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Chandeliers - From Candles To LED

ChrisFH | Apr 15, 2010 |

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Say the word chandelier - and most of us probably think of big, ballroom hulks, with dozens or hundreds of incandescent bulbs, blasting out more heat than light. They give great light though, but since the incandescent bulb seems to be going the way of the Dodo, you might as well start looking at other lighting technologies for your next - or current - chandelier.

In the beginning there were only candles. Most classic chandeliers are shaped they way they are, because they had to accommodate candles as their source of light. That meant having candle fixtures of a certain size, and the shape and construction was dictated from that. It also meant lampshades weren't used much, as the heat rising from a candle would simply set it on fire. A more common way of directing the light in the desired angle, was to use polished metal reflectors - especially for wallmounted candles. But of course hanging glass crystals around the candles did much to spread and diffuse the light also. You can still get candle chandeliers, but the issues are the same as always: Difficult to light and douse - especially if there are many candles and the lamp is hung high. Also, there can be problems with soot stains in the ceiling directly above the flame and your indoor climate can deteriorate from burning too many candles too often. Candles have been shown to spread ultra-fine particles that incrase the risk of respiratory cancer, so don't overdo it.

Then there is the option of energy saving bulbs. These are a form of fluorescent lights, but have come a long way in terms of light quality, compared to what most people associate with fluorescent tubes - a slightly sickly, greenish-white light. The problem with these, in terms of chandeliers, is purely cosmetic. Many energy saver bulbs just don't look good compared to oldfashioned bulbs. Energy savers need additional electronics to work and this often enclosed in an ugly white casing between the thread and the glass bulb. Not pretty in my opinion.

LED is the next logical step for chandeliers - no doubt about that. They are basically small units that can be combined in endless ways, to make exactly the kind of light desired. The advantage is clear - LED's don't need large fixtures and sockets like candles and bulbs, but can be mounted in such a way, that they are almost invisible. Allows for some bold designs that were just not possible with the old lighting technologies. Also, LED's use a lot less energy, since they convert the electricity mostly to light, and not so much to heat. At the moment, LED is not suitable for really high-power applications, but for home use, they are a viable solution. We see more and more designs using LED's - both in the style of vintage and contemporary chandeliers.

You can of course pick what you like best, but don't be surprised if the future is all LED.