Innovate Ways to Make Good Use of Your Chandeliers (Including the Old Ones)
Chandeliers are a timeless and classic light fixture in many homes today. Their bespoke designs allow them to integrate into any home, whether it has a traditional or modern interior design, and beautify it immediately. A chandelier also makes a great statement piece in a home and can be the focal point for (re)designing a space.
That said, if you're thinking of buying a chandelier, you may have concerns about where to use one in your home and how to hang it on your ceiling. You may also be asking yourself what you will do with the chandelier once it gets old.
This post explains the most innovative and unexpected ways to use a chandelier in your home décor. It also shares different ways to repurpose an old chandelier after using it for a while.
Uses of a Chandelier
A chandelier serves four key purposes, regardless of where you put it. Whether it's in the living room, bathroom, or any other space in your home, a chandelier will:
- Decorate – chandeliers are always attractive whether the lights are on or off and have more impact than pendant lights which are commonly smaller. They are also a great idea if you want to replace a flush mount light if there is space to house a larger chandelier.
- Create a warm atmosphere – the refracted or diffused light from a glass chandelier or crystal chandelier provides subtle light that creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
- Save space – a mid-century modern chandelier such as a Sputnik chandelier has a space-economical design that frees extra space in your home.
- Illuminate – chandeliers can provide functional light when combined with other lighting fixtures, such as wall sconces and table lamps.
Different Ways to Use a Chandelier
A chandelier can add some sparkle and shine to your home if you place it well. Here are the different ways to use these beautiful light fixtures to spruce things up or create focal points in your home:
Over a Kitchen Island
You can place a mini chandelier above your kitchen island for extra kitchen lighting when preparing meals. The led light from the chandelier also makes your kitchen a more attractive space than recessed lighting, track ceiling lights, or smaller pendant lights.
Over a Bed
Instead of a dramatic headboard, you can use statement lighting like a chandelier over your bed to make the room more beautiful and intimate. The beautiful design and subtle light from the fixture creates a better romantic vibe than bedside lamps.
Over a Dining Room Table
The diffused light from a crystal or beaded chandeliers above your dining room table can enhance the beauty of your dining furniture and make an intimate setting. A dining room chandelier also acts as a pivotal focal point from which you can design your dining room area.
Furthermore, for dining room light, you can hang and then swag a chandelier where your dining table is, even if the ceiling junction box isn't there. The following are the steps on how to swag a chandelier, whether it's from a cord or chain, so it can hang where you want it to:
- Determine the part where the light fixture will hang
- Estimate the size of the cord you'll need
- Wire the chandelier to the ceiling
- Install the ceiling mounts or swag hooks
- Swag your fixture to the hooks or mounts
Always be careful when dealing with electricity during wiring. It's better to seek professional help than to DIY, unless you are an electrician yourself.
Over an Entryway
You can place a chandelier or two above paths leading to rooms within your home. The chandelier provides subtle light that illuminates your entryways and makes them look more fashionable.
Unexpected Places to Use a Chandelier in Your Home
Apart from the common areas such as entryways, dining rooms, and kitchens, you can use chandeliers in other creative places to make your home more eye-catching. Examples of such unexpected places are:
Bathroom
Although the bathroom isn't the first place you think to place a chandelier, it can instantly create a whimsical and romantic vibe. The dimmer lights from the fixture makes the bathtub feel more like a relaxing spa experience.
Outdoor patio
You can place a chandelier on your outdoor patio or pergolas to create a warm and relaxing environment during those nights out. The subtle light amplifies the beauty of your compound and illuminates pathways when walking at night.
Nursery
A children's nursery is another excellent place to hang a chandelier in your home. For kids, it creates a relaxing and elegant environment, especially when mixed and matched with other playful styles in the room. For parents, the beauty and ambient lighting from the fixture can be an excellent backdrop for taking photos with kids.
Home Office
You can use a chandelier in your home office to make it more attractive to guests when holding meetings there. The chandelier can also create a relaxing environment for reading and working, even during late hours.
Reading Nook
A reading nook is a fun place to add an art deco chandelier in your home. You can cozy up in a comfy chair and add some sparkly ambiance adding a hanging work of art to your space. It can double as a task light if you like to use that space for crochet or embroidery as well.
What to Do with Old Hanging Light Fixtures
If you notice your chandelier is getting old after using it for a while, you don't have to directly dispose of it yet. The following are ways to repurpose and make use of any old chandeliers in your home:
Paint Old Chandeliers
If you have old hanging chandeliers and want to continue using them, painting is the easiest and most affordable way to make them look new again. The best and most versatile paints to transform your old chandeliers are spray paint and chalk paint.
Make Creative Art
You can repurpose your old chandeliers or parts of them into beautiful and inspiring art, such as:
- Glass accent mirror
- Tassel chandelier
- Candle holder
- DIY terrarium
Create Chandelier Planters
Another excellent way to make use can of old chandeliers is to make herb garden planters out of them. The planters can take various shapes and forms depending on the chandelier type. Examples of common planters include:
- Polish chandelier planter
- Outdoor chandelier planter
- Old chandelier flower planter
- Candelabra-styled planter
- Teacup chandelier planter
Donate
You can donate your old chandelier and other lighting fixtures to humanity-centered non-profit organizations in your community. Such businesses may accept lighting fixtures as donations to help different people in dire life situations. For example, people rebuild homes after hurricanes or fires.
Sell
Selling your old chandelier is a fantastic way to dispose of it while still generating monetary value from the fixture. You can sell old chandeliers online or at local antique and consignment shops in your area.
Find the Best Chandeliers for Your Home at Urban Ambience
Chandeliers serve key purposes in your home. They decorate, create a sense of warmth, and save on space. You can install and swag a chandelier at any location, even the most unexpected such as a home office, bathroom and nursery and repurpose them into valuable items when they age.
At Urban Ambience, we have a great selection of the latest chandeliers in the market you can choose from based on style, size, design features and finish tone. Contact us today to discuss the perfect chandelier and lighting design for your home.
