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How do I Choose the Best Art Deco Chandelier?
Choosing the best art deco chandelier depends not only on one's budget but also on the space in which the chandelier will go. It may be possible to purchase a truly stunning vintage art deco chandelier that has been used in a building before, but this type of antique lighting may require special fittings or may not look appropriate in a room. Smaller art deco chandeliers are typically appropriate for homes, and reproductions are also popular. Art deco lighting is often both practical and neutral and therefore can be combined with other styles within a room seamlessly. As such, choosing an art deco chandelier is primarily a matter of finding a design that one likes.
Art deco chandeliers come in all shapes and sizes. Many incorporate the unique straight lines and defined edges of art deco design. While there are many chandeliers from this period available in lacy and crystalline designs, it is the features unique to this period that make an art deco chandelier so special. As such, if what one is looking for is a chandelier that is definitively art deco in design, it may be best to go with a fixture that is less traditionally luxurious and more characteristic of the period.
One thing to consider when purchasing an art deco chandelier is whether one wants a genuine antique or an item that simply matches the stylistic considerations of the period. It will be much less expensive in most cases to purchase an item that is made according to art deco designs than an item that was actually made in the 1920s. In fact, unless one can afford to fully restore a vintage item, a reproduction may also be of a higher quality. There is historical value in purchasing an authentic design, but a reproduction may be a better option for a home or business.
Unlike many other aspects of art deco design, art deco chandeliers are actually often quite subtle. While art deco structures frequently include vibrant colors and strong lines, these same features actually appear rather understated when applied to lighting. Many chandeliers make use of bright colors and shiny objects to make the chandelier the center of a room, but an art deco chandelier will often blend with the rest of the room because of its emphasis on lines and shapes. If one is looking for a piece that can subtly give a room an air of vintage splendor and class, any subtle art deco chandelier will accomplish that task nicely.
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Discussion Comments
@jester39 - An art deco lamp could be of a nude woman holding up a beautiful orb or it could be an architecturally simple yet elegant and stylistic piece that brought order to the natural world with its efficient lines.
Art deco pieces were mostly streamlined, suggesting movement in symmetry.
What does an art deco lamp look like? I'd love to buy some but don't want to spend an arm and a leg on them.
A while back I decided to purchase chandeliers that were basic and really not of any particular style. Since then, I've taken each one and decorated them in different styles. My favorite one is hanging in the dining room.
My husband saw what I was doing with the chandelier to turn it into an art deco light fixture and tried to dissuade me. He just didn't have the vision to see what it might end up looking like. I'm glad I hung in there to the end.
I spray painted my black, traditional chandelier with creamy beige paint that had texture, like sand. Then I glued on little white shells everywhere. (Have I lost you yet?) This is the point at which my husband came along and said, "ARGGH. That's horrible."
So, anyway, after all the shells were fastened and had dried, I began attaching all the little crystals that I had ordered in bulk online onto every possible place that they could hang.
This chandelier gets more comments than anything else in my house. Sometimes you have to believe in your own vision and carry it out to the end. Sometimes it works well and sometimes you have to change courses. I love the journey every time!
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