French Country Chandeliers

Fed up of the blinding lights of fast city life? Want something that is more rustic and classic in nature? French country chandeliers are just the thing for you. They lend a light and breezy look to your home and yet exude an old-world charm. The right kind of French chandelier will go a long way in making your home feel like the French countryside or even an elegant French garden. The result is you get a potpourri of style, richness and class that will surely provide you with the warmth and coziness you have yearned for. Check out buying tips for French country chandeliers.

History of French Chandeliers

French chandeliers were used centuries back in history. It was during the 17^th - 18^th century in France and England that the present day chandelier we use, evolved. Back then, the country chandeliers were heavily ornamented mostly with intricately cut rock crystal or quartz. These stones used to reflect the candle light almost magically and were popularized during the reign of Louis the XIV. The chandeliers were usually 4 feet to 8 feet in height and had spaces for holding hundreds of candles and even more crystals. There was a particular mechanism with which they were hung on the ceilings and could be lowered for replacing the candles and then raised again.

French Country Chandelier Buying Tips

The first and foremost thing is to decide how big a chandelier you are looking for. This will be decided by the size of the room you want to hang the chandelier in. if the room is big, go in for an elaborately styled one; else, you can always settle for a smaller version of the design.
Keep a pre-decided budget in mind when you are out to buy a French country chandelier. That way, you can choose different varieties within a given amount and also decide how much intricate is the design that you want. The more the cuts, the higher will be the price tag.
The next thing you need to keep in mind is the color of the room. If the walls are painted in colors like warm yellow, orange hues, cream tones or pastel shades, then choose a chandelier that is off-white, cream, ivory or brown in color. If the walls are painted in colors like green, blue, pink, etc, choose chandelier that has tones of silver, copper, rust, soft sea colors etc.
Decide which chandelier you want. The traditional ones used to have spaces for placing candles, while the contemporary ones have replaced candles with bulbs. It is better to go in for the electrified ones as they are easier to maintain and operate.
The French country chandeliers are not very intricately carved or designed like English chandeliers. Instead it is their simplicity that makes them so popular even in places that have a significant English population. Go in for chandeliers that have more spaces between the curved arms.
Almost all French country chandeliers have a fair amount of crystals dangling, giving them a royal look. Choose from varieties that have bunches of crystals or a few crystals just beneath the spaces that would hold the bulbs, or crystals attaches to the curvy arms.

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