Triarch International OA222-BR - Optic Acrylic Chandelier
Much of the expense of traditional crystal chandeliers comes from the labor that goes into cutting, polishing, and refining the crystal.
(PRWEB) August 02, 2013
HomeThangs.com – the Online Home Improvement Store has made their goal to deliver the right product to the consumer. With that in mind, shopping and home design tips, as well as special product selections are being introduced.
Crystal chandeliers are essentially the gold standard of home lighting fixtures. They’re traditional, beautiful, and elegant, but can also be quite expensive. Genuine leaded glass crystals are often made by hand using proprietary chemical formulas and time-tested artisan techniques, which makes for an heirloom quality piece, but not one that’s ideal for a smaller budget or even a smaller home. To that end, HomeThangs.com has released a guide to using alternative materials to get a similar look without the sky-high price tag of a traditional crystal chandelier.
Even the most exceptional and expensive hand-cut crystals are, essentially, made of glass. Now, this is glass that’s mixed with other materials – typically lead – to enhance the optic quality of the finished product (i.e. make it catch, reflect, and refract light better, so it sparkles and casts little rainbows of light). But regular, plain old glass can be cut to crystal shapes to similar effect at a much, much lower cost. Much of the expense of traditional crystal chandeliers comes from the labor that goes into cutting, polishing, and refining the crystal, but it’s a much simpler process to shape plain glass to catch the light. It won’t do it quite as well, but the look is quite similar.
Alternatively, while plain glass can be cut or shaped to resemble crystal, it can also be blown, molded, or otherwise manipulated into a variety of other shapes. Simple draping loops mimic the cascading fall of a crystal-laden chandelier, while globes, tear drops, or even flower can create their own unique signature appearance. Either way, the difference in price isn’t small: glass chandeliers cost between a fifth and a third what authentic crystal ones do, depending on the design, the type of crystal, and the manufacturer.
Optic acrylic is another solid, affordable substitute for a traditional crystal chandelier. Like real crystal, this type of plastic is specifically designed for maximum optic quality, and cut to enhance the material’s refractive properties. Though these are essentially plastic, they aren’t like the junky “crystal” plastic handles used on bathroom faucets. They actually reflect and refract light quite well, and can be cut into long, sharp prisms for a style that’s similar to conventional crystals while being entirely its own.
One surprising alternative to leaded glass crystals is metal. Silver, aluminum, and especially chrome can all make lovely – albeit somewhat more modern – replacements for traditional crystal chandeliers. This look works simply because metal, like crystal, is quite shiny. While it doesn’t refract light, it does reflect it, and can really mimic the shimmer and shine of crystal. Chrome offers a much more modern look, with a high-polished shine and often more contemporary designs, while delicate pieces of silver (which are, admittedly, a little pricier) have a beautiful old fashioned feel that’s closer to more conventional chandelier designs.
Similarly, mirrored surfaces make for a very modern, much less expensive alternative to a traditional crystal chandelier. Like chrome and other metals, mirrored surfaces are highly reflective and are perfect for catching light and making it dazzle. Avoid anything that feels even remotely like a disco ball and look for models that resemble a more traditional chandelier. Small mirrored pieces mimic the size and appearance of crystals, while larger pieces assembled into a chandelier-shape offer a nice modern twist on the style.
Finally, sometimes the best way to get a traditional look without paying full price is to look for chandeliers that mix materials, combining authentic crystals with any one or more of the materials above. Small crystal details are often attached to or supplemented with plain glass pieces, and even just adding a few glinting pieces of metal can help flush out a fixture that only has a few crystals. In this case quantity very much equals price (replacing even a single crystal on a large chandelier can cost several dollars), so to stick to a limited budget, look for chandeliers that showcase just a few crystal pieces rather than being draped in them.
For more beautiful, alternative chandeliers, read the full article here.
HomeThangs.com is not only a home improvement superstore, it also provides expert design tips and a comprehensive shopping guide, taking the ideas from professional interior designers, and offering tips to the consumers on how to pick the products to best suit their needs.
