Adeal Benhayoun asked:


You don’t have to be an expert lighting tech with a degree in Cinematography to properly light your home. Take a look around, taking into consideration where people typically sit and what they’re doing. Do you just use the living room for watching television? Do you entertain guests, sometimes eat dinner there or read books? You’ll want to provide enough light for the activities you like to do, but also accent particular pieces of furniture you may have spent a lot of money on or that simply catch the eye. That brings us to the archetypal question: Do you want a floor lamp or a hanging lamp?

Artistic, handmade Moroccan lamps come from the foothills of the mountains to your home in both the hanging and floor varieties. The possibilities are seemingly limitless, when you consider the added variance in color, shape and pattern as well.

The Moroccan floor lamps are ideal because unlike most designs, they project the light outward and upward. Most standing floor lamps have a shade and the light shines down to the floor, which is wasteful since you’re rarely sitting on the floor doing something.

These Moroccan floor lamps are made out of dyed goat skin stretched over an iron frame and hand-painted with henna. In ancient tradition, decorating and artistic expression was a form of “Barakah” – meaning “spiritual wisdom and blessing transmitted from God.” Artisans were careful not to disobey any of their religious laws, which prevent them from drawing human figures; so instead, you will find symbols, geometric shapes, plant-like designs and nature patterns. Traditionally, these designs were believed to ward off evil spirits and protect the beholder. The fish pattern, for instance, symbolizes water, fertility and prosperity. The lizard or salamander represents a seeker of the sun or the human soul seeking light. Most shapes found on your Moroccan floor lamps aim to protect, empower and command respect.

Moroccan hanging lamps (also called lanterns) are made out of stained glass and wrought iron or brass. Hanging lanterns can be a sign of upper class status in Morocco, as many lanterns were seen at the entranceway of palaces and mansions. In your home, hanging lamps are ideal for people with children (as they won’t be able to knock or tip these ones over!) and for lighting a dining area or foyer.

What says “Welcome” more than a giant glass chandelier? Chandeliers, while sometimes costly, are a symbol of elegance and status. Nothing takes one’s breath away more than a magnificent chandelier hanging in a lavish hotel or mansion bed-and-breakfast. For a more conservative and budget-friendly lamp, the Moroccan stained glass lamps are a beautiful addition to any home, whether you place them in your living room, bedroom or outdoor deck. Most of these lights are made multi-functional so you can use them indoors to bring a rustic charm to your dwelling or outdoor to light up a patio, front door or pool area.

Proper lighting is a big deal when it comes to human happiness. Whether you prefer hanging or floor lighting arrangements, there is a Moroccan lamp for you. Once you’ve assessed your home and determined where light is needed and why, you can select the appropriate color theme and begin feeling happier, more relaxed and emotionally satisfied.

John Billington asked:


Though deciding on a chandelier for your home is largely dependent on your aesthetic taste, the proper chandelier sizes are fairly universal. There are of course no limits to a person’s creativity, but it is nice to have a basic set of rules as a guideline for choosing the right size chandelier. If you intend on making an intentional artistic statement by breaking these rules, you can certainly still be successful, but if you purchase and install the wrong size chandelier out of ignorance, it will be obvious to even the most untrained eye. Like any form of art such as music or painting, home lighting and decoration have rules that can certainly be broken, but knowing these rules is essential to any sort of artistic integrity.

Determining the right size chandelier, proportionate to the space, is really a game of numbers. With these guidelines, anyone can quickly estimate what chandelier will be the correct size. If the room is 14 ft. squared, it is recommended to use a 24″ to 36″ in diameter chandelier fixture. It is important that a chandelier not be dwarfed by the room and vice versa. If a chandelier is too small for a particular space, you may as well find an alternate less expensive fixture, because this scenario makes the chandelier look almost humorous rather than glamorous. Similarly, if the room is 12 ft. sq. the chandelier should be approximately 26 inches in diameter, and if it is 10 ft. sq. it should be 17 to 20 inches. These figures are not perfect equations, but they provide good proportionate sizing to work from.

If the chandelier is hanging from a high ceiling, perhaps in an entryway, the rules are slightly different. The height of the chandelier becomes much more important. The fixtures should hang down at least one quarter of the distance (if it is a two-story area). Otherwise, some other pendant style fixture may be more appropriate. If there are widows above the front door, positioning the chandelier so it is centered in the window from an exterior view is a great solution.

Dining room chandeliers are perhaps the most important to consider proportionately. It should serve as a centerpiece, but not that distracts from the rest of the table. The chandelier is at least 12 inches more narrow than the short width of the dining table, and it hangs approximately 30 inches above the surface of the table. This allows for guests and family to keep from bumping their heads into your fabulous chandelier fixture.

Once the size of the room and chandelier proportions have been considered, it is up to your taste and style to find the right chandelier within the right size. Ask yourself questions like, is this a modern formal space or is it more Victorian? Is it a casual environment or does it have a rustic theme? These kinds of questions and a guideline of the right size will greatly aid in the search for the chandelier that completes your special room.

Lightingshowplace.com asked:


Purchasing a crystal chandelier is similar to buying a diamond. Not all crystal is created equal. Crystal may be machine-cut, hand cut or molded. The cost of your chandelier can fluctuate drastically depending on the quality of crystal you choose. Most fixtures are available in four qualities of crystal.

Lights of Distinction - the Crystorama Lighting Group and James R. Moder are two of the largest manufacturers of Crystal Chandeliers.

Strass Crystal:

Strass Crystal is considered the finest in the world. Strass is manufactured by Swarovski AG in the Austrian Alps. Strass is an optically pure crystal, clear as spring water, totally free of flaws, unique in purity and brilliance. Strass crystal is characterized by razor-sharp cutting of facets (surfaces) with the lead content in excess of 30 percent. Cutting and polishing are done by machine to achieve perfect optical clarity. Strass crystals are treated with an invisible coating, which eliminates dust attraction and makes it easier to clean and maintain. Each crystal (over 12mm) has the distinct STRASS® laser engraved signature, identifying it as a genuine STRASS® Crystal .

Swarovski Spectra Crystal:

A passion for perfection has made Swarovski the world leader in the production of cut crystal. Swarovski & Co., manufacturer of Strass Crystal, has created a new alternative quality crystal. Swarovski has used advanced technology with olde world knowledge to produce a brilliant crystal with precision cutting and superior light reflection. This crystal type is designed for a crystal connoisseur demanding quality at an affordable price.

Imperial Crystal (Available only through James R Moder):

Imperial crystal dressed chandeliers contain brilliant crystals created by precision cutting sourced from Austria , Egypt , Turkey and the Czech Republic . The Imperial crystal is a combination of quality crystals to achieve a great look at an excellent price point.

Regal Crystal (James R Moder) / Majestic Wood Polish Crystal (Crystorama):

This crystal is cut by hand in two stages on an iron and then a sandstone wheel. Each crystal is then polished on a wood wheel with marble dust. These methods go back centuries. If you look closely you will notice faint traces of the wood-wheel attesting, the concentrated labor of the artisan. This is a mark of authenticity. Each piece is a unique and original masterpiece.

Italian Crystal:

Italian crystal also known as Venetian Crystal (from the glass-making regions in and around Venice ) is molded not cut. You will notice a rounding of edges that comes from fire polishing. Molded crystal, though never as brilliant as cut crystal has a subtle charm and is an exceptional value. It is an ideal budget crystal for heavily dressed chandeliers.

Unlimited Light asked:


A chandelier as defined by Wikipedia “is a ceiling-mounted fixture with two or more arms bearing lights”. But when one thinks of a chandelier, one usually has in mind the bold and expensive chandeliers adorning the ballrooms of the rich and famous. However contemporary chandeliers are the "in thing" today, as they are not too expensive, come in various designs, and light up the room with a nice ambience.

What really sets Contemporary chandeliers>contemporary chandeliers apart is the attention to shape, design, and function. In fact, most contemporary chandeliers implement various color schemes and patterns, which help to add a distinct and warm glow to any room. Contemporary chandeliers also feature unique patterns of the lights.

The days of classifying chandeliers as pricey or limited to a certain class are certainly gone. With so many different types of contemporary chandeliers available, we now have the ability to turn our own homes into something of an art gallery. These intimate pieces are sure to give the rooms in your home a different personality, and you are sure to receive admiration from your family and friends.

A contemporary chandelier is sure to give any room in your home a whole new personality; an interior fashion face-lift if you will. Contemporary chandeliers come in different patterns, color schemes, styles and designs, with each one giving a distinct glow to your home.

There are fibre optic chandeliers which provide the ultimate impact in hallways, stairwells, dining rooms, bedrooms and living spaces. Some of them have as many as 200 sparkling fibre optic tails arranged in four rings and staggered in length.

Some of the contemporary chandeliers have remote control to control the colour wheel to switch from white light to continuous gentle colours. This revolutionary light sculpture is not only unique and dramatic space filler but also boasts therapeutic effects.

Unlimited Light - The number one online source for contemporary chandeliers and the most highly regarded fibre optic lighting company, offers contemporary chandeliers which deliver maximum impact in hallways, stairwells, dining rooms, bedrooms and living spaces.