A chandelier in the living room illuminates the atmosphere like a little sun and transforms the interior. Without a proper flow luminaire, a room would be boring and prosaic, but its competent design makes it cozy and warm. The living room is a universal room where residents gather in the evenings and spend time with the whole family, celebrate holidays and meet guests here. Along with comfortable furniture and stylish finishes, the chandelier emphasizes a special, welcoming atmosphere. Therefore, choose this accessory carefully and meticulously.
How to choose a chandelier for the living room
Charming models with an abundance of decorative pendants, flickering crystals and flowing beads at first glance look incomparable. However, before you buy such a chandelier for the living room, it is worthwhile briefly thinking about whether you are ready to regularly clean this splendor so that it does not lose its original beauty. If this annoying moment is not key, feel free to buy the option you like. If you are not ready to spend time on monotonous cleaning, it is better to choose a more practical design that does not require complicated maintenance.
Room size and shape
Buying the right chandelier in the living room, the first thing to consider is the dimensions of the room. Even a stylistically faithful lamp may not fit into the space in length or width: residents can touch a chandelier too long with a raised hand or even the crown, and too small an accessory in a large room with a high ceiling will look ridiculous.
In a square living room with ceilings about 3 m high, the chandelier should be placed in the center so that the light evenly falls in all directions. The length of the cord in this case can be up to 50 cm. If you install a lamp without a suspension in such a room, there will not be enough light in the lower part of the room, and if the suspension is too long, the lamps will shine directly in the eyes.
Small living rooms with high ceilings may seem like a deep well. To compensate for this impression, you should choose a very long chandelier, adapted specifically for such rooms. Standard models in this case are not suitable, as they are not able to qualitatively illuminate the entire room. It is necessary to choose such a design of the chandelier for the living room, which provides a significant number of bulbs located vertically. Classical chandeliers on a long string will also be appropriate: with flowing crystal pendants and candle-shaped lamps.
In standard apartments, the ceiling height is about 2.6 m. In such a room, it is strongly recommended not to hang such types of chandeliers for the living room as low hanging lamps, with some exceptions: they will be appropriate in certain functional areas, for example, above the dining table. In their reviews, people note that lamps with a short suspension and a wide, spreading design look best.
In spacious rectangular rooms, one chandelier may not be enough. This point needs to be thought out in advance and at the stage of wiring installation, provide two or more exit points. There may be several options: two identical chandeliers in functional areas or one main chandelier in the center and another 2-4 smaller lamps.
Style matters
After the size of the chandelier for the living room is determined, you should choose the right style of accessory. As a rule, in the interior design of the living room one dominant style is used and several additional ones, a single style in its pure form almost never occurs. Judging by the reviews, the most popular trends today are: classicism, neoclassicism, minimalism, art deco, contemporary, country and French. A chandelier in the wrong style will discord with the rest of the space, in this case the room will look clumsy and tasteless.
Minimalism in the living room
This style welcomes restraint and moderation in everything, lack of decor and functionality of each item. The decoration and furniture in the minimalist living room are simple and concise, so that the chandelier should look accordingly. However, you should not think that minimalism is boring and fresh. The luminaire can be made in the form of beautiful crystal balls, flickering pendants on a strict square frame, and high-tech fans can pick up a chandelier in a living room of both a traditional shape and a stylish futuristic LED suspension.
Classicism
Classic style is appropriate in spacious living rooms with large windows and fairly high ceilings. The refined atmosphere of the past era implies expensive natural materials, the use of plaster moldings and high-quality lighting. The light for the living room in the spirit of classicism should be bright enough, so the chandelier plays an important role in the arrangement of the interior. The classic lamp has a massive silhouette, decorated in the form of horns with lampshades in one or several tiers and equipped with elegant cut crystal pendants.
Art Deco with a masculine character
The interior of the dwelling for a successful and respectable bachelor is marked by some brutality, the sofa group with leather upholstery has a laconic silhouette, a restrained color palette without patterns is used for decoration, the tables and facades are treated with gloss, the decor has a status decor. Such a design demonstrates independence and self-sufficiency, and an elegant chandelier balances the space, preventing it from becoming bulky.
In the Art Deco style, crystal pendants and lamps in the form of huge flowers are equally appropriate. Only one requirement must be observed: the lamp must contrast with the rest of the environment, stand out against its background, but not violate the integrity of the interior.
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism differs from traditional classics in simpler forms of furniture, moderate decor and almost complete absence of pathos. For a living room decorated in this style, a light, light, sophisticated chandelier with crystal pendants and neat lampshades is suitable.
Eclecticism
In this style, several directions from different eras were fancifully mixed. Intense drawings of furniture upholstery, rich texture of fabric, intricate decor and vintage details in the interior make the atmosphere unusual, but surprisingly comfortable and cozy. In such a room, the chandelier should have either a neutral design or be combined with several objects.
French apartment style
The interior of the French living room is filled with beautiful, sophisticated objects with a unique charm, the lining is distinguished by bright colors and high-quality natural materials, every detail is literally saturated with impeccable taste. In this case, the chandelier should be equally subtle and elegant, have a smooth, graceful silhouette and illuminate the room with a soft and warm yellowish light. The use of cold light is extremely undesirable, as well as the presence of modern LEDs.
Country and Provence
The traditional country style is characterized by simple forms, natural materials and a warm, soulful atmosphere. Provence is a French country style, which is distinguished by more elegant silhouettes of furniture, calm patterns and sophisticated decor. In such an environment, a chandelier made of natural wood, such as beech or rattan, as well as metal, will be appropriate. For the Provencal living room, you can choose a lamp with crystal details and lamps that imitate candles.
Fusion Style
This style is mysterious and a little whacky, ideal for creative people. Elements from many directions, eras and cultures organically coexist in one room, forming a holistic and harmonious atmosphere. In such an interior, African ethnic elements are adjacent to the European decoration, and bright colors indicate the strong character and creativity of the homeowners.
The main light source is a ceiling chandelier, which has a complex and unusual shape, is distinguished by its catchy design and an abundance of decorative details, like the rest of the decor. The lamp frame is usually made of metal, covered with gilding or bronze, decorated with carved elements or forging, and the plafonds are made of glass or ceramic of any suitable color. The interior in fusion style has a peculiarity: the designs of chandeliers for the living room of completely different types will successfully fit into the design and become a real decoration of the room.
To figure out how to choose a chandelier for the living room, you need to determine two key points: the size of the room and the style of decoration. Do not be afraid to mix different styles, but you should choose directions that are close in spirit, for example, French style and neoclassicism.