When it comes time to freshen up your home, consider replacing some of the light fixtures with chandeliers. Some classic places for chandeliers include: the dining room; the kitchen; the bedroom and the foyer.

Dining room chandeliers are common in many homes. And for good reason. There is a long history of eating by chandelier light. It goes back to medieval times, when chandelier lighting was the height of technology. The simple candle light chandeliers offered the best illumination our forefathers had. In those times the dining area  was the main living area, so the best light was centered there. You can shop around and find a nice, classic chandelier for under $100. You need to measure your space carefully. An inexpensive chandelier like that will be on the small side, of course and you do not want to underwhelm the room with a tiny light fixture.

Homeowners often choose chandelier lighting in the kitchen. If you have a high ceiling kitchen, look for a long design. Yes, there are heights for chandeliers, too. A short design will look odd in a tall kitchen. Both the visual effect and the illumination qualities will be lost because the chandelier will be all the way up close to the ceiling. I’ve seen black chandeliers so badly positioned that it looked a bit like a big black spider on the ceiling!

Bedroom light fixtures are often overlooked. At some point someone installed a flush-mount ceiling light fixture and it has never been replaced. Mood lighting, however, is one of the reasons why chandeliers are so  popular. This is great in both the dining room and the bedroom. Using the dimmer switch to set just the right amount of light can make all the difference.

Chandeliers are elegance personified. Add that special touch to your foyer with a chandelier. Foyers are a special case — in general the chandelier is the focal point, the only focal point, so you can go big and bold in this part of the house. It is the first thing guests will see as they arrive, so take your time and find the perfect chandelier.

Take the time to do a little research and take measurements in your home. You do not want to install chandeliers on a trial and error basis! As the saying goes, Measure twice, cut once.
Chandeliers truly are attainable elegance, so have fun planning and shopping. Your home will thank you for it.