chandelier is the standard, these calculations generally include the width of the fixture based on the square footage of the room and the height of a fixture based on the volume of the room. The volume is the height of the room. These measurements can also be used for mini chandeliers. Instead of viewing the mini chandelier as a single light fixture, the designer will group the smaller fixture to create the size of fixture necessary to fulfill the space of a single larger fixture.
Multiple Fixtures
Multiple small chandelier-style pendant fixtures over a dining island are grouped to provide adequate light.
The second way a designer may accommodate smaller chandeliers in the lighting design for a dining room is by positioning each mini chandelier along the center line of the table. In this way the mini chandelier services only a small portion of the dining table, allowing the entire length of the table to receive appropriate light. The designer will use the same calculations for a single larger fixture and divide the size by the size of the miniature chandelier to determine how many fixtures are necessary to meet lighting requirements.
Style
A miniature chandelier positioned over a kitchen sink adds unexpected glamour to a mundane setting.
Miniature chandeliers are a trend or current fashion of light fixture. Over time, lighting design changes as new fixtures are designed in new colors, shapes and sizes. These light fixture styles move in and out of popularity, often returning in a slightly modified form based on an older style, which allows homeowners to select fixtures that are modern yet historic at the same time. The mini chandelier is a good example of this type of fixture. The fixture echoes the grand chandeliers of homes built in the last century, yet the fixture is made fresh and interesting by its small size. Adding the fixture to the decor incorporates both a comfortable traditional feeling and a modern experience.
Tags: mini chandelier, dining table, light fixture, , designer will